Roasted Garlic Mac 'n' Cheese
Cheesy, garlicky, and super creamy…this Roasted Garlic Mac ‘n’ cheese recipe hits all the right notes! A thick-glossy cheese sauce with the sweet undertones of slow-roasted garlic beautifully coats the al-dente macaroni. Finished off with crispy shallots and toasted breadcrumbs, this garlicky mac ‘n’ cheese is ready to take centre stage as the ultimate comfort food recipe.
Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. It’s the go-to recipe that you can throw together whenever you need a quick, comforting meal. With our Roasted Garlic Mac ‘n’ Cheese, you get all of the comforting, gooey goodness of a classic recipe with some delicious— garlicky touches!
We’re not just talking about some extra garlic powder and salt here. We mean gently slow roasted garlic that adds a depth and umami to this dish. When you add in our signature cheese sauce, it’s like getting a hug every time you take a bite! This mac and cheese recipe is easily going to become one of your favourites. The mix of gruyère and cheddar cheeses is the perfect combination for that lush cheesy texture and flavour.
This dish is so easy to make that we recommend cooking up a batch on Sunday night and then reheating leftovers throughout the week for an easy lunch or dinner. This dish is perfect eaten on its own, or paired with a bright and peppery salad like this, or this, if you want to lighten the meal
For further pasta recipe ideas, keep your eyes peeled for the following days, and check out our pasta recipe collection. Finally, if you try this recipe, let us know how it goes! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag your photo #theculinarycartel on Instagram so we can see what you come up with. See our Instagram recipe video here. Happy cooking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this gluten-free?
Sure, just use gluten-free macaroni and flour! Enjoy!
Can I make this vegan?
We haven’t tested this recipe with plant-based products, but if you give it a try, don’t forget to share it with us. We’d love to see how it comes out!
Roasted Garlic Mac ‘n’ Cheese
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Cheesy, garlicky, and super creamy…this Roasted Garlic Mac ‘n’ cheese recipe hits all the right notes! A thick-glossy cheese sauce with the sweet undertones of slow-roasted garlic beautifully coats the al-dente macaroni. Finished off with crispy shallots and toasted breadcrumbs, this garlicky mac ‘n’ cheese is ready to take centre stage as the ultimate comfort food recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 garlic head, whole
- 35g / 3 tbsp flour
- 45g/ 3 tbsp butter
- 3 cup warm milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 90g/ 1 cup gryuere
- 90g/ 1 cup cheddar
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp dijon
- 1/2 cup soured cream
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- 2 pinch salt & pepper
- 250g / 2 cup macaroni
For serving use one or any of the following:
- Our air-fried crispy onions or store-bought crispy onions
- Crispy toasted breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Cut about 1 cm off the top of your garlic, to expose the cloves inside. Place the garlic into a square of tinfoil, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic completely in the foil, and place into the air fryer, at 180C for 30 Minutes, or until the garlic is golden and gooey.
- Using a small pan on medium heat, add the butter and cook until melted. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook the butter-flour roux for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the warm milk. Drop in the bay leaf. Cook the white sauce until the flour taste has cooked out, and the sauce has thickened (about 3-5 minutes) then stir in the cheese, dijon, nutmeg, and sour cream. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. The sauce will be nice and thick. Fish out the bay leaf and set it aside.
- Cook the macaroni until very al dente (it will finish cooking in the sauce), according to the packet instructions. Use a little less water than usual to yield very starchy pasta water to finish your cheese sauce. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water.
Chefs Tip: The starchy pasta water will help bind your sauce and pasta together, and loosen the sauce to the correct creamy consistency. Don’t skip it! - Add the hot pasta to the cheese sauce on a low heat and stir to combine. Add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, stirring it through the mac and cheese until the sauce is super glossy and reaches the thickness of double cream.
- Remove the garlic from the air fryer. Squeeze out the cloves and use the back of a knife to smash them to a fine paste. Loosen the paste with a little pasta water, then stir the mixture through the mac and cheese.
- Serve immediately with your crunchy topping of choice.
- Breadcrumbs: To make crispy toasted breadcrumbs simply heat a little olive oil in a pan on a medium heat. Add some panko, fresh or shop-bought breadcrumbs, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until a lovely golden brown then remove from the heat. Stir through a little chopped parley or thyme if you wish, or add a dash of a herby seasoning.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Mains
- Cuisine: American
