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
Units
- 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