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Macaroni and Cheese
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5 from 1 vote

Macaroni and Cheese with Roasted Garlic and Paprika

'Mac and cheese' is notoriously known for being dry, bland and super boring. I'm about to change this with my version of an unforgettable Macaroni and Cheese with Roasted Garlic and Paprika. Sweet caramelised garlic is the secret to the ultimate indulgent cheese sauce that forms the basis of this dish.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Supper
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bacon, cheese, dinner rolls, Garlic, Mac and Cheese, Mac n Cheese, Macaroni and Cheese, paprika, Supper, vegetarian, Veggie
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

  • 500 gram Macaroni
  • 5 cloves Garlic
  • 70 gram Butter
  • 40 gram Flour
  • 850 ml Milk
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 cup Cheddar Cheese + extra to sprinkle on top
  • ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 250 gram Bacon Optional
  • 1 tsp Thyme 4 sprigs of fresh thym - picked
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Olive Oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 200° Celcius and prepare oven proof dish.
  • Take 5 or 6 bulbs of garlic with skin on and place in a foil parcel. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 200° degrees celcius for approximately 10 minutes, or until they are soft and caramelised. Don't overdo it, as it will further caramelize in the roux when you make the bechamel sauce.
  • Remove garlic and add place the bacon into the oven.
  • Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Make sure your pot is big enough to add the pasta to the sauce later. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly either using a wooden spoon or whisk, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit. Do not let it brown or burn. This takes approximately 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove the garlic skin and using a fork, mash the cloves into a paste. Add to the roux.
  • Slowly add the milk to the roux whilst continuing to whisk. Bring the sauce to a boil, don't stop whisking. Now reduce it to a simmer and let it cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste until well combined.
  • Remove your cooked bacon!
  • Meanwhile cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water until it's just about al dente. (As mentioned before I don't cook it until it reaches al dente stage, as I don't like for it to become soft and soggy. Instead, I let the pasta continue cooking whilst in the oven). Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
  • If you don't add the pasta to the sauce right away, then add a tablespoon of oilve oil and stir through. This prevent them from sticking together.
  • Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and give it a good stir. Roughly chop your tomatoes and add, together with your picked thyme to the cheese sauce.
  • If you find there is not enough sauce, add the pasta water that you have kept aside from earlier. The key is to have enough sauce. If it's already looking dry you need to add more liquid.
  • Stir in the cooked chopped bacon.
  • Place in an ovenproof dish and bake at 200° celcius for approximately 20 minutes. Add grated cheese and bake for a further 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.