Nduja Mac and Cheese
This creamy nduja mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. A rich, silky cheese sauce is infused with spicy nduja, topped with buttery browned butter panko and baked until golden and bubbling.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
For the panko crumbs
- 75 grams panko crumbs
- 70 grams unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped
For the pasta
- 280 grams macaroni
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the sauce
- 60 grams unsalted butter
- 45 grams plain flour
- 625 ml milk, full fat
- 270 grams cheese, freshly grated (I used 90g mozzarella, 140g cheddar, 40g parmesan)
- 2-4 tablespoons nduja (see notes)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180c (350f)
For the panko crumbs
- Brown the butter over a medium heat, swirling the pan until the milk solids are a deep golden brown. Stir 50 grams of the finished browned butter through the panko crumbs (see notes).
- Add the thyme leaves in and then set the crumbs aside.
For the pasta
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, undercooking by 1 minute.
- Drain and mix with the tablespoon of butter and set aside.
For the sauce
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it starts to sizzle.
- Add the flour and whisk vigorously for a minute.
- Lower the heat slightly and add the milk in a slow stream, whisking the whole time making sure you get all the flour mixture from the sides of the pan.
- Cook for a few minutes until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- Add the cheese a handful at a time, whisking until melted before adding more.
- Add the nduja and whisk to combine. Start with 2 tablespoons.
- Taste and you can add more nduja if you wish and also season with salt and pepper. It might not need any salt but I like to add a few cracks of black pepper here.
Baking the mac and cheese
- Mix the pasta into the sauce then transfer to a baking dish. (I used a 9 x 9 inch metal baking dish.)
- Top evenly with the panko mixture and bake for 20–25 minutes until bubbling and lightly golden. Don't overbake or the sauce will lose its creamy texture.
- Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Browned butter - Start with 70 grams butter for the panko topping, but only use about 50 grams of the finished browned butter. Some of the butter evaporates as it browns.
Cheese - I recommend using cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan for the best balance of flavor and texture, but you can use all cheddar if you prefer. Freshly grated cheese will melt much more smoothly than pre-shredded.
Nduja - If you're new to nduja or prefer a milder spice level, start with 2 tablespoons and add more to taste. I usually use 4 tablespoons.
Don't overbake - Bake just until the topping is lightly golden and the sauce is bubbling. Overbaking will make the pasta absorb too much sauce.