Pimento Cheese Mac and Cheese
This is the best Pimento Mac and Cheese that's made with my famous pimento cheese recipe. We add our favorite pasta noodles like elbow macaroni and top with crushed butter crackers for a family favorite dinner recipe or side dish. With less than 10 ingredients this easy recipe is prepped in 20 minutes.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 254kcal
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni or pasta or your choice
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk or half and half
- 2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup prepared pimento cheese store-bought or homemade
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
- Optional Topping: 1 cup crushed round butter crackers and ¼ cup butter
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9"x9" or 2 quart baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
- Cook macaroni according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for about 1 minute.
- Gradually pour in the milk while whisking to prevent lumps from forming. Cook until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the shredded cheddar cheese and pimento cheese to the saucepan, stirring until the cheeses are melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Season the cheese sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce, stirring until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Pour the mac and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly. If desired, sprinkle a mixture of 1 cup of crushed round butter crackers and ¼ cup butter evenly over the top.
- Bake 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool for a couple minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Approximate Nutrition information does not include the optional cracker crumb topping.
Tips:
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- Use homemade pimento cheese! Make it from scratch ahead of time - it's worth it, we promise. You can certainly use your favorite store-bought variety if desired, but they're often made with only mayonnaise as the binder, so it won't have the same flavors from the spices and Swiss cheese that our homemade recipe has.
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- Add a crunchy topper. We love rich butter crackers as a topping here. Panko breadcrumbs mixed with a sprinkle of parmesan would be delicious, too.
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- Add a protein. This comfort food creation is already indulgent, but you could amp it up even more by adding crumbled crispy bacon on top, mixing in cubed ham, or even serving it with fried chicken for an extra Southern twist.
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- Fridge: This Pimento Mac and Cheese is best when served hot, straight out of the oven, but if you've got leftovers (lucky you!), store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven, uncovered, until hot and the top crisps up.
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- Freezing: We don't recommend freezing this dish, as it can change the texture of the pasta and cheese sauce, but if you're in a pinch, store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat in a 350°F oven before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 359mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 492IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 260mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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