Coconut milk mac + cheese
There is nothing I love more than mac + cheese. And I'm not fussy about it either. I practically lived off of Annie's mac + cheese in college, so much so that I would mess with the boxed stuff to make it my own. Chiles in adobo? Wild mushroom + rosemary? Yeah, I made those happen.
But I never really attempted my own mac + cheese recipe. Something was always daunting about building the sauce PLUS really looking at all of the butter, cheese + milk that goes into it is freaky.
So when I wanted to make my own, I went a different route. Coconut milk builds the base of this mac + cheese. I love the flavor + how creamy it is, but it's way lighter than a traditional base. There's a teeny bit of cheddar in this mac + cheese, but a majority of the color (plus flavor) comes from smoked paprika + turmeric.
Coconut milk mac + cheese
1 lb. dried mezzi rigatoni
13.5 oz. coconut milk
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoon butter, melted
Salt + pepper
Start by cooking the mezzi rigatoni to al dente according to your package instructions. Drain the pasta + return the pot to the burner.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
Add the coconut milk to the pot + bring it to boil on medium heat. Reduce the heat to low + continue to stir until the milk slightly thickens. Add the flour + stir. The coconut milk should thicken considerably when you do.
Continue stirring while adding the turmeric, smoked paprika + cheddar cheese. Allow the cheese to melt then add the rigatoni to the pot. Stir to make sure the sauce coats the pasta. Add salt + pepper to taste.
Add the pasta + sauce to a shallow baking dish, + set aside.
To make the topping combine the breadcrumbs + melted butter. Evenly top the mac + cheese with the breadcrumb mixture.
Bake the mac + cheese in the oven until the breadcrumbs brown, around 20 minutes. Enjoy right away.