Smoky Rigatoni & Cheese

Any mother of small children knows the value of a good macaroni and cheese recipe. Whether it’s a saucy, oozy stovetop kind or a baked casserole with bread crumbs kind or even if it’s just an out-of-the-box kind, we all have our go-to mac and cheese that will please our rowdy crowds. When my kids were small, I relied on a favorite macaroni and cheese recipe that I topped with breadcrumbs and baked in the oven. It was, in my humble opinion, to die for, and it kept my kids happy for many years. About a year ago The Prince informed me that he no longer thought that my mac and cheese was the best. Try something new, he said. I took this creative criticism as both a knife in my heart as well as a challenge.

So I moved to a stovetop version. It was creamy, dreamy and reminded me of the old school Velveeta kind of mac and cheese. The Prince found this version to be acceptable, yet still not the “best he ever had”. Ok. At that point, I was no longer playing Mr. Nice Mom. I needed to win this kid over and restore his faith in his mom being the best cook of anything, ever, on the planet. Enter this Smoky Rigatoni & Cheese.

What’s in this Smoky Rigatoni & Cheese

The smokiness in this Smoky Rigatoni & Cheese comes from smoked Gouda. While I’m not usually a fan of smoked cheeses, it really works in this recipe. The smokiness of the Gouda is balanced by an equal amount of sharp cheddar. I always choose the sharpest cheddar I can find, regardless of its color. In this case, I use aged extra-sharp white Cheddar.

There is enough cheese that you don’t even need to make a roux, so it can easily be gluten free if you just use gluten free noodles. You’ll just start with a quick saute of butter, garlic and Dijon mustard before throwing in the cheese and milk.

The other component that adds smokiness is the bacon. You’re going to cook it first, then set it aside until the pasta and cheese are combined. You’ll add the bacon at the end. In total, less than 10 ingredients.

Modifications for Smoky Rigatoni & Cheese

Because I don’t eat pork, I reach for quality, uncured turkey bacon for this recipe. Real bacon would, undoubtedly, be amazing. Just be sure to drain the fat and let it rest on paper towels while you make the cheese mixture.

I like to bake this Smoky Rigatoni & Cheese at the end to get a little bit of crust on top, but this step is certainly not necessary, if you prefer a creamier version.

This Smoky Rigatoni & Cheese has a good chance of becoming our family’s go-to mac and cheese recipe. And most importantly, it has redeemed my standing as Best Cook Ever with The Prince, which is really all that matters. Enjoy!

Smoky Rigatoni & Cheese

A creamy, comforting pasta casserole with a sharp cheddar, smoky gouda and topped with salty bacon

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb. rigatoni or any pasta of your choice
• 1 lb. turkey bacon
• 1 lb. smoked Gouda shredded
• 1 lb. sharp Cheddar shredded
• 2 cups milk
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup fresh chives chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Boil and drain the pasta.
• In a large skillet, cook the bacon. Once it cools, dice it up and set it aside.
• In the same pot you boiled the pasta in, saute the garlic in the butter until it sizzles. Add the Dijon mustard and saute until bubbly, about 1 minute. Pour in the milk. Whisking constantly, bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat to a simmer and add the cheese, one handful at a time, stirring to combine after each addition. Once all the cheese is added, take the pot off heat. Stir in most of the bacon (leave some to sprinkle on top) and pasta. Transfer to a 9×13 baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes or until top has a golden crust and is bubbly.
• Remove from oven, garnish with the reserved bacon and chives.

Keyword cheese, dinner, pasta

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