Pimento Mac and Cheese

Name: Pimento Mac and Cheese
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: southern
Ingredients: 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for dish; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 pound macaroni elbows; 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs; 1 small yellow onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 jalapeño, minced (seeded if desired for mild heat); 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon paprika; 4 cups whole milk; 12 ounces sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, grated (3 cups); 4 ounces cream cheese, softened; 2 (2-ounce) jars sliced pimentos, drained (1/2 cup)

By Vallery Lomas

Published Dec. 3, 2022

Pimento Mac and Cheese — Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Roscoe Betsill. Prop Stylist: Maeve Sheridan.

Total Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Rating: 4(631)
Comments: Read comments

This recipe combines two classic Southern dishes to create something special: Pimento cheese, a spread for sandwiches, crackers and vegetables, meets mac and cheese for a peppery and spicier version of the traditional baked casserole. The core ingredients of pimento cheese — sharp yellow Cheddar, pimento peppers and cream cheese — cook into a sauce that’s creamier and tangier than the usual purely cheese base.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

10tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for dish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1pound macaroni elbows
½cup panko bread crumbs
1small yellow onion, diced
2garlic cloves, minced
1jalapeño, minced (seeded if desired for mild heat)
½cup all-purpose flour
1teaspoon paprika
4cups whole milk
12ounces sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, grated (3 cups)
4ounces cream cheese, softened
2(2-ounce) jars sliced pimentos, drained (½ cup)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again.
Step 2
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring often, until golden and toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Step 3
Melt remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add flour and paprika, stir well, and cook until vegetables are coated, about 1 minute.
Step 4
While whisking, carefully stream in the milk until smooth and incorporated. Bring to a simmer while continuing to whisk. Simmer, whisking often, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the Cheddar cheese, cream cheese and pimentos, and stir until the cheese is completely melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5
Add cooked pasta and stir to coat. Transfer to the baking dish and spread evenly. Evenly sprinkle the toasted panko on top. Bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

Ratings

4 out of 5

631 user ratings

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Comments

Susan Alexander3 years ago

All right but not fabulous. Doubled the amount of pimentos, but it is no substitute for real pimento cheese (great recipe on this site, link above). Also would use parmesan rather than bread crumbs for topping. Cheese sauce nice with the onion and garlic. Would omit the paprika though.

gale3 years ago

This was really wonderful and didn't change a thing. I could tell from reading it how good it was going to be and I was right. Definitely a keeper.

coni3 years ago

It is good, but needs help. I used a 220g jar of piquillo peppers and an extra garlic clove.

CFP4 months ago

Excellent. Don’t change a thing. Also saved very well in the fridge. I made this for Christmas for my family, and this was the first leftover to be finished. Yum.

Anne Marie5 months ago

With some tweaks this would be a great BBQ/Cookout side. Texture-wise this was perfect but needed a lot more flavor; I would buy diced pimentos, the sliced pieces didn't distribute evenly leaving the bites unbalanced. Would also add cayenne and mustard powder, the actual dip gets a zippy/salty kick from mayo and I'm hopeful the mustard will help replicate. I'd increase to a full cup of breadcrumbs to get better topping coverage. Going to try finishing in the smoker next time as well.

Angel Y.1 year ago

I thought there were a few technical mishaps on this recipe that I adjusted for while also taking into account the advice from some of the other comments. First off, in Mac and cheese you really should use white pepper instead of black pepper. Second, instead of throwing the paprika in with the flour I tossed it in with the onions and garlic which allowed it to toast and bring out more of its flavor. Third, I doubled the pimentos. Best Mac and cheese ever!

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