This creamy and comforting Brie Mac and Cheese is for those times when you want decedent comfort food without putting in the effort.
We have more creamy pasta recipes for you to try. You’ll love this Vegan Alfredo Sauce!
There’s something special about a warm bowl of macaroni and cheese. It’s the comfort food my family likes the most.
I came up with this updated version of the old classic to add a bit of variety to our mealtimes. My kids love how gooey it is, and I love that it only takes a few minutes of prep time to get this ready for the oven!
Brie mac and cheese
Brie isn’t a traditional choice for mac and cheese but it melts so oozy and creamy it is perfect for any pasta bake. It’s far easier to make than classic mac and cheese, where you have to make the sauce first while stirring constantly so it turns our smooth.
In this recipe the oven does all the hard work for you. Let the brie melt and infuse with garlic and rosemary, then pour it in the pasta.
This infuses it with just the right amount of flavour for the dish without letting anything dominate. Trim the top of the brie find off and lay slices of garlic and rosemary leaves right on top.
The pre-melted cheese is easy to mix into the pasta. Reserve some of the pasta water to make the sauce a bit runny before it goes in the oven.
The spinach leaves will have been boiled with the pasta so there is only a light sprinkle of mozzarella and baking in the oven left to do. It’s best to coat the baking dish with butter first to make sure the mac and cheese comes out easily.
Recipe tips
- I used spiralli pasta for this recipe but any short pasta will work. Penne is a great option.
- Make sure you buy pasta made with 100% durum semolina pasta from Italy. It will cost a little extra but the added quality makes it worthwhile!
- Brie and mozzarella are traditionally made with animal rennet and therefore not vegetarian. It is easy to find vegetarian varieties but make sure to read the packaging carefully.
- You should see a crust forming on top of the pasta as it is baked. Is it is not becoming golden and crusty, turn on the broiler for a short amount of time.
Creamy Brie Mac and Cheese
This creamy and comforting Brie Mac and Cheese is for those times when you want decedent comfort food without putting in the effort.
Ingredients
- 250g/8oz vegetarian brie cheese (round)
- 115g/1/2 cup grated mozzarella
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 250g/½ lbs spiralli or any other short pasta
- 4 tablespoon grated vegetarian mozzarella
- 90g/3 cups fresh spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F/180C.
- Slice the top rind off your brie and lay sliced garlic and rosemary leaves directly on it and sprinkle with a little bit of olive oil. Put it in a small baking dish and bake it in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package direction, in the last minute of cooking add the spinach to the pot, then drain both pasta and spinach. Reserve ¼ cup water you cooked pasta in.
- Return pasta and spinach back to the pot and gently mix everything with 4 tbsp. of grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoon of butter and salt and pepper, add a few splashes (¼ cup) of reserved water to make it a bit runny. Cover with a lid and set aside.
- When brie is completely melted pour it in the pasta leaving the rind behind and with a bit more water if the sauce gets too thick to stir. You want pasta to be fluid not solid.
- Empty the pasta into a buttered baking dish and sprinkle with grated mozzarella. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes until mac and cheese is heated through and forms golden crust on top.
Notes
If you would like additional crust on your mac and cheese put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Keep a close eye so it doesn't burn.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 549Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 618mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 25g
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