This creamy goat cheese mac and cheese is a delicious variation of the classic comfort food. Macaroni coated in a thick, melted goat cheese sauce with herbs. Topped with a crispy bread crumb and parmesan cheese layer.
This mac and cheese is a filling, comfort food pasta just like this pan fried gnocchi.
It’s an easy and quick meal to make any night of the week.
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Why This Is The Best Goat Cheese Mac And Cheese
- Creamy + Delicious. The goat cheese melts into a delicious, creamy sauce.
- Subtle goat cheese flavor. Once baked, the goat cheese flavor is not as strong, making this a recipe everyone will enjoy.
- Uses up leftover goat cheese. This pasta is a great way to use up leftover goat cheese before it goes bad.
Ingredients
- Breadcrumbs: Use Panko breadcrumbs. They create a lighter and crispier top mac and cheese layer.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
Melt the butter on a saucepan over medium heat. Add in the flour and whisk to form a roux.
Slowly add in the milk and whisk until even.
Add the goat cheese, herbs, salt and pepper and continue to mix until the sauce is even.
Don’t let it boil. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Once the pasta is done, strain it and add it to the sauce. Transfer the macaroni to an 8 x 8 baking dish.
In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan and melted butter together.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the pasta. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden and slightly crispy.
FAQ
It doesn’t melt as well on its own as normal cheese does. However it does melt into a creamy, smooth sauce in this recipe.
Yes! Even if you are not a fan of goat cheese you will still love this pasta. After baking, the goat cheese flavor is very mild.
Yes. If you want, you can add in other cheeses, however they may overpower the goat cheese flavor.
Expert Tips
- Don’t let the sauce boil. If the sauce starts to bubble, lower the heat. You want to whisk the sauce just until the goat cheese is melted and smooth. Boiling the sauce may make it thicken up too much.
- Measure the flour correctly. A kitchen scale is always the best way to measure flour properly. If you don’t have one and tend to measure flour by scooping the measuring cup into your bag of flour and leveling it off, use 5 tablespoons instead of 6.
- Switch up the herbs. This recipe is forgiving if you don’t have the exact herbs listed. You can also use a blend of herbs, such as Italian seasoning.
📖 Recipe
Goat Cheese Mac And Cheese
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This creamy goat cheese mac and cheese is a delicious variation of the classic comfort food. Macaroni coated in a thick, melted goat cheese sauce with herbs. Topped with a crispy bread crumb and parmesan cheese layer.
Ingredients
- Mac And Cheese:
- 2 cups dried macaroni (295g)
- ¼ cup butter (57g)
- 6 tbsp flour (45g)
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup goat cheese, packed (100g)
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ tsp basil
- ½ tsp rosemary
- ½ tsp thyme
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- Topping:
- 6 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup butter, melted (57g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- In salted water, cook the macaroni pasta to “al dente” according to the package instructions.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter on a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and mix to form a golden brown clump (also called a roux).
- Slowly add the milk and whisk until the roux and milk are evenly combined. Then, add the goat cheese, oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until the goat cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Once cooked, add the macaroni to the sauce and stir to coat. Transfer the pasta to an 8 x 8 baking dish.
- In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan and melted butter together. Spread evenly on top of the macaroni.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top of the mac and cheese is golden brown and crispy.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t let the sauce boil. If the sauce starts to bubble, lower the heat. You want to whisk the sauce just until the goat cheese is melted and smooth. Boiling the sauce may make it thicken up too much.
- Measure the flour correctly. A kitchen scale is always the best way to measure flour properly. If you don’t have one and tend to measure flour by scooping the measuring cup into your bag of flour and leveling it off, use 5 tablespoons instead of 6.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 543
- Sugar: 4.5g
- Sodium: 513mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 16.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0.9g
- Carbohydrates: 60.3g
- Fiber: 2.5g
- Protein: 16.5g
- Cholesterol: 66mg
Julie C.
What a great variation on everyones favorite pasta dish this recipe is a must try!
Whitney
I am not sure there could be a better combo than goat cheese and mac!! I love that it's made from scratch too!