Gluten Free Mac ‘n Cheese

Gluten Free Mac 'n Cheese

Sometimes you just need a slice of comfort… “home made goodness” is what my family calls our favorite gluten free Mac ‘n Cheese.  As I watch them at the table, everything just seems right.  I recently made a large pan of our GF Mac ‘n Cheese for a potluck at our church.  Among all the potato salads and tossed salads, this dish was one of the first to go… didn’t matter that I had labeled it “Gluten Free”!  So, if you are searching for a bit of comfort amidst your gluten free cooking, rest assured that you can turn to this recipe and find what you are looking for.  It does make a lot, so if you need to you, can cut the recipe in half and still have a good amount.  As with traditional Mac ‘n Cheese recipes and other casseroles, this is always better the second day!

Gluten Free Mac ‘n Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz. package of gluten free elbow macaroni or shell noodles (you could even use the spiral shaped pasta)
• 4 Tbls butter, divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 4 cups milk or nondairy substitute (I use rice milk), divided
• 1/3 cup Gluten Free flour mix (use one that does not have xanthan gum in it)
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
• 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated jack cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup GF bread crumbs

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook your pasta according to directions on the package.  When pasta is tender, rinse under cold water and drain well.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt 3 Tbls butter over medium-low heat.  Add the onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally.  In a separate bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of milk with your GF flour mix.  Add this to the onion/butter in the saucepan.  Then whisk in the remaining milk, thyme, salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened (about 10 minutes), whisking often.  Remove from heat when thickened and stir in the grated cheddar and jack cheese.  Then sprinkle in 1/4 cup of the grated parmesan cheese and the nutmeg and stir again.
4. Butter a large glass baking dish (9×13 size) or two smaller dishes with a little butter.
5. Pour the drained pasta into the baking dish.  Then pour the hot cheese sauce over the pasta and mix slightly.
6. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the remaining 1 Tbls butter.  Stir the bread crumbs and the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese into the melted butter.  Sprinkle this over the top of the pasta/cheese sauce mixture.
7. Place in the preheated oven and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until bubbly.  Cool a little before serving, or you can make this ahead and just warm it in a 300 degree oven about 15 minutes before you need to serve it.

You can also add some crumbled bacon or chopped up ham to the casserole if you wish.  For those who cannot have dairy, I have made this with dairy free cheese in the past; however, the casserole does not have the same robust flavor as it does when you use the real sharp cheddar cheese.  But it can be done.  You might want to add some other herbs to jazz it up if you are using a dairy free cheese alternative and don’t forget to use a butter alternative as well.  Enjoy!