Masala Mac and Cheese

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Creamy and spicy Masala Mac and Cheese with an Indian twist. This Masala Mac and Cheese is made with no cream, milk, and serrano peppers.

I've been dreaming about making a Masala Mac and Cheese for so long now, and I had to deliver yet another mac and cheese recipe before Thanksgiving. Other names for this Masala Mac and Cheese are Indian Mac and Cheese, Desi Mac and Cheese, or even Tikka Masala Mac and Cheese.

What is Masala Mac and Cheese?

Masala is a mixture of ginger, garlic, onions, and tomatoes sauteed with Indian spices. So in this mac and cheese, we first make the masala with some serrano peppers and then make a roux (with butter and flour) to help thicken the sauce.

We then add the milk slowly to avoid any curdling followed by lots of cheese. Now we have our creamy masala sauce ready.

Once the sauce is ready, add the macaroni or shell pasta to the creamy sauce. Finish off the mac and cheese with toppings and bake it in the oven for 20 minutes. And that's it!

Even my picky eater husband who can't handle any spice went back for seconds and thirds. The next day he woke up at 7 am on a Saturday and had the leftovers for breakfast. It's seriously that good.

Make this as a side dish on Thanksgiving, or you can also make my Crunchy Tortilla Salsa Mac and Cheese or Black Bean Enchilada Pasta.

Ingredients

Pasta - For this recipe, you will need medium shells. You can also use macaroni. Both types of pasta work well with mac and cheese.
Veggies: Serrano Peppers, Onions, Red & Green Bell Peppers.
Ginger & Garlic - chopped.
Whole Spices - You'll need a mortar & pestle to crush the following spices - cardamom pods, fennel seeds, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, and clove.
Powdered Spices - Red Chili Powder, Coriander Powder, and Turmeric Powder.
Tomato Paste - This adds color and a concentrated tomato flavor to the sauce.
Butter - You'll need 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
All-purpose Flour - Some AP flour to form a roux and help thicken the sauce.
Whole Milk - There is no cream in this recipe, but you will need milk.
Cheese - You'll need a combo of Gruyere and Mild Cheddar cheeses.
Panko Crumbs - This adds a crusty texture to the mac and cheese.
Fresh Cilantro - This works as a garnish.
Avocado Oil - Oil to help saute the veggies.

Why You'll Love this Masala Mac and Cheese

Creamy & Spicy
Indulgent
Delicious
Satisfying
Can be made 2 days in advance
Indian Fusion
Vegetarian
Made without Cream
Gluten-free option (see FAQ below)

How to make Masala Mac and Cheese recipe step by step?

Prep

1. Fill a large pot with water and heat up. This is for the pasta.

2. Chop the ginger, garlic, serrano peppers, onions, and red and green bell peppers.

3. Grate the Gruyere and Cheddar cheeses and set them aside.

Cook the Sauce & Pasta

1. Heat up a dutch castiron on medium heat, once hot, add oil followed by serrano peppers. Saute for 30 seconds.

2. Add garlic and ginger. Saute for another 30 seconds.

3. Add onions and season with salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until they're translucent.

4. Add red & green bell peppers. Season with salt and saute for 4-5 minutes.

4. In the meantime, using a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder grind your spices - cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, cardamom, and fennel seeds.

5. Add the crushed spices, along with turmeric, coriander powder, and red chili powder. Cook for about 1 minute.

6. Then add tomato paste and cook for a minute.

7. Move the onions to the side and add butter in the middle of the pan.

8. Lower the heat. Once the butter melts, add the flour.

9. Cook the flour and butter for about 1-2 minutes to form a roux. This will help thicken the sauce.

10. Now, SLOWLY pour the milk little by little. Do not add all the cold milk at once else your sauce will curdle.

11. Stir the milk into the sauce continuously.

12. Your sauce should be thick and well-seasoned. Let the sauce heat up for 6-7 minutes.

13. In the meantime, cook the pasta.

14. Make sure the cheese is at room temperature to avoid curdling the sauce. Add 1 ¼ cups of Gruyere and 1 ¼ cups of cheddar cheese to the sauce. Turn off the stove when adding the cheese.

15. The sauce should now be creamy and cheesy.

16. Check on the pasta. Once cooked, drain the pasta completely.

17. Add 12 ounces of cooked pasta to the sauce.

Assemble Pasta

1. Combine the remainder of the cheese and 1-2 tablespoon of panko crumbs.

2. Add the cheese panko crumbs mixture over the pasta.

3. Top with thinly sliced serrano peppers.

4. Into the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

5. Once out of the oven. Top with chopped cilantro. Wait about 10 minutes before serving.

Tips on making Masala Mac and Cheese

Prep all the ingredients ahead of time.
Make sure the milk and cheese are at room temperature. This will help in tempering the milk with the hot veggies and avoid any curdling issues. The same applies to the cheese.
Slowly add the milk to the hot veggies to avoid any curdling.
Cook the pasta until al dente or how you like it.

Make Ahead Mac and Cheese

You can make Masala Mac and Cheese up to two days in advance with cheese and panko crumbs on top. Cover tight with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until you're ready to bake. Bake the mac and cheese in the oven for 30 minutes before serving.

Top Tip

Make sure the milk and cheese are at room temperature. This will help prevent any curdling when added to the hot veggies.
When adding the milk, make sure to add the milk slowly to prevent the sauce from curdling.
When you add the cheese to the sauce, turn off the stove.

FAQ

1. Can I make Masala Mac and Cheese vegan?

Yes, you can. You will need vegan butter, milk, and cheese for this recipe.

2. How can I make Masala Mac and Cheese gluten-free?

For a gluten-free option, simply use gluten-free pasta and gluten-free panko crumbs. I recommend using shells or macaroni.

3. How can I make creamier mac and cheese?

If you'd prefer creamier mac and cheese, replace one cup of milk with one cup of heavy cream. This will result in even richer and creamier mac and cheese. Just note, the nutrition will change.

4. What can I use instead of serrano peppers?

For spicy mac and cheese, you may use Thai green chilies. For milder mac and cheese, you can use jalapenos.

5. Besides Gruyere and Mild Cheddar, what other cheeses can I use?

Well, I definitely recommend using mild or medium cheddar. Those are very easy to find. You may also use Mexican cheese blend, Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, and Gouda - any of these should work just fine.

6. What other types of pasta can I use instead of medium shells?

I highly recommend using medium shells, small shells, or macaroni. These types of pasta work best for mac and cheese. I don't recommend penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti.

7. Is Masala Mac and Cheese healthy?

This Masala Mac and Cheese is definitely not healthy. With that said, it's lightened up compared to many other mac and cheese recipes since it incorporates milk instead of cream. Keep in mind though, this recipe does have whole milk, butter, and lots of cheese.

Masala Mac and Cheese (no cream)