If you have pimento cheese, make this pimento mac and cheese! Living in the south means eating pimento cheese. It’s a way of life. Ask anyone and they will have either their own recipe or favorite go to brand that they can’t live without.
What’s interesting is that pimento cheese did not start in the south. It actually came from the north. New York to be exact. This is where much of the cream cheese production took place. And New York farmers at the time were creating the cheddar cheeses that were mixed in to the classic dish.
Pimento cheese can be put on almost anything. Whether it is in a sandwich or just used as a dip, it’s delicious and great on any occasion. In this particular case, I decided to make pimento mac and cheese. And I wasn’t disappointed. It was so addicting that it took a lot of self restraint to keep from finishing the whole dish in 2 days. (It’s bigger than it looks.) And it’s just me and my fiancé living together. No one else was there to blame for how quickly it disappeared.
So for this recipe I would recommend making your own pimento cheese. Maybe even try my personal recipe. But I think it will all work out if you can find a store bout brand that you really like as well. Just try not to eat it all before you make the pimento mac and cheese. It’s kind of a big part of why this is such a good dish.
Time to make the pimento mac and cheese
First, preheat your oven to 400°f and make sure the is a baking rack placed in the middle of the oven.
Then place a medium sized pot on the stove filled halfway with water and 2 Tablespoons of salt, and turn on to high heat. Once the water is boiling, add your pasta. Cook the pasta till it is still slightly undercooked. Also known as al dente. This is done because it is going to be cooked for longer in the oven later. Strain your pasta and leave to the side in the sink.
Now clean that pot out and place it back on the stove at a low to medium heat setting. Add your heavy cream and minced garlic. Leave it on the heat for 5 minutes. Add your cubed cheddar cheese and using a rubber or silicone spatula, stir until the cheese has disappeared into the sauce you have made. Turn off the heat on the stove.
Next you add the pasta back to the pot and stir gently. Add the pimento cheese now and stir more until the pasta is fully coated. Pour the pasta into your desired baking dish. A deep 9” by 13” glass baking dish will do the trick.
Add More Cheese
This next part is more out of preference. Some people prefer a crunchy topping of breadcrumbs on their baked mac and cheese but I like more cheese. So shred a bit more cheese over the top.
Place the baking dish into the oven and let it cook for 20 minutes. If the cheese on the top has not browned yet then continue baking for another 5 minutes.
Once finished, remove the dish from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Now enjoy it while it’s still warm.
Pimento mac and cheese will wow any guests no matter where you are or what the occasion is. You will also wow yourself with just how easy it is to make! I hope you enjoy this mac as much as we have.
Pimento Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- 1 9×13 baking dish preferably glass
- 1 strainer
Ingredients
- 12 oz cavatappi pasta or whatever you prefer
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 lb sharp cheddar diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 cup pimento cheese
- salt to taste
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 400°f and make sure the is a baking rack placed in the middle of the oven.
- Then place a medium sized pot on the stove filled halfway with water and 2 Tablespoons of salt, and turn on to high heat. Once the water is boiling, add your pasta. Cook the pasta till it is still slightly undercooked. Also known as al dente. This is done because it is going to be cooked for longer in the oven later. Strain your pasta and leave to the side in the sink.
- Now clean that pot out and place it back on the stove at a low to medium heat setting. Add your heavy cream and minced garlic. Leave it on the heat for 5 minutes. Add your cubed cheddar cheese and using a rubber or silicone spatula, stir until the cheese has disappeared into the sauce you have made. Turn off the heat on the stove.
- Next you add the pasta back to the pot and stir gently. Add the pimento cheese now and stir more until the pasta is fully coated. Pour the pasta into your desired baking dish. A deep 9” by 5” glass baking dish will do the trick.
- This next part is more out of preference. Some people prefer a crunchy topping of breadcrumbs on their baked mac and cheese but I like more cheese. So shred a bit more cheese over the top.
- Place the baking dish into the oven and let it cook for 20 minutes. If the cheese on the top has not browned yet then continue baking for another 5 minutes.
- Once finished, remove the dish from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Now enjoy it while it’s still warm.
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[…] as a dip, it’s delicious and great on any occasion. In this particular case, I decided to make pimento mac and cheese. And I wasn’t disappointed. It was so addicting that it took a lot of self restraint to keep from […]