Pesto Mac And Cheese Recipes

PESTO MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• Boil pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside.
• While the pasta is boiling melt 1/2 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add in the flour and stir to combine for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and milk, mixing until smooth. Add in the grated cheddar cheese, stirring constantly until smooth, and thick, about 7 minutes. Add in the pesto and stir to combine.
• Add the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce, and stir to coat.
• Pour the pasta into the prepared baking dish.
• In a small bowl mix together the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Sprinkle this on top of the pasta.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and the breadcrumbs are toasted and golden.
• Serve immediately.

PESTO MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook just until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
• In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the flour to create a paste. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Increase the heat to medium and continue whisking until the sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in the shredded cheese and continue stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Fold in the pesto.
• Add the pasta, stirring to combine, and cook just until the pasta is warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

SPINACH POWER PESTO MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a casserole dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Add baby spinach to the pot in the last minute of cooking; drain.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir garlic into onion mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk 2 tablespoons pesto, flour, black pepper, and salt into onion mixture until smooth; whisk milk in gradually. Cook and stir milk mixture until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes; stir in 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup Asiago cheese; remove saucepan from heat and stir until cheeses are melted, about 1 minute.
• Stir cheese mixture into macaroni mixture; pour into prepared casserole dish. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove casserole from oven; increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons pesto, 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup Asiago cheese, and bread cubes. Remove casserole dish from oven, uncover, and top with bread mixture.
• Bake casserole with topping in the preheated oven, uncovered, until bubbly and golden, about 10 minutes.

PESTO SHRIMP MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Remove tails from shrimp. Rinse shrimp, pat dry with paper towels. Chop shrimp and set aside.
• Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.
• In large bowl stir together eggs, butter, half-and-half, 1 cup of the fontina cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, garlic, pine nuts, chopped basil, and 1/4 teaspoons each salt and pepper. Stir in shrimp and macaroni. Transfer to buttered 2-quart casserole. Top with remaining cheeses.
• Bake uncovered, 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through and shrimp pieces are opaque. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Top with fresh basil leaves.

PRESTO PESTO HAMBURGER MAC

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Stir pesto and sour cream into ground beef until warmed; add macaroni and mix well.