A recipe for Chorizo Mac and Cheese! Fresh chorizo sausage and diced red onion are tossed with pasta and a creamy cheese sauce, then baked until golden.
Add a bit of spice to your pasta with this Chorizo Mac and Cheese! Fresh chorizo sausage is crumbled into a pan and cooked until browned along with diced red onion. The mixture is coated with flour, then combined with milk to create a creamy base perfect for melting the shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. Season with a little paprika, salt, and pepper before transferring to a baking dish, topping with breadcrumbs, and baking until golden and bubbly.
I made this Chorizo Mac and Cheese with Cavatappi pasta, but macaroni, shells, or another favorite medium shape with grooves or holes to trap in the chorizo and sauce will work well. Be careful not to overcook the pasta while boiling on the stove. It should be nearly tender, but not all the way cooked since it will continue to soften while baking.
Make sure the sauce is not bubbling when whisking in the cheese. The pot should be removed from the heat source and just hot enough to melt the cheese until smooth. If the milk is too hot, the cheese (especially the Cheddar) may separate. Use Pepper Jack in place of the Monterey for more of a kick.
Mexican chorizo is a fresh sausage made from ground meat (pork) seasoned with red chile powder and other spices. It is different from the Spanish and Portuguese varieties which are cured or smoked and seasoned with smoked paprika. If you can’t find fresh chorizo locally, there are plenty of recipes available to make your own including this one from Mexico in My Kitchen (no need to stuff the mixture into casings since it will be crumbled into the pan for the Chorizo Mac and Cheese).
Looking for more Macaroni and Cheese recipes?
Try my Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese, Beer Mac and Cheese, and Makaronilaatikko (Finnish Macaroni Casserole).
Chorizo Mac and Cheese
Adapted from Sew You Think You Can Cook, from Simply Recipes
Chorizo Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried macaroni or a favorite shape that holds cheese well
- 1 pound fresh Mexican chorizo
- 1 small red onion diced
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups warm milk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Fresh parsley for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until nearly al dente, just beginning to become tender. Drain. Be careful not to overcook since the pasta will continue to soften while baking.
- Place a large saucepan over medium high heat. Remove the chorizo from its casing and crumble into the pan. Continue to break apart the chorizo as it cooks. Once browned, stir in the onion and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent.
- Stir in the flour. While stirring, slowly pour in the milk, followed by the salt, paprika, and black pepper. Once the mixture begins to thicken, remove from heat.
- Once the milk has stopped bubbling, slowly add the cheese by the handful, mixing until smooth. Toss in the drained pasta and transfer to the greased baking dish.
- Evenly top the pasta with breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in preheated oven until the cheese sauce is bubbly, about 25 minutes.
- Serve warm from the oven. If desired, top with freshly chopped parsley.
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