Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Sausage

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I stole this recipe for Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Sausage from People Magazine April 24, 2017 issue who stole it from John Whaite. This main dish pasta is an Italian twist on macaroni and cheese. Italian sausage links are roasted in the oven. Curly pasta is boiled and drained. A cheese sauce is made with a soft Italian cheese. Everything is mixed together and placed in a pan and topped with mozzarella cheese. Baking in the oven until the cheese is bubbling and browned finishes the dish. This recipe for Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Sausage is like the adult version of eating hot dogs and macaroni and cheese for dinner.

Preheat oven to 425 F. Roast 1 ½ lbs fresh Italian sausage with fennel in a 13×10 inch baking dish.

Roast until cooked through and slightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

While sausages roast, cook 12 oz uncooked fusilli or rotini pasta in a large saucepan according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 400 F. Cut sausages into ½ inch pieces. Pour 2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk into saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium. Add 14 oz taleggio cheese in batches, stirring until melted and smooth after each addition.

Stir in ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, sliced sausages and pasta.

Pour pasta mixture into same baking dish you roasted the sausage in. Evenly sprinkle 4 ½ oz fresh mozzarella on top of pasta mixture.

Bake in oven until sauce is bubbling and mozzarella is melted and browned, 35 to 40 min.

Scoop out and serve.

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Mac 'n' Cheese with Sausage

This main dish pasta is an Italian twist on macaroni and cheese. Italian sausage links are roasted in the oven. Curly pasta is boiled and drained. A cheese sauce is made with a soft Italian cheese. Everything is mixed together and placed in a pan and topped with mozzarella cheese. Baking in the oven until the cheese is bubbling and browned finishes the dish.
Course Pasta
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lbs fresh Italian sausage with fennel
  • 12 oz uncooked fusilli or rotini pasta
  • 2 cans (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 14 oz taleggio cheese cut into 1-in. pieces
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  • 4 ½ oz fresh mozzarella cheese cut into 1-in. pieces

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Roast sausages in a 13x10 inch baking dish until cooked through and slightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove sausages from baking dish to a cutting board, and let stand until cool enough to handle.
  2. While sausages roast, cook pasta in a large saucepan according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  3. Reduce oven temperature to 400 F. Cut sausages into ½ inch pieces.
  4. Pour evaporated milk into saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium. Add taleggio in batches, stirring until melted and smooth after each addition. Stir in salt, pepper, sliced sausages and pasta.
  5. Pour pasta mixture into same baking dish. Evenly sprinkle mozzarella on top of pasta mixture. Bake in oven until sauce is bubbling and mozzarella is melted and browned, 35 to 40 min.

Recipe Notes

I was unable to find taleggio (which is a soft Italian cheese) at my local grocery store, so I substituted with smoked gouda instead. Cook the pasta for half of the package directions, since it will continue to cook in the oven.