Baked Buttermilk Mac n' Cheese
Baked Buttermilk Mac 'n Cheese makes a delicious dish without a flour roux. Buttermilk, ricotta, and cheese make it creamy and delicious and is wonderful for any meal to accompany meat and vegetables. It's particularly a good option to take to a potluck or holiday meal. It can be made ahead of time and rewarmed gently in the oven.
Ingredients
- 1 cup ricotta cheese See the post for a link to my homemade version
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 pound cheese Use one variety or a combination. See notes.
- 8 ounces macaroni You can also use shells, fusilli, or penne. Any smaller pasta shape will work just fine.
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1-2 cups bread crumbs See notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 2-quart baking dish or skillet with butter.
- Put the mustard seeds, paprika, nutmeg, and salt in mortar and pestle (or small processor) and crush together.
- Put the ricotta cheese and buttermilk in a large bowl and mix till blended. Add the spices and grated cheeses. Mix well.
- Add the pasta to the cheese mixture and stir to combine. Pour it all in the prepared baking dish, cover with foil or the lid to the dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil or lid and gently stir to be sure all is cooking evenly. Top with the grated parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
Notes
Use your favorite cheeses and feel free to mix them up. I love Gouda because it melts so well and I also use white cheddar. Sometimes I also use Fontina and or Gruyere. I also use ricotta cheese for the tang and creaminess.
I use homemade fresh sourdough breadcrumbs. If you don't have this option, you can use your food processor to made breadcrumbs from any bread. I recommend a good quality sturdy bread. Check the bakery section of your grocery store as well because sometimes you can find packaged fresh breadcrumbs. I don't recommend using dried breadcrumbs as they are more likely to burn before the mac 'n cheese is cooked.
Consider add-ins, too! Add some cubed ham or bacon, or some broccoli florets. Spice it up with some jalapenos. You could make it extra by putting crispy onions on top. Get the ideas flowing and they are endless.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!