Kerrygold Irish Mac and Cheese

This mac and cheese recipe is prepared using rich butter and cheese from Irish grass-fed cows. Recipe courtesy of Kerrygold.

Kerrygold Irish Mac Kimberton Whole Foods

Serves 8

What You’ll Need

  • 1 pound macaroni, penne or ziti, cooked tender and cooled
  • 4 tablespoons Kerrygold butter
  • ยพ cup onion, small dice
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ยผ tsp ground cloves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup Kerrygold Aged Cheddar Cheese or Reserve Cheddar Cheese, grated
  • 1 cup Kerrygold Swiss Cheese, grated
  • ยผ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package instructions and set aside to cool. In saucepan, melt Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter over medium heat, add onion and lightly season with salt. Add a pinch of sugar and cook onion until translucent.

Add flour and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not cook long enough to color. Whisk in milk and cream and incorporate totally. Bring mixture to a simmer; add bay leaf and cloves.

Reduce burner to low heat. Cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and remove bay leaf. Whisk in 1 cup each of the Kerrygold Cheddar andย Swiss Cheeses, until incorporated. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. In large bowl, combine pasta and cheese sauce. Spoon into 2 ยฝ-quart casserole dish. Combine remaining cheese. Top with grated Dublinerยฎ, thyme or other chopped herb, and a small handful of breadcrumbs. Bake at 375ยฐ F for 8 to 10 minutes.

Options: For an added touch of hearty goodness, add ยผย cup of cooked and chopped bacon or French ham or 1 ยฝย cups of wild mushrooms sautรฉed in olive oil with chopped shallots and garlic. Adding chopped parsley or another favorite herb is also an easy and tasty option.

Recipes and photo courtesy of Kerrygold.