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Brie Mac and Cheese

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5 from 2 reviews

This Brie mac and cheese comes together in about 20 minutes with less than 10 ingredients. Cubed Brie combines with white wine and heavy cream to create the creamiest cheese sauce that coats every single nook and cranny of the al dente shell pasta! Top with crispy, cracker crumbs and broil for a couple minutes to create the perfect quick and easy vegetarian dinner!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 8 oz. large shells, cooked according to package directions until al dente
  • 14 Ritz crackers
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter + more for greasing the pan
  • 8 oz. brie cheese, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Kosher salt
  • fresh cracked pepper
  • fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
  2. Add crackers, garlic powder, and a large pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor. Process until well minced.
  3. Add butter and pulse until well incorporated. Set aside.
  4. Add brie, white wine, heavy cream, Dijon mustard and a couple pinches of salt and pepper to a large pan.
  5. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the cheese is melted and creates a creamy sauce.
  6. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat evenly.
  7. Transfer to a buttered baking dish.
  8. Sprinkle cracker topping over the mac and cheese.
  9. Broil for 1-2 minutes on high or until the crackers crumbs start to turn a dark golden brown.
  10. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!

Notes

Moderately salt your pasta water. This is the first chance that you have to season the pasta itself and it's going to go a long way in ensuring that your pasta has the most flavor possible. it seems like such a simple thing, but trust me, it makes a huge difference. I like to add anywhere from 2-4 tablespoons of Kosher to salt to the pot once the water comes to a boil.

You can substitute vegetable broth or pasta water in place of the white wine if you prefer not to cook with wine. The flavor will be only slightly different and the texture will still be the same!

The rind of the Brie will begin to break down as you cook it but because you aren't cooking this cheese sauce for very long, there will still be pieces of rind throughout. Once you mix the noodles in they will become less noticeable, but if I'm being honest, the rind of Brie is literally my very favorite part.

As written, this Brie mac and cheese recipe is vegetarian. However, you could totally add cooked bacon or pancetta for a little more meaty flavor. Roasted broccoli or sauteed spinach would also be a great addition if you want to add veggies.

You can totally skip the cracker crumb topping and broil step if you don't have time. I like the variety of texture that the buttery, crispy crumb topping gives the dish, but sometimes I just eat it right out of the pan!

Nutrition

Find it online: https://midwestfoodieblog.com/brie-mac-and-cheese/