Truffle cheese sauced macaroni under umami pops of mushroom pancetta topped with crispy, crunchy mushroom panko crumb. Three types of mushroom, made three different ways, combined into this super moreish Super Mushroom Mac & Cheese. It’ll leave your cravings satisfied, guaranteed!
What you need
Ingredients
4 SERVINGS
- 500g macaroni
Cheese sauce
- ½ cup butter
- ⅓ cup flour
- 4 cups milk
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp. truffle oil
- 2 tsp. mustard
- 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp. white pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 cup king oyster mushrooms, diced (you can use button mushrooms if king oysters are not available)
- 2 tbsp. neutral oil
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup
- 2 tsp. nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. liquid smoke
Crumb topping (mushroom pangrattato)
- 1 cup panko crumbs
- 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp. truffle oil
- 1 tsp. porcini mushroom powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. flaky salt
Preparation
Step 1
For the cheese sauce: melt the butter with the truffle oil on medium heat in a pan, before adding the flour and spices. Stir until well combined. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add the milk half a cup at a time stirring rigorously so there are no lumps.
Step 2
Add the remainder of ingredients for the cheese sauce, stirring through as everything is added so you have a nice, homogeneous, ooey gooey cheese sauce. Pour into a large dish that can fit your pasta.
Step 3
For the crumb topping: place all ingredients into a clean pan on medium heat and toast until the crumb are golden brown. Pour into a separate bowl and set aside (don’t leave them in pan as residual heat with burn them).
Step 4
For the mushroom pancetta: mix everything except the oil in a bowl until well seasoned. Heat the oil on medium high heat and drop the mushroom bits in there, cooking for 5-10 minutes until they are crispy and crunchy. Remove and place onto a paper towel so they don’t get soggy, and set aside.
Step 5
Cook macaroni as per packet instructions, then drain and pour into dish with the cheese sauce (if the sauce is too thick, add some pasta water to loosen it up). Mix well before topping with mushroom pancetta and panko crumbs. Serve hot!
✨ RECIPE NOTES ✨
- Macaroni vs. other pasta shapes: The pasta must match the sauce – a chunky pasta will slide right off a thin spaghetti. A simple oil and garlic sauce will be lacklustre when paired with a curly fusilli, as the thin sauce won’t stick between the grooves. And a hollow pasta needs a rich, thick sauce to squeeze between the tube and stick to the pasta wall, ensuring a perfect ratio of sauce to pasta with every bite. It’s a classic for a reason! That being said, taking this idea you can swap out mac for orecchiette, penne, fusilli, rigatoni or any short pasta that has enough groves, edges, or hollowed out bits to hold this thick, rich sauce.
- Gluten free: It can be done! Swap out the pasta for your favourite gluten free kind (short pasta shape); swap out the flour for the roux with half the amount of rice flour and 2 tsp. corn flour instead; and swap out panko crumb for gluten free breadcrumbs.
- Vegan: Swap the cheese sauce here for our Vegan Cheese Sauce recipe for the same desired effect!
