It’s no secret that I adore cheese, and, frankly, I also can’t turn my back to pasta. An even lesser secret is that I have an unadulterated, almost dangerous addiction to mac and cheese. I’m clearly not talking about any blue boxes, and I can’t stand a take-out or delivery version with flaccid noodles and watery trying-to-be-cheese sauce. My mac and cheese needs to be a sturdy version, with toothsome noodles and a thick sauce that envelops that pasta in the most decadent cheesy hug.
That said, sometimes mac and cheese needs a little… oomph. I adore a big bowl of tender noodles of any shape covered in a flavorful cheesy sauce any day of the week. But sometimes? I crave a little extra punch in my bowl of comforting noodles-meets-cheese.
This achieves just that. It’s all of the comfort food heartiness that mac and cheese provides, with a big punch of spice but also a huge value-add of fiber from the noodles. It’s the food equivalent of upping your game from watching boxing to UFC. Both are good. But one hits harder.


- 1 box Barilla high fiber medium shells
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups skim milk
- 2 cups pepper jack cheese
- 4 cups extra sharp white cheddar
- ½ tablespoon cayenne
- ½ tablespoon crushed red pepper
- Salt
- Pepper
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Boil salted water.
- Add shells and allow to cook for about 7 minutes (just shy of al dente).
- Create a roux by melting 3 tablespoons of butter, then whisking in 3 tablespoons of flour on low heat.
- Mix in cayenne and crushed red pepper.
- Add 3 cups of skim milk and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low for about 5 minutes to allow mixture to cool slightly in order to avoid breaking the sauce when adding cheese.
- Slowly mix in both cheeses.
- Add shells and mix together.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add more cayenne or crushed red pepper to increase spiciness, if desired.
- Spray 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray.
- Pour in cheese and shell mixture.
- Shake crushed red pepper on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes, covered.
- This version adds just a bit of heat. For more, add more cayenne and crushed red pepper.
- Ensure shells don't overcook and become mushy by boiling to slight under al dente.
- Add some extra spice and texture by browning 1/4 cup bread crumbs in a tablespoon of olive oil or butter with some cayenne or crushed red pepper, then sprinkling over the dish before baking.
- Want to add some veg? Sub out a half or full cup of the pasta and add in a cup or two of broccoli or cauliflower.
- Replace the pasta altogether with vegetables by replacing the pasta with a bag of defrosted frozen cauliflower or broccoli. Ensure it's entirely defrosted and warmed to room temperature to prevent too much moisture from spoiling the cheese sauce.
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