Cheese Macaroni Casserole
6 servings
45 minutes
Cheesy pasta casserole is a cozy, rich dish with roots in European cuisine. This recipe combines tender pasta with a rich, silky cheese sauce, creating true delight for cheese lovers. Three types of cheese—parmesan, feta, and gruyere—give the casserole a layered flavor: from savory notes to creamy softness. Light spices like paprika and garlic add zest to the dish, while the golden crust makes it perfectly balanced. The casserole is especially good as a hearty dinner on cold evenings or as a main dish at family gatherings where something rich yet not too complicated to prepare is desired.
1
Boil the pasta in salted boiling water according to the package instructions. Drain the water, toss with vegetable oil, and set aside.
- Pasta: 450 g
- Vegetable oil: 1 tablespoon
2
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with flour and milk, stirring continuously with a whisk until the mixture boils and thickens. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes, avoiding strong boiling. Add chili, paprika, cream, mustard, minced garlic, parmesan, and feta to the mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts and the mixture becomes smooth.
- Butter: 25 g
- Wheat flour: 2 tablespoons
- Milk: 300 ml
- Ground chili pepper: 0.5 teaspoon
- Ground paprika: 1 teaspoon
- Cream 20%: 3 tablespoons
- Mustard: 2 teaspoons
- Garlic: 1 clove
- Grated Parmesan cheese: 125 g
- Feta cheese: 125 g
3
Transfer the pasta to a greased (with butter or vegetable oil) deep baking dish, pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and mix thoroughly, then sprinkle with grated Gruyère on top. Bake in the oven at 190 degrees for about 20 minutes (until golden-brown crust forms).
- Pasta: 450 g
- Butter: 25 g
- Vegetable oil: 1 tablespoon
- Grated Parmesan cheese: 125 g
- Grated Gruyere cheese: 125 g