Beer Macaroni and Cheese

This isn’t one of those foods that claims to have beer in it, but then barely tastes of beer in the final dish. Just the opposite, in fact. The beer flavor here is quite strong. So use something that you really like to drink, but won’t overwhelm the whole dish. I recommend a Pilsner or an Amber Ale. But if you want something with more bite to it, you could certainly try out your favorite IPA.

Full disclosure time: since about half of the liquid in the sauce comes from the beer, this macaroni and cheese isn’t as rich and creamy as traditional versions which use all dairy. But it tastes like beer. So I’m not complaining.

Cheers,

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups uncooked elbow pasta
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup beer
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 ounce cream cheese
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 10-12 basil leaves, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. Place the pot back on the stovetop over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour. Cook the flour with constant whisking for about 1 minute. Add the milk, beer, cheese and spices. Continue to whisk until the cheese is completely melted and the mixture has thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked and drained noodles to the cheese mixture and stir to combine. Transfer everything to a casserole or baking dish. Top with the bread crumbs.
3. Bake the macaroni and cheese in your pre-heated oven for 25 minutes. Then remove it from your oven and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes. Top with sliced basil leaves and serve.
4. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.