Pesto Mac and Cheese

5 from 4 votes

This easy pesto mac and cheese is made with short pasta (such as macaroni, rotini or small shells) tossed in a creamy homemade cheese sauce.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 425kcal

Author: Sarah Trenalone

Ingredients

8 ounces short pasta (such as macaroni, rotini, penne or small shells) Use gluten-free pasta if needed. I love Banza's chickpea rotini in this recipe.
1 cup milk (2% or whole) Optionally, swap all or part of the milk for heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon flour Use gluten-free all-purpose flour if needed
½ cup freshly shredded white cheddar (or use gouda) See "cheese tips" in recipe notes
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve if desired
1 tablespoon basil pesto

Instructions

Cook the Pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, add the pasta.
Boil until al dente (about 1 minute less than the package directions call for).
Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, and remove pasta from the heat.

Make the Cheese Sauce:

Add the milk to a small pot (such as a butter warmer) and warm over low heat. Keep warm while you prepare the sauce.
Add butter to a large pot or pan and melt over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it is completely absorbed by the butter.
Slowly begin adding the warm milk, stirring constantly. Bring the milk to a simmer, and continue simmering for about 2 minutes.
Tip: The milk must be warm when added to the butter and flour mixture, otherwise the flour might clump. Also, make sure to bring the milk to an actual simmer for 2 minutes, or the cheese might not melt correctly.
Turn off the heat and whisk in the Parmesan and cheddar. Continue whisking until the cheese melts into the sauce.
Tip: The sauce must be piping hot when the cheese is added, otherwise the cheese will not melt. If you paused your cooking for any reason in between adding the cream and butter, reheat the sauce before proceeding.
Add the pesto and stir until incorporated.
Add the pasta to pesto cheese sauce and toss to incorporate.
If the sauce seems dry or stringy, add another splash of the reserved pasta water. (I usually add at least one splash of pasta water, sometimes two, when cooking this meal.)
Tip: If you forgot to reserve pasta water, add a splash of cream, milk or white wine to the sauce instead (not tap water).
Serve right away. Top with extra Parmesan if desired.

Notes

Cheese Tips:

Pre-grated or pre-shredded cheese will not work in this recipe, because it's tossed in anti-clumping additives that will prevent the cheese from melting.
White cheddar and gouda are two of my favorite cheeses in this recipe, but feel free to experiment with other varieties of cheese.

Recipe variations: This pasta is also delicious with spinach or kale. Simply add the leafy greens to the pasta water to wilt and then add to the pasta.

Nutrition