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baaked potato mac and cheese

Cheesy Baked Potato Mac and Cheese

  • Author: Jamie Sanders
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 30 to 35 min
  • Total Time: 45
  • Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
  • Category: side dish
  • Method: stovetop/oven

Description

Potatoes, corn, and cajun spices combine to make this delicious and hearty Extra Cheesy Baked Potato Mac and Cheese Recipe.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 oz Cavatappi pasta, also known as Cellentani. (rigatoni or penne can also work.) Cavatappi is a short, tubular, corkscrew-shaped pasta.
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups peeled, diced potato
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes (set aside a tablespoon or two for garnish)
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 1/4 cup frozen sweet corn, defrosted
  • 1/2 tsp Tony Chachere’s cajun seasoning (1/4 for the potatoes and 1/4 for the sauce)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 1/4 cups milk
  • 1 tsp dry mustard (I used a squirt of yellow mustard- it’s all I had)
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan blend cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup bacon bits (or the equivalent of freshly cooked and diced)

Instructions

  1. Make the pasta: Cook pasta in a large pot, according to package directions. After cooking is complete, drain, return to pot and keep warm.
  2. Cook the potatoes: While the pasta is cooking, add oil to the pan and brown the potatoes for about 5 minutes.
  3. Add corn, red pepper, onion, garlic, 1/4 tsp of the Tony Chachere seasoning, and salt and pepper to the potatoes. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
  4. Make the cheese sauce: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Add milk and whisk til smooth. Add mustard, 1/4 Tony Chachere seasoning (Careful- this stuff has kick!), nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook until the sauce thickens.
    Lower the heat and stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano.
  5. Combine everything and broil: Add the corn-potato mixture and the white sauce to the pasta in the pot and stir together.
  6. Transfer to a casserole dish, and top with the cheddar cheese, bacon, and reserved red bell pepper. Broil until brown and bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Keywords: Baked Potato Mac and Cheese