Mac & Cheese with Spinach & Pancetta
This recipe for Mac & Cheese is comfort food with a twist: Pancetta and spinach are folded into the pasta.
By Yankee Magazine|Sep 27 2022|
Mac-’n’-cheese with spinach & pancetta
Photo Credit: Adrienne AndersonThis recipe for Mac and Cheese with Spinach & Pancetta is comfort food with a twist: Crispy, peppery pancetta and spinach are folded into pasta and topped with a rich, nutmeg-laced cheese sauce. A crispy panko breadcrumb topping is the icing on the cake.
No spinach? Substitute broccoli, fresh or frozen. In place of pancetta, use ham, sausage, or bacon — or skip meat entirely. Best of all, any leftovers freeze beautifully for future meals.
Yield
6 to 8 servings
Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes minutes
Hands-on Time
45 minutes minutes
For the Mac & Cheese:
Ingredients
2 1/2 ounces pancetta or thick bacon (about 4 slices)
1 teaspoon plus 11/2 tablespoons olive oil
5 ounces baby spinach
3 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups (8 ounces by weight) grated Gruyère cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound macaroni or gemelli pasta, cooked
Instructions
In a medium-size skillet over medium-low heat, cook the pancetta or bacon in 1 teaspoon of olive oil, flipping halfway through, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels, leaving the fat in the skillet. Crumble the pancetta or bacon into small pieces and set aside.
Bring the skillet back up to medium-high heat. Cook the spinach in the reserved fat, stirring, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in half of the crumbled pancetta or bacon, reserving the remaining half. Set aside.
Make the cheese sauce: In a medium-size saucepan, warm the butter and remaining 1½ tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to make a paste (called a roux); cook, stirring, until the roux is golden in color, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk, and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring, until thickened. Season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Off the heat, add the two cheeses and whisk until smooth. Stir in the spinach/pan-cetta mixture.
Preheat your oven to 375° and set a rack to the middle position. Pour the cooked pasta into a 9×13-inch (or 14- to 16-cup) baking dish. Add the cheese sauce; stir to combine. (The dish can be made up to this point several hours ahead of time; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before baking.)
Notes
This dish can be made several hours ahead of time; cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. Be sure not to add the topping until you’re ready to bake the casserole.
For the topping:
Ingredients
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
In a small bowl, stir together the cheeses, panko, pepper, and remaining crumbled pancetta. Sprinkle over the pasta mixture and bake until the top is browned and the sauce bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes.
My husband, who usually doesn’t cook much, decided to make this recipe. It was absolutely delicious. The gruyere cheese gives it a nice strong flavor, children may not like it. We loved the addition of the spinach and pancetta. I plan on making it again to serve with ham at Easter. Was pleased and surprised to see it featured on WHDH news yesterday.
Wonderful recipe. My husband made it also.
Looking forward to making this next week.
Liked the recipe. It got a little drier than I usually like. I think next time I would not allow the cheese sauce to get quite as thick or make more sauce. Great flavor. Served it with ham as they suggested for Easter. Nice that it can be made ahead.