Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Baked mac and cheese in a pan on a dark green background

Green Chile Mac and Cheese


  • Author: Cheryl Alters Jamison

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed fresh bread crumbs or ¾ cup dried panko bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons minced onion
  • 1 cup chopped roasted mild to medium New Mexican green chile, fresh or thawed frozen
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ½ cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
  • 6 ounces creamy fresh goat cheese, crumbled
  • 4 ounces Havarti or Fontina cheese, grated
  • 6 ounces aged Cheddar cheese, grated
  • ¾ pound elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375º F. Butter a shallow medium to large baking dish.
  2. Prepare bread crumbs, first melting butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in bread crumbs and toast them until golden, stirring occasionally. Scrape bread crumbs out of skillet and reserve them.
  3. Prepare cheese sauce, first melting butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir flour into butter gradually. When flour is incorporated, mix in onion and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add green chile and any juice and cook until heated through. Raise heat to medium-high and gradually whisk in milk and buttermilk and salt.
  4. Bring mixture to a boil and continue to cooking until lightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in goat cheese until melted into sauce. Remove sauce from heat and immediately mix in remaining cheeses, stirring until melted.
  6. Toss macaroni with cheese sauce and spoon into prepared baking dish.
  7. Scatter bread crumbs over the macaroni and cheese sauce. Bake about 30 minutes, until heated through and golden brown and crunchy on top.