Irish Guinness Mac and Cheese

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Irish Guinness Mac and Cheese

This is a perfect Irish Party Recipe made with a Guinness cheese sauce. I used a nice Irish cheddar cheese mixed with cream cheese so it melts into a yummy Irish cream sauce. You could also use this sauce as a fabulous Irish appetizer or Guinness cheese dip. Irish Guinness Mac and Cheese is the perfect Irish St. Pat's Party Food. Oh so good!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 499kcal

Author: Lauren Lane

Equipment

Large Deep Skillet

Ingredients

1 pound elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
⅔ cup Guinness or other stout beer
1 ½ cups milk at least 2%
½ cup half and half
1 teaspoon salt
⅓ teaspoon ground black pepper or more
¼ teaspoon red pepper or more
2 teaspoons dry mustard
3 ounces softened cream cheese cut into pieces
4 ounces grated Irish cheddar or another good melting cheese. Save a small amount to sprinkle on the top if desired
4 ounces grated gruyere cheese
Optional Toppings when I say optional, I kind of mean mandatory ;
4 slices applewood smoked bacon cooked and crumbled
1-2 cups lightly crumbled potato chips.

Instructions

Boil elbow macaroni in well-salted water and cook until a little before al dente. The pasta will still have a chewy bite.
Before draining the pasta, reserve a cup of pasta water and set it aside.
While pasta is cooking, prepare the cheese sauce: In large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together for a 2 minutes. While whisking, pour in Guinness, milk, half and half, salt, pepper, red pepper and dry mustard. Bring to a simmer and cook, frequently whisking until it thickens slightly. Note: a sauce won't thicken until it reaches a simmer.
Add cream cheese, grated cheddar, and grated gruyere and stir/whisk until completely smooth. Add drained, cooked pasta and stir to combine. Let this mixture sit over low heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently so that the pasta can soak up some of the cheese. Add some of the saved pasta water, if needed, to create the desired consistency.
To serve: Sprinkle with bacon and/or potato chips. Serve immediately or see below for how to make in advance.

Notes

How much salt should you add to your pasta water?

I like to add about 1 ½ tablespoons of Kosher salt per pound of pasta that is cooked in a large pot.

Using pasta water in your dishes will make your pasta a step above those that don’t. That cloudy liquid is filled with leftover starch from the pasta. This starchy water, when added to any hot fat or sauce results in a luxuriously smooth sauce. This is called emulsification.
Saving pasta water can also fix a ton of pasta cooking issues. In the case of this recipe, if the macaroni and cheese thicken up too much for your taste, add some of the reserved pasta water to make it more creamy.
When you are mixing the flour and the butter in the third step you are actually making what’s called a roux. A roux is a thickening agent for many dishes. It is oftentimes the first step to a great sauce.
For the Guinness Mac and Cheese, the flour, butter, and liquid mixture needs to thicken to its’ full capacity. For this to happen, the butter and flour mixture needs to reach a simmer. Remember to always wait for your roux to reach a simmer before adding any more liquid or flour.
You can make this early in the day and let it cool, then place covered in the refrigerator. Be sure to undercook the noodles a bit. When ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake covered until heated through and bubbling around the edges, about 35-45 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is golden-brown, about 15 minutes more. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Top with chips and bacon if desired.

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