Irish Mac and Cheese

5 from 1 vote

Irish mac & cheese is the perfect St. Patrick's Day party food. It can be made in advance has some fun twists on it and uses delicious Irish cheese.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Course: Main Course

Servings: servings

Calories: 499kcal

Author: Lauren Lane

Equipment

Dutch Oven

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 cheddar or another good melting cheese save a small amount to sprinkle on the top if desired)
4 ounces grated gruyere
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 chipsBoil elbow macaroni in well salted water and cook until a little before al dente. The pasta will still have a chewy bite.

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 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 minute. While whisking, pour in Guinness, milk, half and half, salt, pepper, red pepper and dry mustard. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking frequently until it thickens slightly.
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 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 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt per pound of pasta that is cooked in a large pot. Click here to read more about kosher salt and salting pasta water. It’s kinda a Big Deal!!
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.
This recipe can also be classified as one of my Easy Entertaining recipes. You can make this early in the day and let it cool, then place it covered in the refrigerator. A half hour before your guests arrive, remove the mac and cheese from the refrigerator and let the dish come to room temperature. It is very important that the mac and cheese is at room temperature prior to heating in the oven. This will prevent the dish from becoming dry.

Nutrition