Lobster Mac and Cheese
This decadent lobster mac and cheese has it all: A generous amount of lobster meat and a rich, three-cheese sauce made with fontina, Gruyère, and mascarpone are mixed with pasta, and baked under a crunchy topping of panko and Parmesan. The cheese sauce has a secret flavor booster. The shells are separated from the meat and cooked with aromatics, wine, milk, and cream, infusing the sauce with a surprising depth of lobster flavor. The shells are then strained out before adding the cheese in this luxurious main course dish.
Pernil Mac and Cheese
Pernil, a Puerto Rican–style roast pork shoulder, is flavored with garlic, oregano, and sazón—a seasoning blend that includes coriander and annatto. At their Durham, North Carolina, restaurant Boricua Soul, Serena and Toriano Fredericks serve this garlicky pernil on top of a rich and creamy mac and cheese. Rubbing the seasoned garlic paste into the pork and letting it rest allows the flavors to penetrate deeply into the thick roast.
You Don't Get to Just Show Up with Mac 'n' Cheese at My House
You have to be assigned. You have to be appointed. You have to be anointed.
Southern-Style Mac 'n' Cheese
Three different kinds of cheese—extra-sharp cheddar, Colby-Jack, and cream cheese—go into this creamy, savory macaroni and cheese recipe, which also gets layers of flavor from fresh bay leaves and dry mustard. Southern-style mac 'n' cheese is typically made with a milk-and-egg base rather than a roux. Here, the milk component is an infused milk-and-cream mixture reserved from cooking the noodles (which adds even more richness to the dish). Make thisone of the starring sides at your Thanksgiving table.
Raclette-Gruyère Mac and Cheese with Pickled Shallots
Inspired by älplermagronen, Alpine farmers’ macaroni, this Swiss twist on a Thanksgiving classic gets rich flavor from Gruyère and a lush creaminess from Raclette. Traditional versions of this dish are served with applesauce; as a nod to that flavor play, we’ve added some shallots that are quickly pickled in apple cider vinegar to balance the cheesy richness.
Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese with Baby Kale
A quick sauté renders baby kale leaves perfectly tender, allowing them to almost melt into the buttermilk-enriched béchamel inchef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls'riff on mac and cheese. For a smooth sauce, make sure all of the dairy is at room temperature.
