Hot Honey Sausage Mac And Cheese Recipe

Boil the pasta

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add 1 cup elbow macaroni and cook until very al dente (about 1–2 minutes less than package instructions). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.

Cook the sausage

While the pasta cooks, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 12 oz sausage (removed from casings and crumbled) and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until well browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. If there is excessive fat, drain off all but about 1 teaspoon in the pan. Stir in 3 tablespoons hot honey and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, cook 1 minute to glaze the sausage. Remove from heat and set aside.

Make a roux

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and whisk continuously for 1–2 minutes until the mixture is bubbling and golden (this cooks the raw flour taste).

Add milk and cream

Slowly whisk in 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream, a little at a time, whisking to remove lumps. Continue whisking and bring mixture to a gentle simmer until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4–6 minutes.

Finish the sauce

Reduce heat to low. Whisk in 2 oz softened cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a pinch (1/8 tsp) cayenne if using. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar and 1 cup shredded mozzarella in two additions, stirring until melted and smooth. If sauce seems too thick, whisk in up to 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to loosen.

Combine pasta, sauce, and sausage

In a large mixing bowl or the pot used for pasta, combine the drained macaroni, the cheese sauce, and the hot honey sausage. Stir gently to evenly coat the pasta. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.

Prepare breadcrumb topping

In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley (optional), and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Mix until crumbs are evenly moistened.

Bake

Transfer the mac and cheese mixture to a buttered 8x8-inch (or similar) baking dish. Evenly sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top. Bake in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven until bubbling and the topping is golden brown, about 18–22 minutes. For a crispier top, place under the broiler for 1–2 minutes watching carefully to avoid burning.

Finish

Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Drizzle the reserved 1 tablespoon extra hot honey over the top (or more to taste) and finish with freshly cracked black pepper. Garnish with a little extra chopped parsley if desired.