Pimento Macaroni and Cheese

5 from 18 votes

Pimento Macaroni and Cheese is an easy skillet mac with the flavors of pimento cheese. If you're a pimento cheese lover, it'll be your new favorite dinner!

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 552kcal

Author: Sue Moran

Equipment

10 inch cast iron skillet (or comparable sized baking dish)

Ingredients

10 ounces cavatappi pasta or elbow mac, or rotini
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup cream
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (yellow or white), shredded
1/2 cup finely chopped pimentos (I used a 5 ounce jar of whole pimentos)

Crumb topping

1/2 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp butter melted

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F and lightly butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of heavily salted boiling water until al dente (about 8 minutes). Drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, paprika, and salt.
Cook for a couple of minutes over medium heat, whisking constantly.
While whisking, add the milk and cream slowly to avoid lumps. Whisk or stir with a silicone spoonula until all the milk and cream are incorporated.
Keep cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture ALMOST comes to a boil, and thickens. Do not let it boil.
Remove the pan from the heat (this is important) and let it cool for a minute or two.
Add the shredded cheese to the pot, stirring until the cheese has completely melted. This may take a few minutes. If necessary you can put the pot back on the stove to gently heat until the cheese melts.
Stir in the pimentos and cooked pasta and turn into your buttered skillet.
Mix the cracker crumbs with the melted butter until the crumbs are evenly saturated.
Top with the crumb mixture, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until bubbling and golden.

Nutrition