Baked & Spicy Box Mac and Cheese

Spicy Mac and Cheese. Photo by Unique Rodriguez | The Signal

Baked & Spicy Box Mac and Cheese

Feeds ~5 people

Want to impress your friends with Gordon Ramsey approved flavors on a college-student budget? This easy macaroni and cheese recipe comes with a twist that everyone will love. 

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Sauce Ingredients

2 tablespoons of butter

⅛ cup of onions, finely diced

2 tablespoons of flour

2 cups of milk

¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons of hot sauce

1 bag of cheese powder from box

1 ½ cups of shredded cheese

¼ cup of salsa

 

Optional Sauce Add-Ins

½ cup of red and green bell peppers, diced

1 cup of cooked ground beef

 

Pasta Ingredients

2 cups of pasta from box

8 cups of water

pinch of salt

 

Topping Ingredients

4 tablespoons of bread crumbs

6 tablespoons of shredded cheese

 

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Boil water with a pinch of salt
  3. Add pasta and cook until al dente; then strain
  4. While pasta is boiling, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat
  5. Add onions and let simmer until fragrant
  6. Add flour and mix well
  7. Slowly stir in milk 
  8. Stir in cayenne pepper, hot sauce, salsa, and cheese powder
  9. Stir in shredded cheese and let melt
  10. If combining add-ins, stir peppers and beef into sauce
  11. Combine cooked pasta and sauce into greased, oven-safe dish
  12. Sprinkle topping ingredients evenly over dish
  13. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until edges are bubbling and slightly brown
  14. Remove from oven and enjoy!