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