Description
A creamy and indulgent three cheese macaroni topped with crunchy Goldfish crackers for a delightful twist on classic mac and cheese. This recipe combines cheddar, Gruyère, and pepper jack cheeses in a rich, smooth sauce enveloping perfectly cooked elbow macaroni, finished with a playful Goldfish cracker topping for added texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Broth
- 4 cups Chicken Stock
- 2 cups Water
- 4 1/2 teaspoons Salt (divided)
- 4 cups Elbow Macaroni
Cheese Sauce
- 3 cups Whole Milk
- 1/4 cup Corn Starch
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Gruyère Cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded
Topping and Finishing
- 1 1/2 cups Goldfish Crackers (half crushed, half whole)
- Olive Oil (as needed, for tossing pasta)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: In a large pot, bring the chicken stock, water, and 2 teaspoons of salt to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Milk Mixture: Warm 3 cups whole milk in a saucepan over medium heat until warm but not boiling. Remove half a cup of milk and whisk it with cornstarch until fully dissolved, creating a slurry.
- Thicken Sauce: Return the milk-cornstarch mixture to the saucepan with the remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring every 30 seconds, until the sauce thickens but is not overcooked.
- Add Cheese: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in shredded cheddar, Gruyère, and pepper jack cheeses until fully melted and smooth.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: In a large bowl, mix the cooked macaroni with the cheese sauce until well combined.
- Add Goldfish Crackers: Crush half of the Goldfish crackers and stir them into the mac and cheese mixture. Sprinkle the remaining whole Goldfish crackers on top.
- Serve: Serve immediately, enjoying the creamy cheesy pasta with a crunchy Goldfish topper.
Notes
- Use freshly shredded cheese for best melting and flavor.
- Adjust salt levels to taste, especially since the broth and cheeses add saltiness.
- Add olive oil to pasta after draining to prevent clumping.
- Serve immediately to keep the Goldfish crackers crunchy.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken stock with vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: macaroni and cheese, three cheese mac, Goldfish crackers, creamy mac and cheese, easy stovetop recipe, comfort food
