Us Wisconsinites know there ain’t no party without CHEESE! Bring this incredibly delicious, cheesy goodness, crowd favorite dish to your next.
This week Ryan & I hosted (Virtual) Family Dinner & step-by-step taught our squad one of our favorite recipes, ever: Beecher’s (Copycat) Mac & Cheese.
Story time!
While in college, my best friend’s (S/O Laur) Dad became notorious for his homemade Mac & Cheese that us soccer gals were first blessed with at their house in Steven’s Point for team dinner. We became obsessed & if we were lucky, he sometimes sent a batch back to school with Laura after visiting home! Fast forward to last summer when we moved to Washington for my travel nursing contract & stumbled upon the world famous, Beecher’s Handmade Cheese shop while exploring the Pike Place Market in Seattle. From the window, you can watch as the cheese makers whisk up fresh batches of cheese in an an extremely large, deliciously creamy looking, tub. Of course, we each ordered & devoured a cup of their aaaaamazing Mac & Cheese, which had a striking resemblance that surprised my tastebuds. After begging & pleading, I eventually was graced with my friend’s Dad’s beloved Mac & Cheese recipe & welllll whadoyaknow… it was titled “Beecher’s Mac & Cheese.”
To create The Original Beecher’s “World’s Best” Mac & Cheese, look for Beecher’s signature “Flagship” & “Just Jack” cheeses in a store near you or order from their store online.
Let’s get cookin’
Copycat Beecher’s Mac & Cheese
Equipment
- ~9×13 Baking Dish or Disposable Foil All Purpose Pan
- 2 Large Sauce Pans or Pots
- Strainer
Ingredients
Total Cheese for Recipe
- 16 oz. Cheddar Cheese, grated or shredded
- 4 oz. Swiss Cheese, grated or shredded
Sauce
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 3 & 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated or shredded
- 1/2 cup swiss cheese, grated or shredded
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4-1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 16 oz. penne pasta
Top of Mac & Cheese
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated or shredded
- 1/2 cup swiss cheese, grated or shredded
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook penne pasta 2 minutes less than package directions. Strain & rinse pasta in cold water & set aside.
- Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cook for 2 minutes.
- Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove from the heat.
- Add the cheese, salt, chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir until cheese is melted & ingredients are thorougly mixed, about 3 minutes.
- Combine the cooked pasta and sauce in a medium bowl or pot and mix carefully, but no thoroughly.
- Pour the pasta into a 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and chili powder evenly on top.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Allow the mac & cheese to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
