Crispy Steak Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 lb Cavatappi
• 16 oz Mozzarella (Use 4 oz in the sauce and reserve the remaining 12 oz for layering.)
• 12 oz Colby Jack cheese (Use 4 oz in the sauce and reserve the remaining 8 oz for layering.)
• 8 oz Sharp cheddar cheese (Use 4 oz in the sauce and reserve the remaining 4 oz for layering.)
• 4 oz Fontina cheese (Use all 4 oz in the sauce.)
• 3 tbsp Butter (For the cheese sauce.)
• 3 tbsp Flour
• 12 oz Evaporated milk
• 2 cup Heavy cream
• 1 tsp Garlic powder (Use in the cheese sauce and to season the steak; the listed amount is 1 tsp each, with no separate steak amount given.)
• 1 tsp Onion powder
• 1 tsp Smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Chicken bouillon
• 0.5 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 cup Pasta water (Reserved from cooking the pasta; add only as needed to loosen the sauce.)
• 1 Ribeye steak or New York strip (One large steak; cut unspecified.)
• Salt (To season the steak; amount not specified.)
• Black pepper (To season the steak; amount not specified.)
• 1 tbsp Oil (For searing the steak.)
• 1 tbsp Butter (For basting the steak.)

Steps

1. 1

   Cook the cavatappi until 1 minute shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

2. 2

   Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.

3. 3

   Slowly whisk the evaporated milk into the butter-flour mixture, then whisk in the heavy cream.

4. 4

   Add the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, chicken bouillon, and Dijon mustard. Simmer for 3–5 minutes.

5. 5

   Turn the heat to low. Add 4 oz each of Fontina, mozzarella, Colby Jack, and sharp cheddar, and stir until melted into the sauce. Reserve the remaining 24 oz of cheese for layering.

6. 6

   Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to coat. If the mixture is too thick, gradually add reserved pasta water as needed until very creamy.

7. 7

   Spread half of the mac and cheese in a baking dish. Add 8 oz of the reserved cheese over it, then add the remaining mac and cheese and top with the remaining 16 oz cheese.

8. 8

   Bake uncovered at 350°F for 25–30 minutes. Broil for 1–3 minutes, until the top is golden and crispy.

9. 9

   Season the steak with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Sear it in 1 tablespoon oil for about 3–4 minutes per side.

10. 10

    Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and baste the steak. For medium-rare, remove it from the heat at about 125–128°F and rest for 8–10 minutes.

11. 11

    Rest the mac and cheese for 5–10 minutes. Slice the steak and pile it on top before serving.

Notes

The source lists garlic powder among the sauce seasonings and again when seasoning the steak but gives only one measured amount, so no extra steak quantity is specified. The steak cut and weight are not specified; nutrition for the steak is therefore not estimated.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• comfort food
• pasta
• steak
• baked
• crispy
• American
• dinner