Macaroni Pie (Caribbean Style Baked Mac & Cheese)

This recipe gives the conventional baked mac and cheese a Caribbean flair. Macaroni Pie uses a few more flavours from your spice cabinet and is a classic comfort food in many kitchens.

Anyone who knows me knows that whenever I go to a new restaurant and see mac ‘n’ cheese on the menu, I have to try it. Nothing says comfort food like macaroni and cheese!

This recipe puts a Caribbean spin on the classic dish. I grew up with my mom making a big casserole of this for holidays and as a side dish on Sunday dinners and it’s always been a favourite of mine. Could it be that I also had a love for Kraft Dinner (complete with ketchup and cut up hog dog wieners), but macaroni pie definitely steps it up a level.

One of the main differences between this Caribbean style Macaroni Pie from the more “conventional” mac ‘n’cheese is that this recipe doesn’t need a roux to get the sauce started. The ingredients pretty much can be added in cold, because what you get is a “pie-like” dish instead of a gooey version that needs to be plated in a bowl.

You can slice this macaroni pie and top it with a delicious gravy, and easily reheat portions. Another thing I like about this verion is it’s use of some ingredients that a lot of Caribbean kitchens have well-stocked of: evaporated milk, Scotch Bonnet pepper, nutmeg and thyme!

Of course you can vary the ingredients if you want, but this mix lends to a very savoury dish that will be a classic side dish in your household once you try it.

Macaroni Pie (Caribbean Style Baked Mac & Cheese)

Monique Creary

This recipe gives the conventional baked mac and cheese a Caribbean flair. Macaroni Pie uses a few more flavours from your spice cabinet and is a classic comfort food in many kitchens.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Caribbean, Jamaican

Servings 12 people

Ingredients

  

• 450 grams dried macaroni (or another tube-shaped pasta)
• 2 tsp salt (for boiling the pasta)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 small Scotch Bonnet pepper minced
• 2 cans evaporated milk (354mL each)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×16" baking tray. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and cook pasta until al dente (macaroni should be undercooked by 1-2 minutes–slightly tender, but firm).
• Drain the macaroni, and rinse until cool water to halt the cooking process. Return to the same pot.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the chopped onion for 1-2 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and scotch bonnet pepper and continue to cook for an additional minute.
• Pour the onion mixture into the pot of cooked macaroni, and stir to combine.
• In a separate bowl or measuring jar, whisk together the milk, eggs, mustard, paprika, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Pour over the macaroni and stir until well-coated.
• Sprinkle 3 cups of in the grated cheese (reserving 1 cup for the topping) until everything is incorporated.
• Pour into the prepared baking dish. Top with the reserved 1 cup of shredded cheese and cook for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Notes

If you find the macaroni pie browning too quickly, bake it loosely covered with foil, then remove the foil from the top 10 minutes before it’s finished cooking.

Keyword cheese, comfort food, pasta

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