Description
A delicious mashup of classic mac and cheese and crispy quesadillas, perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (90 g) elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups (150 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup (25 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 medium (20 cm) flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for cooking)
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the elbow macaroni and cook according to the package instructions, typically 7-9 minutes until al dente.
- Make the cheese sauce: In a separate saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously for about 1-2 minutes until smooth and bubbly.
- Add the milk: Gradually pour in the whole milk while whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Cook until the mixture thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
- Cheese it up: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheeses until melted and creamy. Then, add mustard powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Combine the pasta and cheese sauce: Drain the cooked macaroni and stir it into the cheese sauce until well-coated.
- Prep for quesadillas: Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Assemble a quesadilla by spreading mac and cheese mixture on one half of a tortilla, then fold it over.
- Cook the quesadillas: Place the folded quesadilla in the skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.
- Slice and serve: Remove from the skillet and let sit for a minute before slicing into wedges and serving.
Notes
Serve with fresh avocado salad, salsa, or a ‘quesadilla bar’ with toppings like hot sauce and sour cream.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: mac and cheese, quesadillas, comfort food, easy recipes