Blue Mac and Cheese

This isn't really blue, it's bleu, and the bleu cheese gives it a nice bite. Makes four servings.

• 6 oz by weight tubular pasta. I use DeCeeco Penne Rigate
• One to 1-1/2 oz bleu cheese.
• 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 tb butter
• 2 tb all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• Whole nutmeg, and a way to grate it.
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese from the pasta aisle of the grocery store
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• olive oil

Cook the pasta a minute or two less than you normally would because it's going in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°.

While the pasta is cooking, grate the cheddar cheese ans set aside about a quarter if it. Pro tip: Pre-grated cheese contains "anti-caking agents" which are also anti-melting agents. Grate your own Cheddar. Crumble the bleu cheese as finely as reasonable possible. A knife and wax paper are your friends.

In a medium sauce pan, make a roux with the butter and flour and cook to the roux blonde stage. Add the milk a little at a time, whisking constantly. Add about 1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg and whisk in. Cook for about two minutes after you start to see bubbles in the milk mixture. Add the cheese, except the Cheddar you set aside and the grated Parmesan, and whisk until the cheese is completely melted. Remove from heat, add the pasta and switch from whisk to spoon. Stir until the pasta is thoroughly coated. Pour the pasta into a lightly greased baking dish.

Combine the grated Parmesan and panko in a small bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed. Add two tb of olive oil and stir with a fork until the mixture looks like grains of sand, adding a little more olive oil as necessary.

Sprinkle the reserved Cheddar cheese on top of the pasta, than layer the panko and Parmesan mixture on top of that, making sure the pasta is completely covered. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes.

Last updated: 2026-05-02 13:41
Orignially posted: 2026-05-01