Swiss Chard And Roasted Garlic Mac And Cheese

(This post is sponsored by Ronzoni®. All opinions are my own!) Homemade mac and cheese is one of the ultimate comfort foods. If you’re interested in more recipes, make sure to also check out my Gruyere and White Cheddar Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, Fried Mac and Cheese Balls and Make-Your-Own Mac and Cheese Bar.

An irresistible twist on classic mac and cheese!

Since the holiday season is quickly approaching, I thought it was time for a dish that is a must at every holiday table: mac and cheese. Truth be told, I didn’t create this recipe. My friends at Ronzoni® sent me a few recipes and challenged me to put my own twist on one of them. (You can find Ronzoni® at your local Walmart – click HERE to add their Elbow noodles to your next Online Pickup & Delivery order.) When I saw roasted garlic in the title of this recipe, I knew it was the one. And, oh my God, it is SO GOOD! So good that I didn’t end up changing much, other than adding paprika and dry mustard, and a few tweaks here and there. Trust me, I would never pass on a classic mac and cheese, especially when it’s homemade and not from a box. But roasted garlic and Swiss chard? That knocks it out of the park! Try this! Add it to your holiday menu and watch your guests gobble it up in seconds. It is fun, creative and absolutely delicious!

Ingredients

To make Swiss Chard and Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese, you will need: MACARONI – I used a box of Ronzoni® Elbows. GARLIC – We’ll need a whole head for roasting and 2 extra cloves to use when sautéing the chard and making the roux. SWISS CHARD – Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable, similar to beet greens and spinach. You can use the one with white stalks, the red or the rainbow chard. If you don’t care for chard, you can use kale, spinach or 1/2 pound of thinly shaved Brussels sprouts instead! CHEESE – Here we are using freshly grated Gruyere, which melts beautifully and pairs great with the other flavors in the recipe. MILK – I prefer to use whole milk since it makes the mac and cheese creamier, but you can use reduced fat if you prefer. I haven’t tried any dairy-free alternatives, but I imagine nut and coconut milks would work too. HEAVY CREAM – For extra creaminess! LEMON – A squeeze of lemon juice and some lemon zest enhance the amazing flavors from the chard. BUTTER – To make the roux and for the breadcrumb topping. FLOUR – For the roux. SEASONINGS – A pinch of paprika, dry mustard and freshly grated nutmeg, plus salt and pepper! OIL – We’ll use olive oil for roasting the garlic and to sauté the Swiss chard. BREADCRUMBS – For the buttery, crunchy topping. I like to use Panko breadcrumbs cause they are crispier! GARLIC POWDER – To season the breadcrumb topping. CHIVES – For garnishing.

What is the best pasta for mac and cheese?

While I believe there isn’t ONE best kind of pasta for mac and cheese, macaroni is definitely the most popular! But what exactly is macaroni? Macaroni (from the Italian maccheroni) is a dry tube-shaped pasta, commonly cut in short lengths. In North America, macaroni is usually synonym with elbow pasta, as that is the variety that is often used to make mac and cheese! So, for this recipe, I decided to stick with the classic and used Ronzoni® Elbows, which cook deliciously al dente in only 6 minutes! Ronzoni®, created by an Italian immigrant named Emanuele Ronzoni, is inspired by Italian traditions but made in the United States for American tables! It has been part of family meals in America for over 100 years.

How to make Swiss Chard and Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese

Fair warning: this recipe requires some work and will take longer than the 8 minutes that takes to prepared boxed mac and cheese. But it is SO WORTH IT! Tim said this is the best mac and cheese he has ever eaten! I am pretty confident that you will have a similar experience. Here are a few things to keep in mind, for best results:

Don’t overcook the pasta! Remember that the pasta will cook a second time, in the oven. So I recommend cooking until short of al dente! To avoid lumps in your sauce, add cold milk to the roux, not warm. Grate your cheese as finely as you can. That way it will melt quickly in the sauce and you won’t risk it curdling. When combining all the ingredients together, start with only a little bit of the pasta water. It’s a lot easier to add more as you need it than it is to reverse adding too much.

Recommended tools and equipment: foil, large skillet, whisk, colander, baking dish. Here’s how I make this Swiss Chard and Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese recipe. As always, you will find the printable (and more complete) version of the recipe at the end of this post.

Step 1: Roast the garlic.

Slice off the top of a head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil and roast at 400ºF until soft and tender. (Photo 1)Remove the flesh out of each clove and mash everything into a paste. Reserve.

Step 2: Sauté the Swiss chard.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and sauté one of the garlic cloves until fragrant. Add the chopped chard and sauté until softened. Season with salt and pepper.Stir in lemon juice and lemon zest. Reserve. (Photo 2)

Step 3: Make the cheese sauce.

Melt 1/4 cup butter and add the garlic, cooking just until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour and cook until bubbly and starting to gain some color. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Cook until slightly thickened. Add the heavy cream, roasted garlic, dry mustard, paprika, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until thickened. (Photo 3)Slowly stir in the grated cheese, stirring constantly, until melted and incorporated. (Photo 4)

Step 4: Cook the macaroni.

Cook the macaroni in salted boiling water, according to package instructions. Drain (reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water) and reserve. (Photo 5)

Step 5: Combine everything and bake.

Combine the macaroni, cheese sauce, Swiss chard and 1/4 cup pasta water. Add more of the pasta water if needed. Transfer to a 9X13 baking dish. (Photo 6)In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, garlic powder and 2 tablespoons of butter that has been melted. Sprinkle over the top of the mac and cheese. (Photo 7)Bake at 400ºF until golden brown and bubbly. (Photo 8)Garnish with the chopped chives and serve! (Photo 9)

Serving Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese

This roasted garlic mac and cheese is extremely versatile and works both as a side dish or as a main entree. As a side, it pairs great with your holiday turkey, pork, roast beef or roasted chicken! In the summer, it is also delicious with BBQ and/or fried chicken. If serving as a main course, pair with a nice green salad and/or roasted or steamed veggies.

Variations

This recipe is already amazing as it is, but there is always room to have some fun and change things up a bit. Here are a few suggestions:

Add protein, like sausage or chicken. Bacon would also pair great with the other flavors here! Substitute the Swiss chard for kale, broccoli, spinach or shaved Brussels sprouts. Use another type of macaroni, like Ronzoni® Shells. Substitute part or all of the cheese for another kind, like parmesan or cheddar.

Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Please comment and leave a 5-star rating below. You can also take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #oliviascuisine.