finding time for cooking

for the time-starved or curious culinary adventurer

  • Recipes By Type
    • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
    • Bread Recipes
    • Breakfast Goodies
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes & Veggies
    • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
    • Snacks
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
    • Best Cocktail Gifts: For the At-Home Bartender or Mixologist
  • Foods I’m Obsessed With
    • 30 Minutes or Less…for the Time-Challenged Cook
    • What Bread To Make (Based on Your Time)
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Super Healthy
    • Cooking for One
    • Soup
    • Unleavened Bread Recipes
  • About Me
    • Get In Touch!
    • How-Tos
    • Kitchen Tools I’m Obsessed With
    • Recipes Index
    • Food and Travel—Two of My Favorite Things
    • Bunion Surgery Recovery Tips

Easy Baked Beer Mac & Cheese

October 29, 2012

I was kind of “meh” all last week.  Nothing bad happened. It wasn’t a particularly hellacious week at work.  Nothing was wrong.  I just wasn’t feeling it.

easy baked beer mac & cheese

So to banish the “oncoming winter” blues, I decided beer was the answer. Specifically, beer with carbs and cheese. This baked beer mac & cheese had been staring at me from my Pinterest page for quite some time, and I decided it was time to make it reality. Add beer bread into the equation, and you’ve got the recipe for an awesome Sunday night (with a lovely Malbec, a good friend, and The Artist on Netflix, of course).

The thing I love about this recipe (besides the beer, cheese, and pasta), is that it’s really not that bad for you relative to how awful mac & cheese can be. Sure, there’s quite a bit of cheese, but you use whole grain pasta, I used skim milk (most recipes call for heavy cream), and the whole recipe only takes 2 tablespoons of butter.

Preheat oven to 375 and set a pot of water to boil. Cook the macaroni according to directions, but 1-2 minutes short (it will continue to cook in the oven).

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large saucepan on medium or medium-high (around 6 on my stove). Drop 2 tablespoons of butter into the pan and melt. Once melted and sizzling, whisk in the 2 tablespoons of flour to create a roux and cook until bubbly and golden, about 2 minutes. You could turn the heat down to maybe 5 for this so you don’t scald it.

Add the milk and beer, whisking constantly.

Then add the cheeses, stirring until fully combined. Cheesy, awesome goodness.

Turn the heat down to medium if you haven’t already and and make sure you continue to stir. Cook for about 5-6 minutes while the mixture thickens. Note, though, that it probably won’t thicken quite as much as regular mac and cheese sauce due to the beer.

delicious cheesy bechamel for your baked beer mac & cheese

Finally, stir in the pepper (I used white instead of black), smoked paprika, and nutmeg. Your cheese sauce is ready to rock.

Spray a 9×13 pan (or similar volume) with non-stick spray. Drain the pasta and pour into the pan.

Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles, making sure it’s evenly distributed.

easy baked beer mac & cheese ready to bake

Sprinkle with the panko or bread crumbs and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

The flavor was great, just a little something extra to the classic mac & cheese flavor. The whole grain noodles added something too. I’d definitely make this again, and maybe even play around with different varieties of beer to see how that affects the flavor. For instance, I bet it would be awesome with a Negro Modelo.

Other amazing mac & cheese options:

  • Mac & Cheese with Roasted Butternut Squash, Kale, & Chicken Sausage
  • Stove-top Butternut Mac & Cheese
  • Roasted Vegetable Mac & Cheese

Easy Beer Mac & Cheese

  • 2 1/2 cups of uncooked whole wheat elbow noodles (I used the 51% whole wheat ones)
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 2 tablespoons of flour
  • 8 ounces of milk
  • 8 ounces of beer (I used an amber lager)
  • 8 ounces of freshly grated cheddar cheese
  • 4 ounces of freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Boil water for the pasta, salt heavily once boiling, and add the pasta. Cook according to the directions, but shave 1-2 minutes off of cooking time since it will continue to cook in the oven.

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat (around 6 on my stove) and add the butter. Once it’s melted and sizzling, whisk in the flour to create a roux and stir constantly until bubbly and golden in color, about 2 minutes. Add the milk and beer, whisking constantly, then add the cheeses and stir until melted. Turn the heat down to medium and continue to stir, cooking for about 5-6 minutes while the sauce thickens. Note, it probably won’t thicken like regular mac and cheese because of the beer, but it still should thicken somewhat. Stir in pepper (I used white), smoked paprika and nutmeg, and remove from heat.

Drain the noodles and pour in a 9×13 pan (or similar volume) sprayed with non-stick spray. Pour the cheese sauce over top, making sure it’s gently combined and evenly spread out. Top with panko or bread crumbs and an additional sprinkle of cheese if desired. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Original recipe here

1 Comment CATEGORIES // Main Dishes, Pasta Recipes, Side Dishes & Veggies

« Quinoa Mac & Cheese With Greens
Birthday Almond Vanilla Cupcakes With Peach Jam Filling »

Trackbacks

  1. Delicious Wheat-y Beer Bread – finding time for cooking says:
    November 4, 2012 at 9:24 am

    […] I mentioned in my beer mac & cheese post, last weekend I was fighting some doldrums and decided to fight them with comfort food. […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me

Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I created this blog for people who love cooking & baking but are challenged to find the time and energy to do it. Recipes run the gamut from super healthy to indulgent, but the focus is on using REAL food no matter what.

Follow Along!

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Recent IG Adventures!

This adult take on a cherry lemonade (with gin, my This adult take on a cherry lemonade (with gin, my true love) is so delicious and refreshing…and has a secret ingredient to get that intense cherry flavor! 

Get the recipe by tapping on the link in my IG bio and choosing this pic—> @findingtimeforcooking 
#cocktailrecipes #sanguemorlacco #cherrylemonade #gincocktails
I am OBSESSED with key lime pie, and never knew ho I am OBSESSED with key lime pie, and never knew how easy it is to make at home! This is the best key lime pie recipe around, a perfect balance of tart & sweet, the creamiest custardy filling, and a sweet, buttery graham cracker crust 😍 

Get the recipe yourself by tapping the link in my IG bio & choosing this photo —> @findingtimeforcooking 
#keylimepie #keylime #easydessert #classicdessert
Looking for a new healthy go-to dish?? This “loa Looking for a new healthy go-to dish?? This “loaded” Thai chicken salad only takes 15 minutes to whip up and is packed with veggies, texture, & flavor! What really makes the dish is the sweet-spicy-savory dressing… *chefs kiss* 

Tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo to see the recipe!
#healthyrecipes #thaiflavors #healthydinner #cabbagerecipe
These super easy jam & goat cheese phyllo cups mad These super easy jam & goat cheese phyllo cups made the perfect fancy appetizer for Night To Be…and they’re ready in just 15-ish minutes! 

Tap the link in my bio & click this photo to see the recipe! —> @findingtimeforcooking 
#appetizers #phyllodough #goatcheese #easyrecipes
This crazy easy orange curd is the perfect balance This crazy easy orange curd is the perfect balance of sweet, tart, & just a hint of floral…and only takes 5-10 minutes to make! Perfect heaped on crepes, cakes, and more 💕

Tap the link in my bio & click on this photo to see the recipe —> @findingtimeforcooking 
#citrusfruit #orangecurd #glutenfree #cookingtips
Two kitchen hacks for the price of one!!! 🎉🐓 Two kitchen hacks for the price of one!!! 🎉🐓 How to make the easiest, juiciest (hands-off) poached chicken breasts, & then how to shred chicken in 10 seconds. YES, you read that right!! These two techniques combined have been a mainstay for me lately, critical in helping me have something healthy and fast around at all times. 

Check out my Reel in the feed as well, & click on the link in my bio then tap this pic to get the recipe! —> @findingtimeforcooking 
#kitchenhacks #cookinghealthy #cookinghacks #shreddedchicken
I’m ready for the amaretto sour to make a comeba I’m ready for the amaretto sour to make a comeback! And this recipe (including bourbon) is just the ticket…a little sweet, a little bitter, and a little boozy. 

Tap the link in my IG bio then tap this photo to see the (super easy) recipe —> @findingtimeforcooking 
#amaretto #easycocktails #amarettosour #homebartender
These delicious spicy unleavened cheese straws are These delicious spicy unleavened cheese straws are my favorite new recipe for the Days of Unleavened Bread! They’re super easy, can be frozen before or after baking (make ahead!) and honestly would make an awesome appetizer any time of year. 

Tap the link in my IG bio (@findingtimeforcooking) then click on this photo to see the recipe post!
#unleavenedbread #cheeselover #appetizerideas #bakingfromscratch
The ultimate “don’t judge a book by its cover” recipe…these dark chocolate sables are maybe the best chocolate cookie ever! Complex, rich without being too sweet, melt in your mouth…and perfect for a late afternoon snack 😍 Shoutout #smittenkitchen for the recipe and reco!

Tap the link in my bio & choose this photo to see the recipe! —> @findingtimeforcooking 
#bakingfromscratch #chocolatelovers #sablé #chocoholic
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Popular Posts

Breaded Baked Okra: a.k.a Staying Healthy & Keeping My “Southerner” Card

Peach Raspberry Cobbler

Orange Amaretto White Russian Cocktail

“43 Flip”: Creamy Whiskey Cocktail with Licor 43

The Best Iced Coffee Ever…Using An Aeropress

Recent Posts

  • Cherry & Lemon Gin Cocktail…a.k.a. Cher…
  • The (IMO) Best Homemade Key Lime Pie
  • Super Easy & Healthy “Loaded” Tha…

Categories

  • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
  • Bread Recipes
  • Breakfast Goodies
  • Cooking for One
  • Desserts
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
  • Eating Out
  • Family Secret Recipes
  • Food-Related Miscellany
  • Foods I'm Obsessed With
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • Go-To Recipes
  • How-Tos
  • Kitchen Gear
  • Main Dishes
  • Pasta Recipes
  • Recipe Experimentation
  • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
  • Side Dishes & Veggies
  • Snacks
  • Soup
  • Super Healthy
  • Travel and Food

Privacy Policy & Disclosures

Copyright & Terms of Use

Copyright 2022 Finding Time For Cooking

2 shares