Two classic comfort foods unite in this casserole: a creamy mac and cheese laced with an herby tomato sauce and topped with tons of gooey mozzarella cheese. Rounds of pepperoni finish things off with flair and just a hint of spice, and a seasoned breadcrumb topping adds a bit of texture.
You can easily vary this basic mac and cheese to feature your favorite pizza toppings. Olives, mushrooms, anchovies, peppers and more will dress it up and add even more flavor.
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Cooktop Cove
Pizza mac and cheese
10
10 minutes
50 minutes
1 hour
1 pound dried elbow macaroni
⅓ cup butter
⅓ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup half-and-half
3 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup grated provolone cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup jarred pizza sauce
8 ounces pepperoni
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cook the macaroni one minute less than package directions, so it's al dente.
Meanwhile, heat the butter and flour over medium-low heat in a saucepan. When the mixture thickens to a paste, drizzle in first the milk, then the half-and-half, whisking constantly, so the sauce thickens and absorbs all of the flour mixture.
When the sauce comes to a slight boil, remove from the heat. Whisk in 3 cups of the mozzarella, all of the provolone and half of the Parmesan.
Toss the cheese sauce and pizza sauce with the cooked and drained macaroni. Spread in a casserole dish, and top with the remaining cheese, the breadcrumbs and the pepperoni.
Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly and browned on top.
