Pizza Mac and Cheese
Proof that you're never too old for creamy, cheesy comfort food.
We ate a fair amount of boxed dinners growing up, and none was more beloved than mac and cheese. My mom didn’t splurge for name brands often, but if I batted my eyes just right at the grocery store, she’d buy my sisters and my holy grail of fancy dinners: Velveeta Shells and Cheese. Preferably the one with the bacon bits!
I still adore mac and cheese (anyone who says they don’t is kidding themselves). My tastes, however, have become a bit more…shall we say discerning?
As in, I want my mac and cheese to have actual cheese, not “cheese product”. My, how I have grown!
When I wrote my first cookbook, I dedicated myself to creating the most perfect mac and cheese that was lusciously creamy and comforting, but wouldn’t send me into a food coma.
The base recipe turned out so magnificently, I featured 4 different versions of in the book, and it’s led to many delicious spinoffs since—most recently, this Pizza Mac and Cheese.
Imagine the most gloriously creamy mac and cheese, dot it with melty blobs of mozzarella, then add classic pizza toppings like pepperoni, bell pepper, and onion.
Bake it until it’s hot and bubbly, and your kitchen smells like your favorite white-and-red-checkered-tablecloth Italian restaurant.
It’s lowbrow in the best way. Maybe not quite as lowbrow as a pizza crust with literal mac and cheese baked on top of it—which does exist in Wisconsin and tastes best at 1 a.m., not that I would know anything about that—but it’s respectable enough to serve polite company, which is exactly what I did.
I made this mac and cheese last weekend, when two of our best friends and their kiddos stayed with us.
I needed a dish that the kids (one of whom is a fairly picky eater) would enjoy, but that wouldn’t leave the grown-ups feeling like we’d ordered off of the children’s menu.
The kid-appeal here is obvious, but don’t let the Hail Mary of a title fool you. This is a wonderfully satisfying casserole that adults genuinely enjoy too.
I served it alongside my go-to Big Dinner Party Salad, and everyone was rosy with that unique contentment only a cheesy pasta bake can offer.
Thanks to the protein in the pepperoni (I used turkey pepperoni), the veggies, and the fact that the sauce gets its richness from Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream, it’s a completely justifiable main for any night of the week.
If I were making this just for Ben me, I’d load it up with mushrooms, olives, and even sautéed spinach, but I can attest that even if you simply stick to the classics, it’s a super satisfying dinner for kids and kids-at-heart alike!
Recipe
Consider this pizza-themed mac ‘n’ cheese permission to unleash your inner child. We usually lean into classic supreme toppings (pepperoni, bell pepper, mushrooms, olives), but it’s your personal pie. Sauteed sausage (or chicken sausage), halved cherry tomatoes, a sprinkle of basil, or whatever produce is lurking in your fridge are all fair game. Make it your slice—er, scoop—of heaven.
Tools
Flat Silicone Whisk. My sister introduced me to this brilliant tool. It’s ideal for whisking flour into butter when making creamy sauces, like the one in this pasta.
Multi-Function Spatula Spoon. I LOVE this thing. Part spatula, part spoon, it’s ideal for sauting, browning meat, and serving.
Ceramic Casserole Dish. While you can bake this in a classic Pyrex, I find ceramic does a better job heating the pasta evenly so that the edges don’t dry out. If using glass, consider reducing the oven temperature by 25°F.
Yield: serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
12 ounces dry penne, rigatoni, or similarly shaped tubular pasta (I use whole wheat)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic, about 3 cloves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 3/4 cups low-fat milk
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I recommend full or low-fat to deter curdling)
1 (8-ounce) ball mozzarella cheese, shredded (I pull it apart with my fingers)
1 (4.5-ounce) pack turkey pepperoni slices, or regular pepperoni (I like Boar’s Head)
1/4 cup sliced pitted black olives, optional (I left them out for the kids)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
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