The Flavorful Mac And Cheese Mix-In You've Been Missing Out On

Mac and cheese is like a classic work of literature. You may know the story and what to expect, but you still love every bit of it. Boiled and drained elbow pasta bathing is a thick and creamy cheese sauce that makes for a simple, tasty, and classic bite. However, there are nights when this comfort food is screaming for a flavorful mix-in and that's when you want to break out your homemade or store-bought pesto. 

It takes as little as three or four tablespoons of this rich, herby sauce. While you can opt for a sun-dried tomato pesto or even a beautifully peppery pesto, a classic basil pesto made of basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, salt, and Parmesan will transform the taste of mac and cheese into a grown-up version of this dish adding both savory, peppery, and sweet notes. Simply make your creamy stovetop mac and cheese — homemade or one of those lovely and convenient boxed versions — as you normally would and right before serving stir in the pesto.  

When adding traditional basil pesto, or any pesto for that matter, there is no need to heat it up before you swirl it in. The heat from the mac and cheese will sufficiently warm it up as you mix it in. You will love the aromatics that the garlic in this sauce brings to the table, as well as the added creaminess from the pine nuts. You can use this addition in a baked mac and cheese as well. Just stir in the pesto sauce with the noodles and cheese sauce before you pour it all into your baking pan. A dusting of toasted bread crumbs will add to the taste and texture.

If you like the way basil pesto tastes in your mac and cheese, you may want to have some culinary fun and experiment with other iterations of this sauce. Try a dollop or two of parsley walnut pesto in a smoked gouda mac and cheese or an arugula and pistachio pesto in a skillet chicken mac and cheese. The end result will be a luxurious, decadent, and satisfying bite.