Macaroni Alfredo

🤍 Recipe Highlights

I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about the recipe in the points below:

• Versatile: as much as this recipe is a meal in one. It is also one that you can switch up, serve smaller portions of as a side or change the pasta type.
• Perfect for beginner cooks: if you enjoy cooking, yet want to cover the basics before getting into more tricky recipes, this is the perfect place to start. We cook pasta, make a sauce and combine. There are simple steps involved and I have faith that you will be able to whip up this dish in no time. No matter what your level of home chef in the kitchen is! 😉👍. You got this.
• Budget friendly: this is a cheap dinner option. If you are watching your budget or wanting to tighten the purse strings, this recipe is one that will tick the 'won't break the bank' box.
• Family friendly: everyone of all ages from little ones to adults will love to get their fork stuck into a bowl of this cheesy pasta!
• Comfort food: some night's we need and want a plate full of steamed vegetables. Some night's we don't. This pasta will tick the comfort foo box and then some!

🥗 Ingredients

The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.

As you can see the recipe calls for:

• Macaroni: an excellent pasta that is versatile and works in a number of recipes, soups and goulash.
• Heavy cream: this is what forms the basis of the creamy alfredo sauce. It needs to be pouring cream, not dollop cream.
• Parmesan cheese: a bold, strong flavour cheese that is excellent in many Italian recipes.
• Garlic: chunky minced is my preference or fresh garlic cloves. These can be finely diced and cook well in the butter, developing an aromatic sauce base.
• Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter as we add a little bit of salt to the recipe separately and don't want to over do it.
• Garnish: these are optional but they do extra an extra sense of yum about the dish. As well as providing a few pops of colour here and there. Black pepper, parmesan cheese and parsley work a treat 😉👌.

Tasty Tip: I like to offer you a number of substitutions and variations to give you options when making the recipe. If in doubt of any of the above ingredients, or wanting alternatives, read this section before diving into the instructions on how to make the recipe below 👍😉.

🍳 Instructions

Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. We start by making the sauce then cooking the pasta.

• Melt butter (Photo 1)
• Add garlic and salt then cook for 1 minute (Photo 2)
• Pour in cream then reduce heat (Photo 3)
• Add parmesan cheese (Photo 4)

👩‍🍳 How to Make Macaroni Alfredo

We start by making the creamy alfredo sauce and then cooking the macaroni. Add the butter to a large sauté pan and turn the heat to high.

Add in the garlic and salt, then cook for 1 minute till the garlic turns golden brown.

Next, pour the cream into the pan then turn the heat down to low.

Once done, add the parmesan cheese to the centre of the pan.

Stir occasionally as the cheese melts.

You can also use this time to cook the pasta on a separate element on the stove. Simply use a medium sauce pan of boiling salted water at high heat. Read and follow the instructions on the macaroni package to cook it.

Moments before the pasta is cooked, use a heatproof jug to scoop out 1 to 2 cups of the pasta water. Then set this aside temporarily.

• Stir to combine the sauce (Photo 5)
• Then reserve some of the pasta water (Photo 6)
• Add the macaroni to the sauce (Photo 7)
• Add the reserved pasta water (Photo 8)

Next, use a colander to drain the remaining pasta water and discard.

Then add the cooked (it will be steaming hot!) macaroni to the alfredo sauce.

Grab a measuring cup and pour in ½ cup (125ml) of the starchy pasta water.

Next, use a wooden spoon to toss and combine so that the macaroni, alfredo sauce and pasta water are thoroughly and consistently mixed in together.

• Garnish the dish (Photo 9)

Once combined, you can grab the trio of black pepper, parmesan cheese and parsley and garnish the dish.

Then grab some bowls, forks and spoons and everyone can get ready to get stuck into the dish.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

For bread sides, try the Garlic Ciabatta, Turkish Garlic Bread or Garlic Pizza Bread.

For salads, try pairing with the Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad, Herb Salad or Easy Panzanella Salad.

If you are looking for a pasta to go on the side of ribs, try the Oven Baked Pork Ribs, Mexican Ribs or Sticky Pork Ribs.

If you want a pizza pairing try the Bruschetta Pizza or Ciabatta Pizza.

To pair with chicken, try the Air Fryer Roast Chicken or Italian Herb Chicken Thighs. The chicken once cooked, can be sliced into pieces and sprinkled over the top of the pasta.

Or keep it super simple and straight forward like in the photo above, where the creamy cheesy sauce and chewy macaroni combine for the ultimate pasta recipe.

👍 How to Guide

How to Store

Store leftovers of the alfredo macaroni in a bowl with cling wrap or in sealed, airtight containers in the refrigerator. They will last up to 3 days.

How to Freeze

Allow the macaroni to fully cool. Then portion into zip lock bags that you squeeze the air out of and then lay flat in the freezer. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat

Thaw frozen macaroni alfredo in the fridge overnight. You will get better results if you reheat from frozen as opposed to using the microwave to defrost it. Once the macaroni is thawed, you can add it to a sauce pan on the stove. Use medium heat to stir till heated through. It will take between 4 to 5 mins. Alternatively you can reheat the leftover pasta in the microwave, this will only take about 2 to 3 minutes on high.

😉 Substitutions and Variations

Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:

• If you would like to use another type of pasta you can. There is so many options that work with this recipe. Your favorite pasta will work also!
• You can substitute pecorino romano cheese in place of the parmesan cheese if you wish to. It has a sweeter, lighter flavour than the parmesan does and is a great alternative.
• You can use fresh basil leaves in place of the parsley if you are looking for an alternative herb.
• Or you can add protein to the dish in the form of cooked chicken, shrimp or leftover ham.
• Add some steamed broccoli, green peas or beans if you want to add vegetables to the dish.
• Or try adding some spinach or arugula leaves.

💡 Tasty Tips

Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:

• When you have added the parmesan cheese to the sauce, we need to turn the heat down. We don't want to see any bubbles so if it continues to bubble when you have turned it down, turn it to a lower temperature still.
• The sauce also needs to be stirred a few times once combined so it doesn't separate into a 'cheese' and 'cream' combination.
• We scoop out 1 to 2 cups of the pasta water as it is easier than measuring it at the time. For the sauce however, we only need to use ½ cup (125ml).
• A wooden spoon is handy to use when tossing the pasta, sauce and water. It will take a couple of minutes and then magically consistently come together in a seriously creamy, cheesy yum kind of way!
• You can store leftovers of the pasta water (the extra you scooped out) in the fridge in a jar with lid. These can be used to juice up leftovers that you are reheating.

🤓 Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between mac and cheese and alfredo?

Alfredo is a sauce that has a creamy, cheesy combination. Mac and cheese, whilst similar has more basic flavours. Often mac and cheese used a milk and flour combination with a far more subtle creamy taste than alfredo sauce.

Is there any difference between Macaroni and pasta?

Macaroni is a type of pasta. Readily available in supermarkets it is a budget friendly pasta that works for many recipes. Other pasta will be similar to macaroni for they have a tubular shape similar to macaroni, yet macaroni is shorter that these similar pastas like rigatoni or penne.

Does alfredo sauce have cream or milk?

To make alfredo sauce, we use a combination of cream and cheese. Milk is not used to make alfredo sauce as its consistency is too thin.

😍 More Easy Dinner Recipes

If dinner is your thing and you don't want to make and eat the same thing every night, I hear you! Here is a variety of recipes that you can considered. All offer diversity through taste, texture, proteins, cook times and cooking methods:

• Crumbed Lamb Cutlets
• Spaghetti with Alfredo Sauce
• Greek Lamb Chops
• Red Wine Short Ribs
• Meatball Tray Bake
• Italian Short Ribs
• Sweet and Sour Pork Meatballs
• Garlic Pepper Beef
• Mongolian Beef Noodles
• Meatball Pesto Pasta

Its time to get all cheesy and saucy my friend, you are going to love it! Mac on alfredo I reckon. Haha. You can also find all of my vegetarian pasta recipes in the one spot.

Adrianne

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