Swiss Chard and Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese
This Swiss Chard and Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese is comfort food with an elegant, earthy twist. Creamy Gruyere sauce meets sautéed chard and mellow roasted garlic over Ronzoni elbows a dish so cozy, even your greens-shy family will beg for seconds.
Equipment
- Baking dish
- Saucepan
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
Roasted Garlic & Chard
- 1 head garlic whole
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 cloves garlic minced, divided
- 1 bunch Swiss or Rainbow chard stems removed and chopped
- to taste salt and pepper
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Pasta & Cheese Sauce
- 16 oz Ronzoni Elbows
- 1/4 + 2 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- to taste freshly ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese grated
Topping
- 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the top off the garlic head, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, wrap in foil and roast for 40 minutes until soft. Let cool and squeeze out the cloves.
- Cook Ronzoni Elbows in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté chopped Swiss chard in 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter with 1 minced garlic clove. Add lemon zest, juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, melt 2 tbsp butter. Add 1 garlic clove, whisk in flour and cook 1 min. Gradually add milk and cream, whisking constantly. Add roasted garlic, nutmeg, mustard, paprika, and lemon zest.
- Stir in grated Gruyere until melted. Mix in pasta and chard. Transfer to greased baking dish.
- Mix Panko with melted butter and garlic powder. Sprinkle on top. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Notes
Optional: Add 1/2 cup mashed roasted butternut squash to the cheese sauce for a butternut macaroni twist.