Salmon Mac And Cheese Recipe
Salmon Mac And Cheese is the perfect casserole dish you need to make for a hearty meal. It comes together in under 40 minutes using simple ingredients.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
For The Salmon
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 7 ounces salmon 200 g, cut into ½ inch cubes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
For The Pasta
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 8 ounces dried elbow macaroni pasta 250 g
- 2 tablespoons light olive oil
For The Sauce
- ¼ cup butter salted or unsalted
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 and ½ cups whole milk divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded gruyere cheese
For The Assembly
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded gruyere cheese
Instructions
Cook The Salmon
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add salmon, salt, pepper, paprika, and lime juice to the pan and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Cook The Pasta
- Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once the water starts to boil, add salt and macaroni pasta and stir gently.
- Cook for 1 minute less than the package directions for al dente pasta.
- Drain the water and toss the pasta with olive oil to keep it from sticking. Keep it aside.
Make The Sauce
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add flour to the pan and whisk for 1 minute, until the flour is lightly browned.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Slowly pour in 1 cup of whole milk, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.
- Add salt, black pepper, paprika, cheddar cheese, and gruyere cheese and mix well, until combined.
- Stir in another 1 and ½ cup of whole milk and whisk until the sauce is creamy and smooth.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
Assemble
- Preheat the oven to 325℉ and grease a 9×8 inch baking dish. Set aside.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the cheese sauce along with the cooked salmon and stir well to combine.
- Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Top with sharp cheddar cheese and gruyere chesee.
- Keep the baking dish in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown.
- Remove the tray from the oven. Dish out the pasta onto serving plates and serve hot.
Video
Notes
Double or triple the recipe to make a big batch and include it in your weekly meal planning, as this one warms up really well.
You can use fresh or frozen salmon. If using frozen salmon, make sure to thaw it before cooking.
Dried elbow macaroni pasta is a preferred choice to make mac and cheese. However, you can use other short pasta such as penne, farfalle, rigatoni, or fusilli.
Nutrition
Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 1586mg | Potassium: 325mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 583IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 1mg
