Avocado Mac and Cheese

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Steps to Make It.

Ingredients

a:9:{i:0;a:3:{s:10:"ingredient";s:2:"01";s:8:"quantity";s:3:"1/2";s:4:"unit";s:26:"pound elbow pasta";}i:1;a:3:{s:10:"ingredient";s:2:"02";s:8:"quantity";s:1:"1";s:4:"unit";s:24:"very ripe avocado, pitted";}i:2;a:3:{s:10:"ingredient";s:2:"03";s:8:"quantity";s:1:"1";s:4:"unit";s:30:"tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice";}i:3;a:3:{s:10:"ingredient";s:2:"04";s:8:"quantity";s:1:"2";s:4:"unit";s:21:"tablespoons cream cheese, softened";}i:4;a:3:{s:10:"ingredient";s:2:"05";s:8:"quantity";s:1:"1";s:4:"unit";s:19:"tablespoon all-purpose flour";}i:5;a:3:{s:10:"ingredient";s:2:"06";s:8:"quantity";s:1:"4";s:4:"unit";s:20:"ounces white cheddar cheese";}i:6;a:3:{s:10:"ingredient";s:2:"07";s:8:"quantity";s:3:"1/4";s:4:"unit";s:19:"cup fresh cilantro";}i:7;a:3:{s:10:"ingredient";s:2:"08";s:8:"quantity";s:0:"";s:4:"unit";s:12:"Sea salt, to taste";}i:8;a:3:{s:10:"ingredient";s:2:"09";s:8:"quantity";s:0:"";s:4:"unit";s:34:"Freshly ground black pepper, to taste";}}

Nutritions

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a:13:{i:0;a:2:{s:5:"title";s:21:"Gather the ingredients";s:4:"text";s:88:"
Gather all ingredients and measure them out before starting the recipe.
";}i:1;a:2:{s:5:"title";s:49:"Boil Pasta";s:4:"text";s:73:"
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, 8 to 9 minutes.
";}i:2;a:2:{s:5:"title";s:25:"Reserve Pasta Water";s:4:"text";s:53:"
Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
";}i:3;a:2:{s:5:"title";s:26:"Drain and Transfer Pasta";s:4:"text";s:49:"
Then drain, and transfer pasta to a deep bowl; reserve pot.
";}i:4;a:2:{s:5:"title";s:37:"Chop and Prepare Cilantro";s:4:"text";s:71:"
Meanwhile, finely chop half of the cilantro. Pick remaining cilantro leaves from stems; discard stems.
";}i:5;a:2:{s:5:"title";s:27:"Shred the Cheddar Cheese";s:4:"text";s:47:"
Coarsely shred the cheddar cheese.
";}i:6;a:2:{s:5:"title";s:37:"Mash Avocado and Lemon Juice";s:4:"text";s:71:"
In a small bowl, combine the avocado and lemon juice, and mash until smooth and creamy.
";}i:7;a:2:{s:5:"title";s:37:"Combine Cream Cheese and Flour";s:4:"text";s:87:"
Combine the cream cheese, flour and pasta water in the reserved pot over medium heat. Whisk until blended and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
";}i:8;a:2:{s:5:"title";s:46:"Add Cheese and Stir Until Melted";s:4:"text";s:104:"
Add the cheese, then stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until cheese melts and sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
";}i:9;a:2:{s:5:"title";s:33:"Pour Sauce Over Pasta";s:4:"text";s:50:"
Pour cheese sauce over pasta, and stir until well coated.
";}i:10;a:2:{s:5:"title";s:32:"Mix in Avocado Puree";s:4:"text";s:51:"
Stir in the avocado puree and chopped cilantro.
";}i:11;a:2:{s:5:"title";s:32:"Garnish and Serve";s:4:"text";s:54:"
Garnish with remaining cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.
";}}

HTML Directions

• 1

  Gather the Ingredients
  

  Collect all the ingredients needed for the creamy avocado mac and cheese dish.

• 2

  Boil Pasta

  Bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, which should take about 8 to 9 minutes.

• 3

  Reserve Pasta Water
  

  Before draining the pasta, make sure to reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water for later use.

• 4

  Drain Pasta
  

  Drain the cooked pasta and transfer it to a deep bowl. Set the pot aside for future steps.

• 5

  Chop Cilantro
  

  Finely chop half of the cilantro. Remove the remaining leaves from the stems and discard the stems.

• 6

  Shred Cheddar Cheese
  

  Coarsely shred the cheddar cheese, preparing it for the cheese sauce.

• 7

  Mash Avocado
  

  In a small bowl, combine the avocado with lemon juice. Mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth and creamy.

• 8

  Make Cheese Sauce
  

  In the reserved pot, mix cream cheese, flour, and pasta water over medium heat. Whisk until blended and smooth, taking about 1 to 2 minutes.

• 9

  Add Cheese
  

  Incorporate the shredded cheese into the sauce, stirring with a wooden spoon until the cheese is melted and the sauce thickens, roughly 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• 10

  Combine Pasta and Sauce
  

  Pour the cheese sauce over the drained pasta and stir until everything is well coated.

• 11

  Add Avocado and Cilantro
  

  Mix in the mashed avocado and the chopped cilantro into the pasta and cheese mixture.

• 12

  Garnish and Serve
  

  Garnish the dish with the remaining cilantro leaves, and serve hot for an enjoyable meal.

Before you ask the question: "Why put avocado in mac and cheese?" let us answer it for you. We wondered this same thing before setting out to make a pot. For a vegan spin on a comforting bowl of cheesy pasta, swapping in avocado would make sense, being dairy-free. A little nutritional yeast would add that umami, cheesy flavor to satisfy the craving in a vegan pinch. But, this isn’t a vegan mac and cheese, and it certainly isn’t your mama’s mac and cheese recipe. 

Still, this creamy avocado mac and cheese is a revelation. Plus, it's a mind-blowingly good mac and cheese; perfect for when you want that cheesy taste with a light finish that doesn’t leave you feeling weighed down.

How does adding avocado lighten up an otherwise heavy-feeling comfort food? For starters, there’s no milk in this creamy avocado mac and cheese recipe. Instead, you start by making a roux with some cream cheese, flour, and pasta cooking water reserved before draining the elbow macaroni. The cream cheese adds depth, and the water adds lightness. Once that’s whisked into a sauce, in goes some cheddar cheese to melt, and then the sauce comes off the stove—the avocado isn’t cooked into the sauce.

There’s just enough white cheddar to add that cheesy kick you expect from a great mac and cheese, with the finishing touch of folding in avocado that’s been mashed up with a little lemon juice to preserve the green color and prevent the avocado from turning brown and some cilantro. The lemon juice is barely noticeable on taste, but it adds a brightness to this classic side dish. The avocado flavor isn’t overwhelming, and yet it’s there, along with the creamy buttery feel it lends the pasta without tasting too rich. A lightened up, worthy version of a childhood favorite, indeed.

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