One of the hardest things for me about my new diet has been giving up comfort food staples like macaroni and cheese. Something about a rich, creamy sauce and tender, chewy macaroni just really does it for me. I’m not a fan of processed cheese substitutes but luckily there’s another way to fake it. If you like it creamier just double the “cream” portion of this recipe without increasing the amount of pasta and vegetables you put in. Kids of all ages will love this!
5 T. olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 ½ cups sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T gluten-free flour
1 cup milk substitute or goat’s milk
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
4 cups cooked macaroni or other small pasta
½ cup breadcrumbs from gluten-free bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for two minutes, stirring. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook and stir six to eight minutes or until softened.
In a separate saucepan, warm two tablespoons oil over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour. Cook and stir roux for two minutes but don’t brown it. Whisk in the milk substitute. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat while continuing to whisk constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add salt and pepper and whisk for five to seven minutes or until sauce is thick. Add the pasta to the mushroom mixture in the skillet and then stir in the white sauce.
Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish. Toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil (you can use more if desired). Scatter the breadcrumbs on top of the pasta and cover the casserole. Bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until bubbly and browned on top.
