stovetop mac and cheese Archives

The first bite of copycat Hard Rock Cafe Twisted Mac and Cheese is the moment I fell in love with cavatappi pasta. All these years using elbow macaroni, I almost feel like they were wasted. This is the perfect pasta for mac and cheese, especially one as great as this. This isn’t a complicated recipe, but it sure is one that makes for that perfectly ooey-gooey combination. And it looks pretty too. It’s a win all around!

Four Cheese Love

This copycat Hard Rock Cafe Twisted Mac and Cheese has four cheeses. That’s a lot of cheese love. Well, there’s sort of four. Technically Velveeta isn’t cheese but most of us think of it like it is. It sits in my fridge next to the ‘real’ cheese. That counts, right? Either way, it sure adds that wonderful creaminess to the mac and cheese.

Heat Things Up

I ditched the Monterey Jack for pepper jack instead. I wanted a bit of a kick to my dish. You can stick with the original recipe below and enjoy one heck of a great mac and cheese. Or add that heat.

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Also try my stovetop pimento mac and cheese.

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5 from 1 vote

Copycat Hard Rock Cafe Twisted Mac and Cheese

This is the moment I fell in love with cavatappi pasta.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword copycat, mac and cheese

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings

Calories 340kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound cavatappi pasta
kosher salt to taste
⅔ cup milk you might need more
8 ounces Velveeta cubed. Substitute Mexican Velveeta for a spicy version.
1 ¼ cup cheddar cheese shredded
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded. I like to use pepper jack for extra kick
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup roasted red bell pepper diced
4 teaspoons Italian bread crumbs
4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon parsley minced

Instructions

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
Add the pasta and cooked until just tender. Drain.
While the pasta is draining, return the pot to the stovetop over low heat. Add the milk, Velveeta, cheddar, Monterey Jack, cayenne and black pepper.
Stir until the cheeses are melted and the mixture is smooth.
Add the pasta back to the pot along with the roasted red pepper.
To serve, spoon pasta mixture onto plates or into bowls. Sprinkle with bread crumbs, cheese and parsley.

Notes

To warm up refrigerated leftovers, just put in a saucepan over medium heat. Add a good splash or two of milk. Once the cheese heats up and starts to soften, stir gently until heated.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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“Give me a big ole heapin’ helpin’ of thin runny mac and cheese” said no one ever, anywhere. Good thing too because my stovetop pimento mac and cheese can hold its own and then some. Thick and creamy. Easy. With a simple twist: pimentos! This is my kind of easy stick-to-your-ribs side dish. Perfect on a cold day.

A Heck Of A Lot Better Than The Boxed Stuff

My stovetop pimento mac and cheese is not fancy. There’s nothing here that you probably don’t already have in your pantry. Sometimes you just want something simple and comforting. This is it. If you don’t have pimentos that’s ok, it’s still a great mac and cheese recipe without them!

Or you can substitute roasted red peppers. Just drain them and give them a good chop!

Mezzetta Roasted Red Bell Peppers, 16 Ounce

And speaking of ribs, this really is great with a big ole half-rack of smoked ribs!

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5 from 1 vote

Stovetop Pimento Mac and Cheese

“Give me a big ole heapin’ helpin’ of thin runny mac and cheese” said no one ever, anywhere. Good thing too because my stovetop pimento mac and cheese can hold it’s own and then some.

Course Side