Sourdough Mac and Cheese

Use sourdough in two different ways to make this homemade Sourdough Mac and Cheese!

The recipe uses sourdough discard as a thickener in the béchamel sauce or roux, and the cheesy, baked noodles are topped with crunchy sourdough breadcrumbs.

This easy Sourdough Mac and Cheese is baked in a 9×13″ baking dish, so it makes a great main dish for dinner or as a side dish for Thanksgiving or other large meals. Plus, it all comes together in only 3 easy steps!

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⭐️ Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Easy weeknight dinner or side dish recipe in only 3 easy steps.
• Classic macaroni and cheese with no fancy ingredients or never-heard-of cheeses. I just use cheddar and gruyère or fontina!
• Sourdough discard is an excellent, tangy thickener in the cheesy sauce, just like in my unique Sourdough Frosting recipe.
• Topped with sourdough breadcrumbs that you can make with leftover or stale sourdough bread.
• The recipe is flexible enough to add other inclusions, flavors, or use different pasta shapes.
• Stores well for days in the refrigerator.

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🔍 Tips for Making Sourdough Mac and Cheese

• Grate or shred your own cheese
  • For the best flavor, grate or shred your own cheeses. Pre-shredded cheese may contain anti-clumping agents and other additives that affect its flavor, texture, and melting properties.
• Use high-quality cheese
  • Don’t skimp on using the best cheese you can get for this mac and cheese. It actually tastes cheesy, and that’s the prominent flavor!
• Cook pasta just al dente
  • The pasta will keep cooking some in the oven.
• Whisk the sourdough discard and sauce constantly to prevent burning.
• Cook only until the mac and cheese is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are browned.

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🛠 Tools Needed

You only need a few basic tools to make sourdough mac and cheese.

• 9×13″ Baking Dish: I prefer ceramic over glass
• Food Processor or box grater, to grate or shred the cheese.
• Whisk
• Large Pot, for boiling the pasta

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🛒 Ingredients Needed

See below for my ingredient recommendations and possible substitutions.

• Pasta
  • You can use classic macaroni noodles, but I prefer shells.
  • If you want to make it extra sourdough, you could use sourdough pasta noodles!
• Salt, for salting the pasta water and the sauce.
• Pepper, to taste
  • You can add other flavors like paprika, mustard, nutmeg, or other macaroni favorite spices when you make the sauce.
• Unsalted butter, enriches the flavor and prevents the noodles from sticking to each other.
• Sourdough discard
  • The sourdough discard helps thicken the béchamel sauce without adding flour.
  • See more sourdough discard recipes.
• Cheeses: Cheddar and Gruyere or Fontina
  • The prominent flavor in this recipe is cheese, so use high-quality cheese.
  • Cheddar is a classic for macaroni and delivers the perfect balance of sharpness and an orange color.
  • Gruyere or Fontina adds nuttiness and creaminess since they both melt well. Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Gouda, or Parmesan would be other good inclusions or substitutes.
  • If you want to use other cheeses, go for it. But I try to keep things simple when it comes to mac and cheese.
• Whole milk, for making the sauce.
• Sourdough breadcrumbs
  • Learn how to make homemade sourdough breadcrumbs with this easy recipe.

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👨‍🍳 How to Make Sourdough Mac and Cheese

Follow this visual, detailed recipe guide as you make sourdough mac and cheese in 3 easy steps.

I adapted this classic baked mac and cheese recipe for sourdough from NYT Cooking.

1. Cook the Pasta

Preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC) and butter a 9×13″ baking dish to help prevent sticking.

Boil a large pot of salted water, then cook the pasta to 1 minute less than al dente, according to your package instructions.

The pasta will continue cooking during baking.

Drain and set the pasta aside.

Meanwhile, grate the cheeses with a box grater or using a food processor and set the cheese aside.

2. Make the Béchamel Sauce

In a large skillet (or the same pot you used to cook the pasta), melt the butter.

Then, add the sourdough discard and whisk constantly for a few minutes until it thickens and the discard smells toasty and clumps form like a roux.

Slowly pour in the whole milk while whisking, season with salt and pepper, and bring the milk to a simmer for a few minutes until no clumps of discard remain and the mixture thickens slightly.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cheeses until completely melted, forming a cheesy sauce.

3. Bake

Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and stir until completely coated.

Pour the pasta and cheese into the buttered 9×13″ baking dish and top with a layer of sourdough breadcrumbs.

Bake on a baking sheet for 25-28 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are dark brown and crispy and the cheese sauce is bubbly.

Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving so the cheese sauce can set.

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How to Store and Serve

Sourdough mac and cheese can be made ahead, covered with aluminum foil, and refrigerated for 3-5 days. Simply reheat before serving.

If you plan to freeze the mac and cheese, I suggest leaving the breadcrumb topping off, as it can get soggy over time. Freeze baked portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat.

When reheating baked mac and cheese, adding a splash of milk can help loosen the sauce.

The sourdough mac and cheese is an excellent side dish for holidays, or as a main weeknight, kid-friendly meal.

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❓ FAQs