Mac and Cheese Cheesecake

Mac and Cheese Cheesecake

This recipe has been on the list to make for almost a year now. Most times during the year though, bringing a mac and cheese cheesecake to a party is just weird. But at a christmas party, it’s somehow normal. Let’s be clear, this isn’t a cake of mac and cheese, this is a savory cheesecake with cheddar and pasta in it. It came out super festive and awesome, and I would suggest anyone to bring it as a unique app to your next gathering.

Breadcrumb crust, cause obv.

Cheddar in the mix with the usual soft cheeses.

At first it’s a little chunky…

But after you add the egg and milk it smooths right out.

Stir a well drained can of tomato in with the cooked pasta.

Then dump in the cheese sauce.

Bake at 275 for 45 minutes, shut off the heat and leave it in the hot oven another 45.

Lookin good!

Solid and still warm.

Mac and cheesecake!

Creamy and delicious. And very different than any cheesecake or mac and cheese I’ve ever had.

Mac and Cheese Cheesecake

Its a cheesecake of mac and cheese.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
rest time30 minutes
Servings: 12 people

Ingredients

  • 8 oz ricotta
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 8 oz cheddar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 pound elbow mac
  • 1 can diced tomatoes strained really well
  • about 15 basil leaves finely chopped
  • 1 1/5 cups bread crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons butter

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Line a springform pan with butter and parchment paper. Mix the butter with the breadcrumbs and press into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Turn oven down to 325.
  • Meanwhile bring water to a boil for the pasta, start draining the tomatoes, and chop up the basil.
  • In a food processor, process all the cheeses until smooth-ish. Add in the egg, milk, basil, and sugar and blend until actually smooth.
  • Cook the pasta about 3 minutes less than suggested on the package. Srain the pasta and add it to a large bowl with the tomatoes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then dump in the cheesy goodness. Stir well and pour into the springform pan.
  • Bake at 325 for 45 minutes, then shut the oven off and crack the door, but leave the pan in there for another 45. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and let it sit for 30 minutes. Slice and serve.

21 Comments

  1. Oh look, another thing you came up with that we’re eating right now 🙂 I swapped out the tomatoes as he doesn’t like them, but added extra milk to even out the mix. Worked like a charm. Thanks for the idea!

  2. We have made this recipe several times in our house. The version we like the best is:
    *Panko instead of bread crumbs ( increase the butter)
    *4oz cheddar and 4oz swiss
    *1/2 pound of cooked crumbled bacon
    *minced garlic
    *omit the tomatoes
    We have a dozen or so Mac & Cheese recipes that we use but this one is our favorite.

      1. Well that’ a festival I can get behind! But yeah, don’t get the Xmas thing… but am making it for the second time today. It’s very nice thank you 🙂

    1. Yes, but it is meant to be served room temperature so you can just pop it into the oven for a few minutes before you serve it.

  3. Do you think this would work in a high volume high school setting for lunch?
    Have you 4 or 5 X’s the recipe per large pan before with good results?

  4. Can you clarify the cook temp? Narrative reads bake at 275 & step-by step reads at 325. Both read bake for 45 mins. Thank you!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.