Celery, Onion, and Parsnip Mac and Cheese
This mac and cheese is creamy and packed with flavour (and veg!). With celery, onion and parsnip, it's creamy, crunchy and mega comforting.
Substitute:
- No celery? Use fennel or leek.
- No parsnips? Try with turnips or carrots.
- Vegan? Use vegan butter and vegan cheese.
- No rosemary? Try with thyme instead.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
130 g Celery stalk
250 g Parsnips
2 Onions
3 Garlic cloves
220 g Short pasta
3 tbsp Unsalted butter / Vegan butter
100 g Cheddar / Vegan cheese
1 tsp Smoked paprika
70 g Panko breadcrumbs
4 tbsp Pine nuts (or sunflower seeds)
1 tbsp Rosemary (chopped)
4 tbsp Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Recipe:
- Preheat the oven to 180 C/160 fan/gas mark 4. Cut the parsnips into 1 cm thick slices. Chop the celery into thin slices, and finely the dice onions.
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, then add the parsnips, pasta and cook until the pasta is just al dente.
- The parsnips should float to the top of the water, while the pasta is at the bottom of the saucepan. Use a slotted spoon to take the parsnips out the water and put them in a food processor. Scoop out 200 ml of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Add the grated cheddar and reserved pasta water to the food processor with the parsnips. Blend until you have a smooth light puree, then season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the butter (or vegan butter) in a large frying pan, then add the onions, celery and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, until tender.
- Add the parsnip puree and cooked pasta to the frying pan. Mix well to combine and pour into a greased baking dish.
- Blitz together the panko breadcrumbs, pine nuts, olive oil, paprika and rosemary, then sprinkle over the mac and cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and serve. Enjoy!
How to store
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Leftovers
Fried mac and cheese balls: Just roll up the cold mac and cheese, dip in beaten eggs, and then in breadcrumbs. Fry in hot vegetable oil until golden brown. Mac and cheese soup: Make a soup from some of the veg in your box (broccoli, onions or carrots work well). When it's ready, add your leftover mac and cheese in the soup to break down and warm up, giving you extra texture and flavours. Truffle mac and cheese: For a more sumptuous mac and cheese, drizzle with truffle oil before serving.
