Mac 'n Cheese Soup
Mac ‘n Cheese Soup
Love Mac ‘n Cheese? Why not Macaroni & cheese soup? Winter calls for soup!! Creamy, rich, cheesy and so flavorful! Easy to make in less than an hour too. Why not add a bit of bacon or ham? The skie’s the limit!
Mac ‘n Cheese Soup
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large carrot, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 small (or 1 medium) yellow onion, diced
2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 – 3 small red or orange sweet peppers, diced
1 1/2 quarts water
2 tablespoons chicken soup base
2 1/2 cups small shell or elbow macaroni
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups low fat milk, 1% or fat free
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces processed cheese (Velveeta or American), cubed
Garnish with crumbled cheese, bacon or fresh chopped parsley
Optional:
1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon or 4 ounces sliced ham, chopped
Equipment needed:
4 - 6 quart soup pot Cutting board
Chef knife
Optional: Food processor
Measuring spoons
Rubber spatula
Liquid and dry measuring cups
Wire whisk
Ladle
When my kids were growing up… homemade Mac ‘n Cheese was always on the menu! In winter, soup is the only answer to keep your sanity! A recipe from Land ‘OLakes caught my eye because it made a larger quantity. I used the recipe for inspiration & added a few of my own ingredients… tried to use less equipment to save time. I hate to wash dishes, so making everything in one pot was my solution. I also opted to chop in my food processor, rather than chop everything by hand. Wound up taking only about 45 minutes to make too. Double win! So, let’s grab what we need and make this yummy soup!
First step…
1) Prep your vegetables! I found that I wanted the size of some of my veggies smaller than others, so to save time I used the food processor to shred the carrots, garlic and onions.
2) I diced the celery and peppers small so they would meld better into the soup. If you don’t have a food processor or prefer to hand chop everything... be my guest!
Time to saute… I love start the soup process sautéing the veggies! Think it releases more flavors into the soup…
3) So… place the soup kettle over a medium high heat for 3 – 5 minutes. Add butter and olive oil to pot and allow to melt. I like using both butter and olive oil as it reduces the saturated fat in the recipe and also increases the smoke point of the butter, which helps prevent burning.
4) Add the chopped vegetables and sauté for about 5 minutes or until they turn bright in color. If you prefer not to use butter, substitute 1/4 cup of oil. The recipe can be made without any fat, but the texture of the soup will be less creamy and of course... less fat, less flavor.
Time for the liquids…
5) Add the water next and then the seasonings. Give it a good stir and then pour in the pasta. I love the shape of small shells in soup, bit different than elbow macaroni and smaller when cooked.
6) Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until pasta is tender. Turn off heat and allow to set for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to plump up a bit more. Also, prevents sticking as the starches can overcook.
Your soup is almost finished!
7) Now to add the dairy products and allow it to thicken. While the soup is resting, chop the processed cheese into small cubes and open the bag of shredded cheese. Since my hubby loves bacon, I used a cheddar/ bacon blend for this batch. I often use Velveeta (block or sliced) or sliced American. I find the addition of processed cheese creates a creamier texture. If you prefer to use all shredded cheddar, add an additional cup.
8) To thicken the soup, you will make a slurry instead of the traditional cooked roux. Mix the milk and flour together in a large measuring cup or bowl and mix with a wire whisk until smooth. Turn the heat back on under the soup, medium/low heat.
***Remember... Low and slow with dairyproducts.
9) Pour the milk slurry into the broth soup and stir well. Heat, stirring occasionally until thickened, ~ 5 -7 minutes. Isn’t it luscious looking? Add the cheeses to the hot soup and stir until melted.
If you desire a little bacon or ham can be added to the soup. I sometimes use real bacon bits, if I’m in a time crunch or you can fry the bacon (use 4 – 5 slices) while the soup is simmering using a skillet or microwave technique. Crumble it well and add it to the thickened soup. Go ahead and taste... season with extra salt/pepper as needed.
Grab your ladle and serve it up... Garnish with additional bacon or chopped fresh parsley if making soup without bacon...Enjoy!