Sausage Mac and Cheese — The Stove Is Always On

Week 395. Year 8. Tommy is 41. Fall. Hunting season approaching. The gumbo cravings starting. LSU football on the TV with Rémy on the couch arguing plays. Colette (15) in high school, painting. The season turning, the roux darkening, the days getting shorter in a way that makes the kitchen brighter by contrast.

Made dove poppers this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. The spoon doesn't stop.

The dove poppers set the tone for the whole evening — the house smelled like smoke and seasoning and something good was happening — but it’s the mac and cheese that brought everyone to the table and kept them there. With Rémy on the couch and Colette drifting in from her room, I needed something that could hold a crowd without asking anything of them, something that just said sit down, eat, you’re home. Sausage mac and cheese is exactly that kind of food — it carries the weight of the season without making it heavy.

Sausage Mac and Cheese

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb smoked sausage (andouille or kielbasa), sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 12 oz elbow macaroni
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Gruyere or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (optional, for topping)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Brown the sausage. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced sausage and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned on both sides. Remove sausage and set aside, leaving drippings in the pan.
3. Make the roux. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same pan and let it melt. Whisk in flour and cook 1–2 minutes until the mixture is lightly golden and smells nutty.
4. Build the sauce. Slowly whisk in the milk and heavy cream, a little at a time, until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5–7 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Add the cheese. Remove pan from heat. Stir in cheddar and Gruyere a handful at a time until fully melted and smooth. Season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.
6. Combine. Fold the cooked macaroni and browned sausage into the cheese sauce. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
7. Optional broil finish. Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish, top with breadcrumbs, and broil on high for 3–4 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Watch closely.
8. Serve. Dish it up hot, straight from the pan or baking dish. It holds well on low heat if people are still trickling in.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 680 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 38g | Carbs: 54g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 890mg