It’s no secret that I’m totally into cheese. Just take a peak into my fridge on any given day and you’ll find no less than 10 kinds of cheese in my cheese drawer. I just love it. And you know what my #1 favorite thing to with cheese, besides nachos of course!? Macaroni and Cheese!! I mean how can you say no to a bowl full of pasta loaded with cheese and other goodies? It’s tough to pass that up.
Lately I’ve been making this Sausage and Leek Mac & Cheese with Asiago and Parmesan. It’s a bit lighter than regular mac and cheese recipes since it doesn’t have a bechamel or creamy sauce… but it’s just as good, if not better. I whipped this recipe up for the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and I’m excited to finally share it with you guys!
Sausage and Leek Mac & Cheese with Asiago and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet Italian chicken sausage casings removed
- 4 leeks white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
- 2/3 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 pound orecchiette pasta
- 1 cup 4 ounces Wisconsin Parmesan, finely shredded
- 1 cup 4 ounces Wisconsin Asiago, finely shredded
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- In a large skillet, sauté the sausages over medium-high, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add chopped leeks to sausage in skillet and cook until softened, about 5 more minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, until mostly evaporated. Stir in butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain pasta, return to pot, add sausage mixture, and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to thicken sauce. Toss in the shredded Parmesan and Asiago. Adjust salt and pepper as needed and serve.
I want everything you make.
Girl, you are outta control. This look absolutely wonderful! Always a wonderful recipe.
O.M.G. FEED IT TO MEEEE.
Mac and cheese seems to be the “it” dish right now – it’s about time! Love the lighter version 🙂
I could definitely eat mac & cheese for 30 days straight.
are you kidding me? these are like all my fav ingredients rolled up into one dish!
Who can say no to mac and cheese? This one looks like a winner.
Yes, please!
This looks so good. I think it might have something to do with you using my favorite pasta shape of all time. Soooo fun.
That looks amaaaazing. I love that you used such pungent cheeses!
Made this tonight for dinner…Triple loved it !!!!
I’d really love to make this, but I’m not seeing your recipe over on the Milk Marketing Board website. Is it called something different?
Here’s the link! http://www.30days30waysmacandcheese.com/?p=1935
When you say white wine, what do you suggest? I know nothing about wine — don’t drink it and normally don’t cook with it. But I have to try this recipe. Thanks!
Hey Brooke! I use a a cheap sauv blanc for this one!
Yum!
i can not find the sausage and leek mac and cheese on the sites and links you provided
Hey Tom! Not sure what happened to the link but here it is: http://www.ziplist.com/recipes/507651-Sausage_and_Leek_Mac_and_Cheese_with_Asiago_and_Parmesan
Made this tonight and it was delicous!! I live in the Caribbean, so I could not get orcchettie, but used medium shells and they seemed to do the trick! Yum!