Macaroni cheese which doesn't taste bland?

[Thelongdarkteatime]

I wondered if anyone had any nice recipes for a non-bland mac and cheese. My current one uses marscapone (sp?) and gruyere but just tastes really bland. I'm experimenting with recipes so that DS (11mo) can eat the same food as us - anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks all. I made a bit of a hybrid tonight adding a bit of mustard, some mushrooms and spinach and it was much better. Going to try some of the other suggestions next week.

try mine

it's the BEST!

I go with everyone who has said strong cheese and mustard. I use whole grain mustard - it brings out the flavour of the cheese. Very important ingredient

Cheddar cheese, some Parmesan and creme fraiche melted together and stirred through pasta then into oven - Jamie Oliver I think?

DH's favourite tea. Pancetta fried with onion. Make cheese sauce with extra mature cheddar and gruyere, add a dollop of English mustard. Cook macaroni. Mix macaroni into cheese sauce with onion and pancetta. Put in oven dish, sprinkle with parmesan and breadcrumb mix and bake in oven. Serve with green salad and sliced tomatoes.

Heston's is ace www.channel4.com/programmes/how-to-cook-like-heston/articles/all/macaroni-cheese-recipe

Deux has it.

Mature Cheddar, mustard, bacon, spinach

I made this one from the BBC Good Food site last week and it went down well with the family. Had to use regular pasta though as i couldn't find GF macaroni.

Extra strong cheddar, mozzetella for the gloop factor and nutmeg.

Apart from the strong cheese and mustard, a sprinkling of cayenne pepper on top peps up the taste.

oldbeanbagz that's the one we use, I quite soften add more veg, courgettes and mushrooms and swap the mascarpone for garlic and herb cream cheese with Dijon mustard or labneh and up the English mustard content. It's delicious, may make it tonight, I don't have any ham but have some diced pancetta so can adapt.

Mature cheddar and a bay leaf in the white sauce while you're at it! (Also, I hesitate to say this, 'cos this may be so bloody obvious that people think I've gone mad... but you are using macaroni, rather than any other sort of pasta? Because friends - and my work canteen - have served me what they call macaroni but isn't, and it is hellish - just bland mush with no texture).

Also agree to adding bacon. A friend used to put a layer of sauteed celery in the bottom, which added a saltiness and crunch which was really nice.

I always add a couple of teaspoons of English mustard, delish!

This thread has got me thinking about our Christmas Eve meal: Nigella's macaroni cheese and a nice ham, om nom nom!

Gruyere, strong cheddar and Parmesan! Bit of English mustard, and top with breadcrumbs and more Parmesan!

Not quite mac and cheese but my american auntie makes a sauce using evaporated milk and natural yoghurt. To which she adds smoked cheese and cheddar. Do not let the sauce boil just heat gently till the cheese melts.
I usually chuck in some bacon and peas. Is nice

Nutmeg is your friend! A big pinch, with cheddar cheese and if I can be bothered, some spring onion or normal onion just softened and added

I fry onion , celery, carrot and garlic till very soft and make the sauce round that. strong cheddar , mustard powder, pinch nutmeg, paprika and a dash of green tabasco. Not so much cheese in sauce but lots on top and some halved tomatoes baked on top too

Strongest cheddar available and / or ahed red leicester or 'red leicester bite', onion/ spring onion, mustard, lots of seasoning. Top with thinly sliced decent tomatoes.

Creole seconding! Easy as that! I'd ditch the ricotta for a plain bechemel with creole seasoning and most of the cheese on the top. The stronger the better, but Gruyere in the mix is lovely!

Unless you want to make a spinach and ricotta macaroni! Add nutmeg to the sweated spinach, good dash of salt and pepper, mash/heat the ricotta through in the spinach pan loosening with cream if needed and blob through the cooked pasta. Finish with grated cheese, including Parmesan for that cheesy hit.

Oh bloody hell. Gonna have to make mac and cheese now, aren't i?

I add cauliflower florets sometimes to liven it up. Mustard and a strong flavoured cheese like Mature Cheddar help.

One word: bacon

Jalapeno and Bacon mac and cheese

My pasta-hating DH loves this.