This pesto cavatappi mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food dish. It’s creamy, cheesy, and ridiculously easy to make. Whether you enjoy it as a flavorful vegetarian side dish or the main attraction, it’s guaranteed to make you smile.
Boil water and add a few hefty pinches of salt. Cook pasta al dente, then strain, and set aside.
Meanwhile, add olive oil to a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and hefty pinch of salt and cook for 2 minutes or until softened and fragrant but not browned.
Whisk in flour and let the roux cook for a few minutes until the flour taste has disappeared and a thick paste has developed.
Slowly whisk in milk, then heavy cream and a ½ teaspoon salt.
Turn the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes so that it thickens and reduces.
Stir in the pesto and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Next, add the al dente pasta and then stir until everything is evenly incorporated.
Drop the heat to low and whisk in 2 cups of cheese, little by little, until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
If you don’t have havarti, you can use another semi-soft cheese like mozzarella, white cheddar, gruyere, fontina, gouda, etc.
If you don’t have cream and milk, you could easily just use whatever diary product you have — half and half will even work! It might not be as creamy but it will still be super delicious!
Keyword cavatappi, mac and cheese, main dish, noodles, pasta, pesto, side dish, vegetarian