This easy Sweet Potato Macaroni Cheese is a creamy, comforting dish perfect for a quick dinner. Packed with rich flavors from feta and cheddar, it’s a nutritious twist on classic macaroni cheese. You can use common ingredients like any small pasta or adjust the cheese to your taste. It’s sure to become a family favorite!
Ingredients Needed:
- 500 grams sweet potatoes
- 300 grams pennette (or other small, short pasta)
- 4 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons plain flour
- 500 millilitres full fat milk
- 1 teaspoon English mustard (from a jar)
- ¼ teaspoon paprika (plus another quarter teaspoon to sprinkle on top)
- 75 grams feta cheese
- 125 grams mature cheddar (plus 25g/quarter cup to sprinkle on top)
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- Maldon sea salt flakes (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
How To Make Sweet Potato Macaroni Cheese?
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan/gas mark 6 / 400°F.
- Cook the sweet potatoes: Boil a large pan of water with the lid on. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 2–3cm / 1-inch pieces. Add salt to the water and then the sweet potatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes, until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and mash lightly with a fork. Keep the water for cooking the pasta.
- Make the white sauce: In another saucepan, melt the butter gently. Add the flour and whisk to form a roux. Remove from the heat, then slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Put back on the heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens and the floury taste is gone. Stir in the mustard and paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Remember, the feta and cheddar will add salt, so be careful with the seasoning.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the Annette in the sweet potato water, checking 2 minutes before the package instructions say, so it stays al dente. Drain the pasta, but save some of the cooking water.
- Combine everything: Add the cooked pasta to the mashed sweet potatoes and gently mix them. Crumble in the feta cheese and fold it through. Then, add the white sauce and grated cheddar cheese, mixing as you go. If the mixture feels too thick, add a little of the saved pasta water.
- Prepare for baking: Spoon the mixture into 4 small ovenproof dishes (375–425ml / 1½–1¾ cups each) or one large dish (30 x 20 x 5 cm / 12 x 8 x 2 inches, 1.6 liter / 6½ cups). Sprinkle the remaining cheddar on top, dust with the extra paprika, and shred the sage leaves over the top.
- Bake: Place the dishes on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes (or 30–35 minutes for a larger dish), until hot and bubbling.
Recipe Tips:
- Don’t Overcook the Pasta: Make sure to cook the pasta until it’s just al dente—this means a bit firm to the bite. It will keep cooking in the oven, so slightly undercooking it helps avoid mushy pasta.
- Use Fresh Sage for the Best Flavor: Fresh sage leaves bring a wonderful aroma and flavor to the dish. Avoid dried sage, as it can taste too strong or bitter when baked.
- Save Some Pasta Water: The starchy pasta water can be used to adjust the sauce’s thickness. If the mixture feels too thick when combining everything, a splash of pasta water will help make it creamy.
- Be Cautious with Salt: Both the feta and cheddar are salty, so add salt sparingly to the white sauce. Taste as you go to avoid oversalting.
- Preheat the Oven Fully: Make sure your oven is fully preheated before you start baking. A properly hot oven helps create that perfect golden, bubbly top layer.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Allow the leftovers to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freeze: Cool the dish to room temperature, then place it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat:To reheat on the stove, place the macaroni cheese in a pan over low heat. Add a little milk or pasta water to loosen it up, then stir occasionally until it’s heated through.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 310kcal
- Total Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
- Sodium: 520mg
- Potassium: 450mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 51g
- Dietary Fiber: 6g
- Sugars: 13g
- Protein: 13g
Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:
- Nigella Sweet Potato Mac And Cheese
- Nigella Sweet And Salty Chocolate Cookies
- Nigella Cheese Scones Recipe
Nigella Sweet Potato Macaroni Cheese Recipe
Description
This easy Sweet Potato Macaroni Cheese is a creamy, comforting dish perfect for a quick dinner. Packed with rich flavors from feta and cheddar, it’s a nutritious twist on classic macaroni cheese. You can use common ingredients like any small pasta or adjust the cheese to your taste. It’s sure to become a family favorite!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan/gas mark 6 / 400°F.
- Cook the sweet potatoes: Boil a large pan of water with the lid on. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 2–3cm / 1-inch pieces. Add salt to the water and then the sweet potatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes, until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and mash lightly with a fork. Keep the water for cooking the pasta.
- Make the white sauce: In another saucepan, melt the butter gently. Add the flour and whisk to form a roux. Remove from the heat, then slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Put back on the heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens and the floury taste is gone. Stir in the mustard and paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Remember, the feta and cheddar will add salt, so be careful with the seasoning.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the Annette in the sweet potato water, checking 2 minutes before the package instructions say, so it stays al dente. Drain the pasta, but save some of the cooking water.
- Combine everything: Add the cooked pasta to the mashed sweet potatoes and gently mix them. Crumble in the feta cheese and fold it through. Then, add the white sauce and grated cheddar cheese, mixing as you go. If the mixture feels too thick, add a little of the saved pasta water.
- Prepare for baking: Spoon the mixture into 4 small ovenproof dishes (375–425ml / 1½–1¾ cups each) or one large dish (30 x 20 x 5 cm / 12 x 8 x 2 inches, 1.6 liter / 6½ cups). Sprinkle the remaining cheddar on top, dust with the extra paprika, and shred the sage leaves over the top.
- Bake: Place the dishes on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes (or 30–35 minutes for a larger dish), until hot and bubbling.
Notes
- Don’t Overcook the Pasta: Make sure to cook the pasta until it’s just al dente—this means a bit firm to the bite. It will keep cooking in the oven, so slightly undercooking it helps avoid mushy pasta.
- Use Fresh Sage for the Best Flavor: Fresh sage leaves bring a wonderful aroma and flavor to the dish. Avoid dried sage, as it can taste too strong or bitter when baked.
- Save Some Pasta Water: The starchy pasta water can be used to adjust the sauce’s thickness. If the mixture feels too thick when combining everything, a splash of pasta water will help make it creamy.
- Be Cautious with Salt: Both the feta and cheddar are salty, so add salt sparingly to the white sauce. Taste as you go to avoid oversalting.
- Preheat the Oven Fully: Make sure your oven is fully preheated before you start baking. A properly hot oven helps create that perfect golden, bubbly top layer.
Nigella Sweet Potato Macaroni Cheese Recipe