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A cast iron skillet filled with baked macaroni and cheese, topped with shredded braised beef and garnished with chopped parsley.
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Mac and Cheese with Braised Beef

Creamy baked mac and cheese finished with a crispy panko topping and piled high with tender shredded braised beef. A perfect way to turn leftover stout-braised beef shanks into a rich comfort-food dinner.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 752kcal
Author: Kita Roberts

Equipment

Ingredients

Pasta & Cheese Sauce

  • 1 lb short pasta cavatappi, shells, or elbows
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups whole milk warmed
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 4 oz Gruyère or Fontina cheese shredded

Topping

  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp butter melted
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 2-3 cups stout-braised beef shanks shredded and warmed

Instructions

Cook Pasta

  • Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.

Make Roux

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells nutty and resembles wet sand.
    A whisk rests in a cast iron skillet containing brown roux on a white marble surface.

Build the Sauce

  • Slowly whisk in the warm milk and heavy cream. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
    A hand holds a spoon coated with creamy white sauce above a cast iron pan filled with the same white sauce on a light surface.
  • Whisk in smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  • Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the shredded cheddar and Gruyère in batches until smooth and fully melted.
    Thick, creamy cheese sauce in a skillet with melted cheese being stretched upward from the center.
  • Add the drained pasta and gently stir until coated in the sauce.
    A cast iron skillet filled with creamy macaroni and cheese, resting on a wooden board.
  • In a small bowl combine the panko, melted butter, and Parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over the mac and cheese.

Bake

  • Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake 15–20 minutes, until the sauce bubbles around the edges and the topping turns golden brown.
    A baked macaroni and cheese dish in a cast iron skillet, topped with a golden brown crust and garnished with chopped parsley.

Finish & Serve

  • Spoon mac and cheese into bowls and top with warm shredded braised beef. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives if desired.
    A wooden spoon scoops baked macaroni and cheese topped with leftover braised beef from a cast iron skillet on a wooden table.

Notes

  • Shred cheese from blocks for the smoothest sauce. It melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese. 
  • Warm the milk before adding it to the roux to prevent lumps.
  • Remove the pan from heat before adding cheese so the sauce stays smooth.
  • The sauce should look slightly loose before baking; it thickens in the oven.
  • Leftover braised beef works perfectly because the collagen has already broken down during the braise.
Cook the pasta 2 minutes shy of al dente. It finishes cooking in the cheese sauce while baking, which keeps the final mac and cheese creamy instead of soft.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 752kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 602mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1723IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 557mg | Iron: 3mg