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Hearty comfort food at its best, this Spanish style Macaroni Cheese with Chorizo and Manchego takes the humble mac and cheese to the next level!

I am a bit of a macaroni cheese fan…can you tell? One of the most popular recipes on my site is my Super Simple Macaroni Cheese. I’ve also created Macaroni Cheese with Bacon and Leeks – which is one of my favourite ever recipes, a Three Cheese Macaroni Cheese – with cheddar, mozzarella AND parmesan, and a Butternut Squash Macaroni Cheese version too…and I’m constantly working on new variations (it’s a tough gig!).

One idea I’ve had for ages is to create a Chorizo Macaroni Cheese – basically I love mac and cheese AND I love chorizo…so why not put the two together? But me being me, I wanted to take this to the next level.

Not content with just throwing chorizo into my usual macaroni cheese recipe, I decided to go for the full on Spanish experience and use Spanish cheese too. And one of my favourite cheeses just happens to be Spanish… Manchego!!

Manchego cheese is made from sheep’s milk in the La Mancha region of Spain. It has a lovely nutty sweetness and a slight sharpness, without being too strong. It grates well and melts really well too. To be honest, when I tried it I had no idea if it would work in macaroni cheese, but it was worth a go!

And I am very glad I did try it because it worked brilliantly – the sweet, nutty, salty flavours complimenting the spicy, garlicky flavours of the chorizo and softened by the buttery creaminess of the sauce – mac and cheese heaven!

To add extra texture and flavour I topped this chorizo mac and cheese with my storecupboard favourite: panko breadcrumbs. I love panko breadcrumbs because they can be kept in the cupboard to be used whenever you fancy making a quick and easy crunchy topping for macaroni cheese, pasta bakes, fishcakes or anything else you fancy.

In this recipe I simply mix the panko breadcrumbs with more of that delicious manchego cheese and sprinkle over the top of the macaroni cheese before popping in the oven – couldn’t be simpler!

And of course, it’s very easy to make too. You can whip this Spanish Style Macaroni Cheese up in under half an hour, and yet it feels totally luxurious and treaty. It well down well with the kids too, who love chorizo, making it a perfect midweek meal.

I feel with the Spanish flavours of chorizo and manchego, this macaroni cheese needs a Spanish wine to go with it, and my choice to cut through the creamy, cheesy, spiciness of this dish would be a gutsy Rioja Rosado or a young red Rioja (or similar style wines from other regions of Spain). If you’d rather a white a zingy zesty Sauvignon Blanc would work well with this too.

Print Pin 5 from 6 votes Spanish style Macaroni Cheese with Chorizo and Manchego Hearty comfort food at its best, this Spanish style Macaroni Cheese with Chorizo and Manchego takes the humble mac and cheese to the next level! Prep Time 5 minutes Cook Time 25 minutes Total Time 30 minutes Servings 4 people Calories 890 kcal Author Eb Gargano Ingredients 300 g macaroni

1 tablespoon olive oil

150 g chorizo diced

25 g butter

1 onion diced

1 clove garlic crushed

2 tablespoons plain flour

500 ml milk

Black pepper to taste

200 g manchego cheese (or another hard cheese such as cheddar or parmesan)

50 g panko breadcrumbs

Green salad to serve Instructions Pre heat your oven to 220C / 200C fan / gas mark 7 / 425F.

Cook the macaroni in plenty of boiling salted water for about 3 minutes less than you would normally do it. This is important, or your macaroni will end up soggy and stodgy. Drain reserving a little of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, heat a wide, oven proof saucepan or cast iron casserole dish over a medium heat and add the olive oil and chorizo. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Tip the chorizo onto a plate.

Turn down the heat and add the butter to the pan you just used for the chorizo. When the butter is melted add the onions and fry with the lid on for about 3-4 minutes, until the onions are nicely softened. Add the garlic and fry for 1 more minute. Stir occasionally.

Sprinkle the plain flour over the onions/garlic and stir well, then add the milk very slowly, stirring constantly until thickened. When the sauce is roughly the thickness of double (heavy) cream, add in a few twists of black pepper, the chorizo and 150g/5oz of the cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and then turn the heat off.

In a small bowl, place the panko breadcrumbs and the remaining 50g/2oz of the cheese. Mix together to make the topping.

Tip the macaroni into the cheese sauce, together with about a tablespoon of the cooking water, and stir to combine. Scatter the panko topping evenly over the top and place in your preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Notes If you don’t own an oven proof saucepan or cast iron casserole dish, simply use a regular pan and transfer the macaroni cheese to an ovenproof dish before adding the panko topping. You may find you need to cook the macaroni cheese for a little longer as a result. Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only. Nutrition Facts Spanish style Macaroni Cheese with Chorizo and Manchego Amount Per Serving Calories 890 Calories from Fat 414 % Daily Value* Fat 46g 71% Saturated Fat 24g 150% Cholesterol 112mg 37% Sodium 962mg 42% Potassium 546mg 16% Carbohydrates 77g 26% Fiber 3g 13% Sugar 10g 11% Protein 37g 74% Vitamin A 635IU 13% Vitamin C 2.3mg 3% Calcium 724mg 72% Iron 2.4mg 13% * % Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet Tried this recipe? Snap a pic and tag @easypeasyfoodie on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook!

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