Creamy Smoked Sausage Mac
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A creamy mac and cheese with browned smoked sausage tossed in a cheese sauce thickened by a roux and warm milk. Uses yellow cheddar but feel free swapping for pepper jack to add a spicy kick. Pasta peeled just shy al dente; skillet marks on sausage hint savory depth. Cheese shredded fresh; not pre-shredded—separators kill melt. The sauce thickens gradually, watching for little bubbles—no scorch or lumps. Salt adjusted at end; pepper following personal preference. Goes well with steamed greens or a fresh salad. Sausage browned just right makes all the difference, rendering fat that adds richness to the sauce. Leftovers reheat well with splash milk, stir till creamy again.
Prep:
6 min
Cook:
27 min
Total:
33 min
Servings:
6 servings
#American
#Comfort Food
#One Pot
#Cheese Sauce
#Pasta
#Sausage
#Weeknight Dinner
Brown sausage first. Key step for flavor. Fat rendered stays behind; you’ll use it for the base. Cheese grated; don’t skip or use pre-shredded—melt gods hate you otherwise. Pasta cooked close to firm bite. Milk warmed to avoid lumps in sauce. Roux cooked gently with attention; no scorch or raw taste. Slowly adding milk prevents clumps. Cheese folded in carefully, salt added last after tasting to avoid oversalting. Bold approach on pepper at end. Worked many versions: once skipped milk warming—hellish lumps. Once rushed roux—gum strangely stiff. Learning these cues changed game. Sauce thick but loose enough to coat pasta perfectly. Balance between sausage’s smoky hit and creamy velvety sauce a must.
Ingredients
- 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced thin
- 3 cups elbow macaroni
- 4 cups whole milk, warmed
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (swap 1 cup for pepper jack for twist)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
About the ingredients
Smoked sausage here is flexible: try Polish kielbasa, or chorizo for spicy twist. Pork or beef based, firm texture preferred to avoid falling apart in sauce. Cheese: predominantly sharp cheddar but a quarter pepper jack livens it without overpowering. Butter and flour ratio standard for a roux; under this and sauce thin, too much and you get paste. Whole milk ideal for richness—skim milk risks thinness. Pasta choice traditional elbow macaroni; shells or cavatappi hold sauce well, making meals more robust. Salt lightly, cheese is salty enough but always taste final. Pepper fresh ground is non-negotiable. Leftover sauce reheats beautifully; add milk to loosen if needed. Kitchen hacks: warm milk in microwave saves stovetop space; use same skillet for roux after sausage to capture flavor. Drain pasta well but don’t over dry; tiny cling of water helps sauce stick.
Method
- Start tossing sliced sausage in a hot skillet; medium heat. Watch edges sizzle, brown patches should form, not gray mush. Flip swiftly, about 5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sausage fat left behind—don’t wipe. Keep pan for roux.
- Grate all cheese by hand on box grater; none of that pre-shredded garbage. Avoid texture issues in melting. Keep cheese nearby first ready to go after roux done.
- Boil macaroni in salted water according to box but stop just shy of firm bite—al dente with tooth resistance. Drain and toss pasta in a little butter if you want, keep warm momentarily.
- Pour milk in microwave-safe container. Heat at medium-high until warm but not boiling, roughly 3 minutes depending on your appliance. Should steam lightly with warm aroma, not scalded edges—trust your nose.
- In skillet with sausage fat on medium-low, add butter if pan seems dry. Melt till foam sinks in. Whisk in flour immediately. Stir constantly for 1 minute—no browning, just raw flour cooked taste gone.
- Gradually pour warm milk while whisking. Watch sauce thicken over 5-6 minutes. Small bubbles appear at edge, not vigorous boil—key to not scorch. Sauce should coat spoon thick but still pourable.
- Lower heat. Add cheese handful by handful. Stir constantly until all melted. Should be velvety. Season with salt cautiously; cheese already salty. Adjust pepper vigorously after tasting.
- Dump pasta and sausage back into sauce in skillet. Fold gently till all coated with no dry pockets. Taste for seasoning again; adjust with more salt and pepper as you see fit.
- Serve piping hot immediately. Top with more cheese or parsley if desired. Leftovers deserve a splash of milk when reheated to rescue sauce consistency.
Cooking tips
Browning sausage sets base layer of taste; patience essential and medium heat preferred to avoid burning outside while raw inside. Don’t rush removing fat—you want it in pan to start roux for flavor depth. Cheese grated by hand has different texture and melts uniformly—avoid bagged pre-shredded, they contain anti-clumping additives that kill creaminess. Pasta cooked till just shy al dente; test with bite, look for inner core slightly firm. Milk warmed gently until steaming helps avoid hot-cold shock that lumps sauce. Roux made in same pan—flour whisked into melted butter (and rendered fat) until smells nutty but no browning, requires continuous stirring. Adding warm milk gradually, whisking constantly gives smooth sauce; watch for small bubbles at edges—the tell to thickening. Cheese folded in low heat keeps sauce creamy; adding too fast or at too high temp causes grainy textures. Salt last; cheese carries saltiness. Stir sauce with silicone spatula to scrape pan bottom, prevent scorch. Toss pasta and sausage in sauce folding carefully to not crush pasta but coat evenly. Serve right away; sauce thickens on standing but reheats well with splash milk. Common mistake is rushing roux or overheating cheese step, both kill texture. Listening to sizzling, watching sauce bubbles, feeling sauce thickness between fingers critical skills. Trust instincts over timers.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Brown sausage on medium heat. Listen for sizzle edges crisping; brown patches, no gray mush. Flip fast before burnt inside. Drain on towels but keep fat in pan. Fat builds flavor base. Use same skillet for roux—never wipe pan dry.
- 💡 Grate cheese fresh on box grater. Pre-shredded has anti-clumping additives; kills creaminess. Texture difference huge. Keep cheese close. Add handfuls slow when sauce ready. Melt low heat; stir constant. Avoid grainy, greasy mess.
- 💡 Cook pasta just shy al dente. Test bite, slight firmness remains. Overflow risk if too soft—sauce absorbs excess water, turns watery. Drain, toss with small butter pat to prevent sticking. Keep warm but dry—moisture kills sauce cling.
- 💡 Warm milk medium-high in microwave 3 min. Must steam lightly, no boil or scald edges. Hot milk prevents lumps when added to roux; cold shocks sauce, clumps form. Watch aroma for readiness; warm smell, no burnt note.
- 💡 Make roux in sausage fat and butter. Butter foam sinks; add flour quick. Stir for 1 min; no browning, just raw taste gone. Raw flour thickens improperly. Constant stirring key. Too long - brown roux changes flavor, avoid here.
- 💡 Add warm milk gradually, whisk nonstop. Look for small bubbles at sauce edge—not full boil. Sauce thickens slow, coats spoon thick but pourable. Rush here, scorch bottom or lumps form. Patience shapes creamy texture.
- 💡 Salt cheese salty enough. Add cautious salt after cheese melts; adjust pepper vigorously. Pepper late helps brightness. Too much salt early throws off balance; cheese carries sodium. Black pepper fresh cracked, not preground dull.
- 💡 Fold sausage and pasta gently in sauce. Toss without crushing pasta. Even coat skips dry spots. Soggy pasta problem if over-mixed. Sauce thickens on standing; reheat left overs with splash milk, stir to rescue texture.
- 💡 Leftovers reheat well with extra milk splash. Stir slowly on low heat. Avoid microwave dry heat or boiling—cheese separates fast. Splash milk loosens thick sauce, brings back creamy coating. Keeps it close to fresh texture.
Common questions
Why brown sausage first?
Browning creates Maillard crust, flavor base. Fat renders out, stays in pan, important for roux. Skipping browning wilts flavor, makes sauce greasy or bland. Crisp edges, not mushy. Medium heat, patient flips needed.
Can I use pre-shredded cheese?
Pre-shredded has anti-caking agents, stops melt smoothness. Sauce turns grainy or clumpy. Fresh grating worth time; texture night and day. If no box grater, shred block fine to avoid mess.
What if sauce lumps?
Most common cause cold milk added too fast, or roux too hot. Best fix: whisk warm milk very slowly. Stir constantly. If lumps formed, strain or reheat with whisking. Patience key; no skipping steps to get creamy.
How store leftovers?
Refrigerate in airtight container, 3-4 days max. Reheat low heat stove with splash milk or in microwave paused stirring to avoid dry edges. Can freeze but sauce might separate — re-whisk milk while warming.
