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Smoked Salmon Mac and Cheese Recipe

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4.2 from 74 reviews

This Smoked Salmon Mac and Cheese combines creamy, cheesy pasta with the rich, smoky flavor of salmon. Enhanced with a subtle hint of mace and topped with hard-boiled eggs for extra texture, it’s a comforting casserole perfect for a hearty family meal.

Ingredients

Salmon and Milk Infusion

  • 8 ounces smoked salmon (skin removed but reserved)
  • 1 3/4 cups whole milk

Pasta

  • 1/2 lb pasta (spiral Riccioli recommended)
  • Salt, to taste

Sauce

  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 1/4 tsp ground mace (adjust to taste)
  • Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (plus more for topping)

Toppings

  • 2 hard boiled eggs, cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the casserole later.
  2. Prepare Salmon: Remove the skin from the smoked salmon carefully, but keep the skin aside for infusion.
  3. Infuse Milk with Salmon Flavor: In a medium saucepan, heat the whole milk until it just starts to simmer. Turn off the heat, add the smoked salmon chunks along with the reserved salmon skin, and allow it to steep for 15 minutes to infuse the milk with smoky flavor.
  4. Strain Milk and Salmon: Remove and discard the salmon skin. Strain the infused milk to separate the salmon pieces and milk. Keep both separately as the milk will be used in the sauce while the salmon pieces will be added back later.
  5. Cook Pasta: In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and return the pasta to the pot to keep warm. Add the reserved salmon pieces to the pasta now.
  6. Make the Roux and Sauce: In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about a minute without allowing it to brown. Slowly pour in the reserved salmon-infused milk, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in ground mace and freshly cracked black pepper, then remove the sauce from heat.
  7. Add Cheese to Sauce: Off the heat, gradually add the shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the sauce and stir until it melts and becomes smooth and creamy.
  8. Combine Pasta, Salmon, and Sauce: Pour the cheese sauce over the warm pasta and salmon mixture, stirring gently to combine everything evenly.
  9. Assemble Casserole: Transfer the combined mixture into a casserole dish. Sprinkle some extra shredded cheddar cheese on top, and arrange the wedges of hard boiled eggs on top of the casserole.
  10. Bake and Broil: Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes to heat through and make it bubbly. Then, place it under the broiler briefly until the top is golden and slightly crispy for a beautiful finish.

Notes

  • Use whole milk to achieve a rich and creamy sauce; lower-fat milk may produce a thinner sauce.
  • Ground mace adds a unique warm spice note but can be adjusted to your preference or omitted.
  • Broiling creates a delightful golden crust—watch closely to prevent burning.
  • Using spiral Riccioli pasta holds the sauce well but other short pasta shapes like elbow macaroni or cavatappi will also work.
  • This casserole is best served fresh but can be refrigerated and reheated gently.

Find it online: https://justsosavory.com/smoked-salmon-mac-and-cheese-recipe/