Hi all, it’s Cat from The Rustic Willow! I have a few great loves in my life: my boyfriend and New Jersey included. But when it comes to food, two of my great loves will always be avocados and macaroni and cheese. I know, I know, “mac and cheese? Really?” you say. But I just can’t help myself. Whenever I need a good dose of comfort food, I whip up some creamy, delicious mac and cheese and have every spoonful chock full of cheesy, carby perfection.
This recipe takes simple mac and cheese and multiplies its awesomeness by about 20 with the addition of avocado, cilantro, garlic, lime sauce. With these ingredients combined with Monterey Jack cheese… I don’t even have the words to explain the fireworks that occurred on my taste buds when I tasted this avocado macaroni and cheese.
The best part is that it’s SUPER simple to make, all while tasting like it wasn’t simple to make (if you catch my drift). It’s sure to become a staple in your household. I’ve made it a few times in the past few months because I’m always craving it.
The only downside to this recipe is that it doesn’t save well. Despite the citrus added, avocados really never save well. But this might actually be a bonus because then you just have to finish it all in one sitting 😉
And let me just tell you this one tidbit. My boyfriend is not a huge avocado fan (I know, what’s wrong with him?) and he went back for seconds and then thirds. He said it was absolutely delicious. And he’s right!
Ingredients
- 1 box elbow macaroni
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 avocados, peeled and pitted
- 1 lime
- 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk (I used skim milk)
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add macaroni and cook according to directions on the box. Drain and set aside.
- Make the avocado sauce by placing the garlic, 2 avocados, lime juice (use the juice from 1 whole lime), cilantro, salt and pepper into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy (If you’re using a blender, add a tiny bit of milk to make it easier to blend). Put in fridge until ready.
- To make the cheese sauce, place butter in a small saucepan and heat over medium/high heat. When the butter is melted, slowly whisk in flour. Whisk in milk until smooth and creamy. Continuously stir until sauce thickens. Add in all of the Monterey Jack cheese and stir until its melted.
- Place macaroni in a large bowl. Grab the avocado sauce from the fridge and pour over the macaroni and stir. Add the cheese sauce and stir. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Chop the third avocado into bite size pieces and toss with pasta. Serve warm.
- Note: This pasta is best eaten the night it’s made. Although the lime juice keeps it from browning slightly, avocado never really saves well. So, indulge and eat it all!
Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod.
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Holy cow! I literally never would have thought of this! But this looks amazing. I can’t wait to try it!