Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese

This recipe combines two of our savory favorites: our Four Cheese Macaroni and our Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Pulled Pork into one potluck perfect dish.

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1

Servings: 10

Calories: 627kcal

Ingredients

For the macaroni and cheese

1 lb cavatappi or short pasta shape of your choice
⅓ cup unsalted butter
⅓ cup flour
2 ¾ cup milk (2% or whole, warmed)
1 cup half and half (warmed)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
¾ cup crumbled blue cheese
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
¾ cup shredded fontina cheese
¾ cup shredded white American cheese (the kind you get from the deli)

For the pulled pork

2 cups pulled pork

For the toppings

1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup pickled red onion (optional)

Instructions

For the macaroni and cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta according to package directions, then drain and return to the pot. If the sauce is not quite done, toss the pasta with a little olive oil to keep it from sticking.
1 lb cavatappi or short pasta shape of your choice
Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly, cooking for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and thick.
⅓ cup unsalted butter, ⅓ cup flour
Slowly drizzle in the milk and half and half, about a ½ cup at a time, whisking constantly. The mixture will be thick and gloppy at first, but will eventually thin and smooth out. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan well. When the mixture is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, turn the heat all the way down to low.
2 ¾ cup milk, 1 cup half and half
Whisk in the salt, mustard powder, garlic, paprika, pepper, and cayenne.
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika
Stir in all of the blue cheese, 1 cup of the cheddar, fontina, and American cheese. Continue stirring until all the cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, ¾ cup shredded fontina cheese, ¾ cup crumbled blue cheese, ¾ cup shredded white American cheese
Pour the noodles into the greased pan, followed by the cheese sauce. Stir well.

For the pulled pork

Heat up store bought pulled pork as directed on packaging, or if making from scratch, use the recipe linked above in the ingredients for "pulled pork".
2 cups pulled pork

Assemble and bake

Add a layer of the pulled pork on top of the mac and cheese, then sprinkle with the remaining cup of cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 20-22 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and cheese is very melty.

Top and serve

Drizzle with BBQ sauce and serve alongside pickled red onions for topping.
1/4 cup barbecue sauce, 1 cup pickled red onion

Notes

Leftover pulled pork mac and cheese keeps well, covered, in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave with extra milk to bring back the creaminess.
To make ahead of time, assemble the mac and cheese completely, then cover and refrigerate. When ready to bake, cover with foil, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
A full list of substitutions, as well as step by step photos, can be found in this post.