As the final Christmas cracker is pulled and the New Year's countdown begins, households across the UK face a familiar festive dilemma: what to do with the mountain of leftover cheese. While the turkey may be long gone, that assortment of cheddar, camembert, and other cheeses often lingers, forgotten at the back of the fridge.
The Perfect Post-Christmas Comfort Food
Finding inventive ways to use up ageing cheese can be a challenge, but a simple solution has emerged from the kitchens of Good Food. Their celebrated 'Cheeseboard Macaroni Cheese' recipe is specifically designed to tackle this seasonal surplus, turning it into a creamy, indulgent supper. Described as "easy comfort food for a busy weeknight", it's an ideal dish for the sluggish days between Christmas and New Year's Eve.
The recipe, highlighted by the Express, encourages cooks to combine whatever cheeses they have left from their festive entertaining. The method is straightforward, taking just 10 minutes of preparation and roughly one hour to cook, or less if you have pre-cooked pasta ready.
Rave Reviews and Simple Method
On the Good Food website, the dish boasts a four-star rating out of five. One enthusiastic reviewer declared it the "best mac'n'cheese recipe so far", praising its "plenty of flavour". They detailed using a mix of Red Fox cheese, medium cheddar, and grana padano. Another home cook shared that it's her husband's favourite, and she adds pancetta for an extra twist.
The recipe, which serves four people, starts by cooking 350g of pasta shapes. A flavourful sauce is then made by melting butter, softening garlic, and adding mustard powder and optional cayenne pepper. Flour creates a roux, milk is whisked in to prevent lumps, and the sauce is thickened before the star ingredients—250g of your leftover cheese mix—are stirred through until melted.
From Fridge to Golden, Bubbling Feast
The final step brings it all together. The cheesy pasta is transferred to a baking dish, topped with extra hard cheese like cheddar or parmesan, and baked in an oven preheated to 180C (160C fan/gas 4) for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. The recommendation is to let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
This ingenious recipe not only solves a common post-holiday problem but also delivers a crowd-pleasing meal that makes the most of every last bit of the festive cheeseboard. It's a practical and delicious way to ensure nothing goes to waste as we prepare for a fresh start in the new year.
