Macaroni and Cheese With Sausage Recipe

Name: Macaroni and Cheese With Sausage
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 8 ounces macaroni or ditalini; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 pound bulk pork sausage, spicy or Italian style; 1 sweet bell pepper, chopped, green or combination of colors; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning blend; Dash red pepper flakes, optional; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons flour; 2 cups whole milk; 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese; 1 cup (4 ounces) American cheese, cut in cubes or shredded; Salt, to taste; 8 ounces grape tomatoes, halved or quartered lengthwise; 1/2 cup fine soft bread crumbs; 1 tablespoon melted butter

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Total: 65 mins

Servings: 6 servings

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Browned sausage and sliced tomatoes help to make this creamy, delicious macaroni and cheese a hearty main dish. The flavorful casserole is made with pork sausage, chopped vegetables, and a homemade cheese sauce. It's topped with a buttered breadcrumb topping and baked to perfection.

Serve this macaroni and cheese bake with biscuits or fresh sliced bread for a fabulous everyday meal.

8 ounces macaroni, or ditalini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound bulk pork sausage, spicy or Italian style
1 sweet bell pepper, green or a combination of colors, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning blend
1 dash red pepper flakes, optional
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) American cheese, cut in cubes or shredded
Salt, to taste
8 ounces grape tomatoes, halved or quartered lengthwise
1/2 cup fine soft breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Gather the ingredients.
Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water following package directions. Drain and then set aside.
Heat the oven to 350 F.
Grease a 2 1/2- to 3-quart casserole.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or sauté pan over medium heat. Crumble the sausage and add it to the pan along with the bell pepper and onion; cook, stirring and breaking up sausage, until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Spoon off any excess grease and add the seasoning, pepper flakes, black pepper, and garlic.
Add the flour to the sausage mixture and cook for about 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in the milk. Continue cooking until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in the cheeses and add salt, to taste.
Fold the macaroni and tomatoes into the sausage and sauce mixture. Spoon into the prepared casserole.
Combine the breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle over the casserole.
Bake the for 25 minutes.
Increase heat to 400 F and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until crumb topping is lightly browned.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
672	Calories
46g	Fat
32g	Carbs
33g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	672
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 46g	58%
Saturated Fat 20g	99%
Cholesterol 130mg	43%
Sodium 1503mg	65%
Total Carbohydrate 32g	12%
Dietary Fiber 2g	8%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 33g
Vitamin C 33mg	167%
Calcium 657mg	51%
Iron 3mg	14%
Potassium 647mg	14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.