Calabrian Chili Ziti Mac and Cheese
When my son played high school football, carb-loading nights were a tradition at school. Once a season, the team would pile around the table before a big game, and this ziti mac and cheese was always the dish that disappeared first. Hungry teenagers with endless energy need real fuel, and a bubbling pan of pasta under a golden crumb topping delivers every time.
The football years are behind us, but the recipe has stayed. I still make it whenever we need something warm and comforting at the end of a long week, the kind of dinner that feels like a hug from the inside.
Over the years I’ve quietly lightened it up. Unsweetened soy milk replaces whole milk in the sauce, vegan butter stands in for dairy butter, and reduced-fat cheddar does the heavy lifting alongside smaller amounts of Gruyère and Parmesan for depth. Those swaps trim a good share of the cholesterol without taking away the creamy, cheesy richness that makes mac and cheese worth making. The Calabrian chili crumb topping is my favorite part: crunchy, a little smoky, with just enough heat to wake everything up.
How to Make Calabrian Chili Ziti Mac and Cheese
Preheat the oven and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the ziti about a minute less than the package directions for al dente, then drain it. The pasta finishes cooking in the oven, so pulling it early keeps it from getting soft. Penne, rigatoni, or elbows can stand in for the ziti.
While the pasta cooks, melt the vegan butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about a minute to make a smooth roux.
Add the soy milk gradually, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, until the sauce thickens enough to lightly coat a spoon.
Add the cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan, and stir until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce just starts to simmer. Keep the heat moderate at this stage, because boiling can make a cheese sauce grainy.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the drained pasta until evenly coated, and transfer everything to a baking dish.
For the topping, melt the remaining vegan butter in a frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the panko, salt, pepper, paprika, and chopped Calabrian chilies. Stir constantly for a few minutes, until the crumbs are evenly coated and golden brown. Watch closely, because panko goes from toasted to burnt quickly.
Spread the crumbs evenly over the pasta and bake until the edges are bubbling and the topping is crisp. Let the dish rest for about 5 minutes before serving so the sauce can set slightly.
Calabrian Chili Ziti Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1/2 lb ziti and cook for 9 minutes, 1 minute short of al dente. Drain and set aside. (See notes 1, 2)1/2 lb ziti
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp vegan butter. Whisk in 2 tbsp flour and stir until smooth to form a roux.2 tbsp vegan butter, 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Gradually pour in 1 1/4 cups soy milk, whisking constantly so the sauce stays smooth and lump-free.1 1/4 cups unsweetened soy milk
- Add 1 cup shredded 2% cheddar, 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce comes to a gentle simmer. (See note 3)1 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Take the cheese sauce off the heat and fold in the cooked ziti until every piece is coated. Spread the mixture into a 2-quart baking dish.
- In a frying pan over medium to medium-high heat, melt 1 tbsp vegan butter. Add 1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 tsp pink salt, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper, 1/8 tsp paprika, and 1 tsp Calabrian chili peppers in oil. (See note 4) Stir until the breadcrumbs are evenly coated and golden.1 tbsp vegan butter, 1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 tsp pink salt, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper, 1/8 tsp paprika, 1 tsp Calabrian chili peppers in oil
- Scatter the toasted crumbs evenly over the ziti. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling at the edges.
Nutrition
Notes
- Any short pasta works in place of ziti, such as penne, rigatoni, cavatappi, or elbows.
- Cooking the ziti 1 minute short of al dente keeps it from turning soft while it bakes in the sauce.
- Once the cheese goes in, keep the heat gentle. A hard boil can make the sauce grainy.
- Calabrian chili heat varies by brand. Start with 1 tsp and add more if you want more heat.
