Reuben Mac & Cheese

Turn a beloved sandwich into a bowl of reuben mac and cheese with 3 different cheeses, corned beef, sauerkraut, and Thousand island dressing. 

Jump to recipe

Why do I enjoy St. Patrick’s Day so much? While you may think the menu is limited to corned beef, cabbage, Guinness, and shamrock shakes, I would disagree. Since it’s not a holiday ruled by tradition I think it lends itself to my desire to not make the same thing every year (a desire that becomes a battle at Thanksgiving).

As such, every year I strive to bust out all the creative ideas that St. Patrick’s Day has to offer. Just take a look at the 30 (and counting) St. Patrick’s Day tagged recipes in my archive. The possibilities are endless!

After already sharing 4 delicious corned beef recipes, in most recent years I’ve been going outside the box a little by coming up with alternative St. Patrick’s Day meals: two different pizzas, a Reuben burger, Reuben taquitos, a rutabaga and corned beef hash, and a Guinness beef stew.

Don’t get me wrong, I love me some corned beef and cabbage and will likely revisit one of the four this year. But like most holidays, I tend to celebrate for more than one day. And today it’s time to load up on the cheese!

Using my go-to mac and cheese base recipe, I came up with a reuben version incorporating Irish sharp white cheddar, Irish Swiss, Gruyere, corned beef, sauerkraut, Thousand island dressing, caraway seeds and even rye bread crumbs for topping. To seal the deal, I also stumbled upon shamrock shaped pasta just prior to making it. It’s like it was meant to be!

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays or cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you’re a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board. 

• Corned beef and Cabbage Soup by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Corned Beef Hash with Yukon Gold potatoes and Chilies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Hunter’s Beef Stew by Snehas Recipe
• Palusami – Samoan Stewed Greens by Pandemonium Noshery
• Reuben Pizza by Palatable Pastime



One year ago: Nutella & Oreo Car Bomb Lasagna

Two years ago: Small Batch Green Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Five years ago: Nutella Fruit Dip


REUBEN MAC & CHEESE
Print
Yield: Serves 6 as side or 4 as entree Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 50 Minutes 50 Minutes
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Ingredients
• 8 oz. favorite pasta shape (I used shamrock)
• 2-1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 oz. Irish sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 oz. Irish Swiss cheese, grated
• 2 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup chopped, cooked corned beef
• 1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained
• 1/4 cup Thousand Island dressing
• 1-2 tsp caraway seeds
• 1/4 cup rye bread crumbs
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 11×7-inch (about 2 quarts) casserole dish and set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions until just barely al-dente (about 1 minute less than recommended cook time). Drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium heat add butter and melt until frothy. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Continue cooking until it begins to bubble and turn golden, about 2-3 minutes. Slowly pour in milk, whisking vigorously, until all the milk is incorporated and mixture is smooth (will clump but keep whisking).
4. Continue to cook over medium heat, whisking regularly, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk the salt and pepper. Slowly add cheeses (except a 1/2 cup mixture), a handful at a time, whisking until melted before adding more. Stir in pasta, corned beef, sauerkraut, and caraway until evenly coated.
5. Pour into the prepared dish. Sprinkle with reserved cheese and breadcrumbs over top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until filling is bubbling, then broil for 1-2 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Did You Make This Recipe?
I want to see! Tag me on Instagram at @TheSpiffyCookie and hashtag it #TheSpiffyCookie.

Source: Adapted from my Rosemary Mac & Cheese.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE



carawaycorned beefgruyeresauerkrautSwiss cheesethousand islandwhite cheddar