Philly Cheesesteak Mac And Cheese

It is so easy in the kids to overbook your family with camps and extracurriculars. We have totally been guilty of this in the past. Which means that, just like during the school year, we need fast and easy dinner ideas. This Philly Cheesesteak Mac and Cheese will be one more strike against me from the good people of Philadelphia, but I think it’s worth it. (They still haven’t forgiven me for the Philly Cheesesteak Casserole or the Philly Cheesesteak Baked Tacos.) This delicious homemade macaroni and cheese recipe is fast and full of delicious flavor. It is one that your whole family is going to love.

How to Make Philly Cheesesteak Mac and Cheese

Cooking Pasta for Mac and Cheese

There are a few tips I have for cooking pasta. I know these sound obvious, but sometimes little things like this can make a really big difference in recipes.

Wait until the water is at a full boil before adding noodles.Salt the water with a teaspoon of kosher salt.Mark the time on the box of noodles and taste the noodles then. They should have just a little bit of bite left to them.Drain them right away, and if you like you can rinse them in warm water so they don’t stick together. (They will warm back up in the cheese sauce.)

How to Make a Roux

A roux is the combination of a fat and all purpose flour. It helps thicken sauces, and is a great base to our cheese sauce here. There are a few things that will ensure that your roux turns out perfect.

Fully whisk the flour into the butter. Not doing this will result in a flour taste in the end.Use cold half and half and milk.Slowly whisk in the half and half and milk. I like to start with a few tablespoons at a time, fully whisking in the liquid before adding more. The whole process of adding milk should take less than a minute though.

What Meat to Use

For this recipe I went with sirloin cut thin – similar to what you would get in an actually Philly Cheesesteak. That being said, you could absolutely use hamburger here for a more budget friendly meal.

Leftovers

Storing

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to three to five days in the refrigerator.

Reheating Leftover Mac and Cheese

To reheat, pull only the amount you plan on eating out of the refrigerator. (Leftovers shouldn’t be reheated and then put back in the refrigerator again.) Add them to a skillet with a little bit of milk. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add more milk as needed to get the desired consistency.