Greek Mac & Cheese

A twist on baked Mac and Cheese with creamy Feta cheese sauce, pasta and spinach.

Back in the nineties, when everything had to be low-fat, or “lite,” I subscribed to Cooking Light magazine. Cooking Light taught me how to make an easy cream sauce by putting the flour in the pan first and whisking in the milk, instead of starting with melted butter. This recipe is where I first used that technique. I often make mac and cheese this way. We always have several kinds of cheese in our refrigerator, so it’s different every time.

I sent this recipe to my mom and in usual fashion, Myra put her spin on it and called it Greek Mac & Cheese. I don’t use processed cheese. I think you can get a smooth creamy sauce without it, but her recipe calls for it!

Be sure to get Greek Feta. As I said in the post for Spanakopita, it really makes a difference in the taste. Myra’s Restaurant always had a 5-gallon bucket of Feta from Greece that we used. It’s so much better.

Try pickled beets as a side with this dish. It’s very pretty and quite delicious!

Greek Mac & Cheese

Pasta in a Feta cheese sauce with spinach

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Entrees and Favorite Rice Combinations, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Greek, vegetarian

Servings 6 to 8 servings

Equipment

• 1 large saucepan to heat milk
• 1 large pot to cook pasta
• 1 3 quart casserole dish to bake the Mac & Cheese
• 1 whisk and a spatula for stirring

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 TBLS butter or margarine
• 2 teas. dry mustard
• 1/2 teas. black pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 2 oz. Shredded Fontina or swiss cheese
• 4 oz. Greek Feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 oz. grated Romano cheese I used Parmesan
• 2 oz. processed cheese such as American or Velveeta I used a shredded Mexican cheese mix I had on hand.
• 6 cups macaroni or your favorite pasta of choice (3 cups uncooked)
• 1/4 teas. salt
• 1 10 oz. package of frozen spinach, thawed, drained
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs or panko
• cooking spray or oil

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Sauté the onions in butter or margarine until soft and transparent. Turn off the heat.
• Place the flour, dry mustard and pepper in the saucepan. Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick (5 to 8 minutes). Add the cheeses, stirring frequently, until melted. Turn off the heat and add the spinach, salt and the pasta and mix together.
• Put the mixture in your casserole dish that you have sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle the bread crumbs or panko over the mixture.

  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until bubbling.

Notes

I don’t use processed cheese. I think you can get a smooth creamy sauce without it.

Keyword Greek, spinach and feta, milk