Sourdough Mac and Cheese | A Discard Recipe

Learn how delicious it is to make homemade sourdough mac and cheese! Use your sourdough discard to make a creamy cheese sauce to pour over tender noodles and top with a delightful breadcrumb crunch. Your whole family will love this oven-baked comfort food.

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All of my kids love homemade mac and cheese, but this is my oldest son’s personal favorite. Years ago, I taught my kids how easy it was to make a cheese sauce from a roux and it’s been a staple comfort food in our home ever since! This baked mac and cheese is a creative way to use sourdough discard and those pesky stale ends from your last sourdough loaf. Whether it’s a weekday dinner, or a summer barbeque side, you’ll love this recipe as much as we do!

Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Mac and Cheese Recipe

• Discard recipe – Consider this a new addition to your discard recipe repertoire! Just like in my sourdough bechamel sauce, sourdough discard is a great way to replace the traditional flour mixture to thicken sauces. 
• Side dish – If it was up to my son, mac and cheese would always be the main event! However, this baked mac and cheese with sourdough bread crumbs makes the perfect side dish for your family dinner table.
• ​Healthier alternative – A healthy mac and cheese recipe is hard to come by, but with whole ingredients, this is a tasty option that you can feel good about!
• Bread crumb topping – If you’ve never had mac and cheese with bread crumbs, you’re missing out! They add a great crunch that contrasts with the creamy pasta. You don’t want to skip the crunchy sourdough breadcrumbs, they’re what makes this dish extra special!

Mac and Cheese with Sourdough Discard Ingredients

Mac n Cheese Ingredients

• Sourdough discard – I suggest using freshly fed sourdough discard for a subtle sourdough flavor. As more time passes since the last feeding, the tangier the unfed sourdough starter discard will be. 
• Butter – Using unsalted melted butter for the base of the cream sauce allows you to adjust the salt level according to your preferences. 
• Milk – Whole milk will make the cheese sauce extra creamy. I wouldn’t use anything with a lower fat content. 
• Cheese – I like to use a combination of cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. The cheddar cheese gives the sauce great flavor, while the Monterey Jack cheese melts nice and smooth.
• Salt – A dash of salt for flavor.
• Dijon mustard – Don’t worry, the mac and cheese won’t taste like mustard. The addition of Dijon adds a little something something, that is missing if you leave it out.
• Cayenne – I love a subtle hint of spice on the backend of a bite of mac and cheese. It’s barely noticeable and not so hot that it will burn your mouth, but you can opt to leave it out if you want.
• Pasta – Traditionally, macaroni and cheese uses macaroni pasta, but you can use any style of your favorite shortcut pasta. 

Bread Crumb Topping Ingredients

• Bread crumbs – Using bread crumbs for mac and cheese creates a nice contrast in texture from the creamy cheesy pasta. Use plain bread crumbs or make your own with stale sourdough bread.  
• Butter – Melted butter gives the bread crumbs their crunch as it bakes. Use unsalted butter to control the level of salt. 
• Parmesan cheese – Adds another layer of flavor to the dish. 
• Salt – Adds flavor and yumminess to the breadcrumbs.

I’ve been loving this cheddar cheese lately. It makes a lightly-colored cheese sauce and tastes fantastic!

How to Make Homemade Mac and Cheese 

Cook the Macaroni

While you prepare the pasta, preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C.

Add 6 quarts of water and 1 tsp of salt to a large pot over medium-high heat. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add the macaroni to the water and stir to separate the pasta. 

Cook the pasta just short of al dente where the macaroni still has a bit of a bite or chew to it. Check pasta 2 minutes before the package instructions’ cooking time. Strain and set aside. 

Undercooking the pasta is key to not having mushy noodles since the pasta continues to cook when you bake the mac and cheese in the oven. If you like soft mac and cheese, cook the pasta until al dente.

While the pasta cooks, prepare the sourdough cheese sauce. 

Sourdough Cheese Sauce

Shred cheddar cheese and Monterey cheese and toss together in a bowl to combine. Remove ½ cup of cheese and place it in a small bowl, and set aside. ½ ¼

Melt 56 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Whisk in 250 g (1 cup) sourdough discard until it’s fully incorporated, and then add 750 g (3 cups) whole milk.

Continue whisking the mixture as it heats up and thickens. When the sauce is thick enough that it leaves a trail as you stir it, add 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. While whisking, add the shredded cheese in small amounts (roughly ½ cup portions), letting it melt before adding more. Continue whisking until the sauce is smooth. 

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir, coating the pasta with the cheese mixture. Smooth out the pasta with the back of a spoon and add reserved shredded cheese evenly over the top of the pasta.

Breadcrumb Topping for Mac and Cheese

​Add 240 g (2 cups) breadcrumbs, 50 g (½ cup) parmesan cheese, and ¼ tsp salt to a small bowl and toss to combine. 

Pour 28 g (2 tbsp) melted butter over the top and stir until the breadcrumbs are well-coated. 

Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the cheesy pasta, making sure to reach the edges. 

Bake

Place the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the bread crumbs turn golden brown.

Tips

• For a smooth sauce, skip the pre-shredded cheese and buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself. Because most store-bought shredded cheese is full of cellulose to avoid clumping, they don’t melt as smoothly as cheese you grate yourself.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days. The breadcrumb topping does soften as more time passes.

FAQs

What’s the best pot to make homemade sourdough mac and cheese in? 

You can cook the cheese sauce in a large saucepan and the pasta in a large pot, then transfer them to a 9×13 baking dish. However, I prefer to make the sauce in a shallow Dutch oven, add the cooked pasta to it, and then bake it. This creates one less dish to wash. Plus, it has a lid, making it easy to store leftovers.

What kind of cheese is best in macaroni and cheese?

Any flavorful, melty cheese will work well in mac n cheese. I prefer medium cheddar and Monterey Jack, but Colby, mozzarella, Gruyère, Gouda, and Fontina are all good options.

How do I reheat leftover homemade mac and cheese?

An oven is the best way to reheat leftover mac and cheese. Place the mac and cheese in an oven-safe container and cover with a piece of aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F/177°C, removing the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking. If the mac and cheese seems dry, add a bit of milk to the bottom of the pan.

What to Serve With Sourdough Mac and Cheese

Baked mac and cheese with bread crumbs is the ultimate comfort food that you can enjoy year-round. It makes the perfect side dish for your next backyard BBQ or picnic, served with juicy smoked brisket or brisket sandwiches. As the seasons turn cooler, enjoiy it with my perfect roast chicken.

Regardless of the occasion or time of year, a bowl of this mac and cheese will always be comforting and delicious.