Glorified Mac and Cheese
If you've got macaroni, shredded cheese and hot dogs, you're most of the way to this vegetarian: about 65 minutes of cooking across 7 steps. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and frying pan / skillet. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni until just al dente according to the package, then drain and set aside.
- Slice the hot dogs into coins and brown them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly caramelized at the edges and heated through, then set aside.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour and cook the roux for 1 to 2 minutes until it is pale gold and no longer smells raw.
- Gradually whisk in the milk, then cook, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Lower the heat and stir in most of the shredded cheese a handful at a time until the sauce is smooth, then season with salt and pepper.
- Fold the drained macaroni and the browned hot dog coins into the cheese sauce until everything is well coated.
- Transfer to a buttered baking dish, scatter the reserved cheese over the top, and bake at 190 C (375 F) for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbling and golden, then rest 5 minutes before serving.
You'll use: Oven · Frying pan / skillet · Saucepan · Pan · Large pot
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
Tips & common questions
How long does Glorified Mac and Cheese take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Glorified Mac and Cheese vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Glorified Mac and Cheese is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Glorified mac and cheese.jpg by Mahagaja, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.