Salt
16 ounces (2 boxes) dried gluten-free elbow macaroni
4 ounces soft goat cheese (chevre), crumbled
4 ounces aged white Cheddar, grated
1 large bunch lacinato kale, stems removed, leaves cut into ribbons
1Cook the macaroni. Set a large pot of salted water over high heat. (Add enough salt to the water to make it taste like the ocean.) Bring the water to a boil. Add the macaroni. Stir for at least 1 minute to make sure the pieces do not stick together. Set the timer for 8 minutes.
2Set up the sauce. While the pasta is boiling, put the goat cheese, Cheddar and kale in the bottom of a large, wide bowl.
3Finish the dish. When the macaroni is tender but still has a bite (al dente), remove it from the pot with a Chinese spider or slotted spoon. Put it on top of the cheese and kale. Pour in about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the water the macaroni cooked in. Let everything sit for 5 minutes. Stir the mixture until the macaroni is coated in a creamy sauce, with kale dotted through it.
rated 4.0 of 5 stars
Level: Easy
Total: 25 min
Prep: 10 min
Inactive: 5 min
Cook: 10 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
]It seems sometimes there are only two choices with macaroni and cheese: Make it from scratch with a roux and slow-simmered cheese sauce, or tear open a box and make it in minutes. It turns out you don't have to choose between quality and convenience. This quick method uses goat cheese, aged white Cheddar and gluten-free pasta. Throw in some dark lacinato kale and you have a complete meal in about 25 minutes.
Cook’s Note
You can use any cheeses you like here. Just be sure to use one soft cheese, such as goat cheese or cream cheese. Try gruyere or pecorino in place of the Cheddar. And any dark greens, such as Swiss chard or spinach, will work well as a substitute for kale.