Pepperoni Mac and Cheese Is the Cozy Mashup We Need Right Now

We added tomato paste and Italian spices to a classic Mornay sauce for this weeknight-friendly macaroni-and-cheese-meets-pepperoni-pizza mashup. The curlicues of cavatappi, a hollow, corkscrew-shaped pasta, grip as much of the gooey, cheesy sauce as possible. Pepperoni layered throughout and over the top adds that familiar pizza flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is pepperoni?

Pepperoni is a sausage made with pork, turkey, or a blend of beef and pork. It is traditionally cured with nitrates or nitrites and seasoned with paprika and a variety of chilies. Although primarily known as a pizza topping and found in pepperoni rolls, pepperoni slices add new flavors to chicken parmesan and even salads.

What is a substitute for cavatappi?

Cavatappi is a medium-sized pasta commonly known as a double elbow pasta. Look for it with other dried pastas at the grocery store or use rotini, elbows, rigatoni, bow-tie, or penne in it’s place.