Garlic Confit Mac & Cheese

This Garlic Confit Mac & Cheese is a decadent, ultra-cheesy pasta dish loaded with rich roasted garlic flavor. Garlic cloves are gently confited in olive oil, then mashed into butter to form the base of a velvety cheese sauce. With layers of cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, and even a hint of velveeta, this dish is gooey, creamy, and baked to perfection. Topped with more cheese and crisped in the oven, it’s a garlic lover’s dream comfort food.

Author: These Carbs Don't Count

Category: Pasta

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: MEDIUM

Prep. Time:

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4 bowls

Calories: 1,260 kcal per serving

Ingredients

1 pound - pasta
30 cloves - garlic
⅛ - Olive oil
⅛ - Salt
4 tablespoon - butter
2 cup - heavy cream
½ teaspoon - garlic powder
½ teaspoon - onion powder
½ teaspoon - paprika
1 ½ cup - cheddar cheese
1 cup - mozzarella cheese
½ cup - Parmesan cheese
4 small cube - Velveeta cheese
⅛ - Reserved pasta water

Instructions

Add garlic cloves to a pan and cover with olive oil. Add a pinch of salt.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes until soft and slightly browned. Transfer garlic and oil to a bowl to cool.
Cook pasta in salted boiling water until very al dente. Reserve some pasta water and drain.
In a new pan, melt butter and mash in the confited garlic cloves. Cook briefly to infuse.
Pour in heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to taste.
Stir in cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Velveeta cubes until melted and smooth.
Add cooked pasta and a dash of pasta water. Stir to coat evenly.
Transfer to a baking dish, top with more cheddar and mozzarella.
Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly. Serve hot.