Paula Deen Mac and Cheese Pie

Paula Deen Mac and Cheese Pie puts creamy baked macaroni and cheese inside a golden pie crust, topped with bacon, buttery crackers, and fresh tomato. It feeds six in about 40 minutes. Bring this to a potluck or church supper and watch it disappear before the main course hits the table.

The cheese sauce makes or breaks this pie. Paula tempers an egg yolk into a milk and flour base, then melts in sharp cheddar and provolone until it coats a spoon. Skip the tempering and you get scrambled eggs in your macaroni. That sauce is what holds every bite together once it sets in the crust.

Blind bake the piecrust until the bottom starts to brown, or the filling will make it soggy. You can cook the macaroni and crumble the bacon a day ahead. Let the pie cool a full 10 minutes after baking so the slices hold their shape when you cut.

Paula Deen Mac and Cheese Pie

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Course: Side DishCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

410

kcal

A rich cheese sauce made with sharp cheddar, provolone, and an egg yolk coats elbow macaroni and bakes inside a flaky pie crust until bubbly. Crushed buttery crackers and crumbled bacon on top add crunch to every slice.

Ingredients

• 1 (9-inch) frozen piecrust
  

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  

• 1½ tablespoons All-purpose flour
  

• ¼ teaspoon salt
  

• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
  

• 1⅓ cups whole milk
  

• 1 large egg yolk
  

• ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  

• ½ cup shredded provolone cheese
  

• 2 cups cooked small elbow macaroni (about 1 cup uncooked)
  

• 3 thin slices tomato, halved
  

• ¼ cup crushed round buttery crackers
  

• ¼ cup crumbled cooked bacon
  

• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion

Directions

• Preheat: Preheat oven to 375˚F.
• Prep the crust: Using a fork, pierce bottom of piecrust 10 times; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover edges of piecrust with foil. Let stand for 10 minutes to thaw slightly.
• Blind bake: Bake until bottom of crust begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove foil. Leaven oven on.
• Make the sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in milk. Heat, whisking constantly, until simmering. Remove from heat.
• Temper the egg: In a medium bowl, place egg yolk. Whisk in half of hot milk mixture. Add egg yolk mixture to remaining hot milk mixture in pan, whisking until combined. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Assemble: Stir ½ cup Cheddar and provolone into sauce until melted. Stir in macaroni. Spoon mixture into prepared crust. Top with remaining ¼ cup Cheddar, tomato, crackers, and bacon.
• Bake: Bake until bubbly, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Top with green onion.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, Nordic Ware half sheet pan, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can you use a homemade pie crust instead of frozen?

Yes, a homemade crust works fine. Roll it out, fit it into the pie dish, and still blind bake it before adding the filling. The pre-bake step matters more than the crust type because a raw bottom turns gummy under the wet cheese sauce.

How long does mac and cheese pie keep in the fridge?

Covered tightly, it keeps for three to four days. Reheat slices in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. The microwave works in a pinch, but the crust loses its crispness.

Can you assemble this the night before and bake it in the morning?

You can make the cheese sauce and cook the macaroni ahead, but do not fill the crust until you are ready to bake. A filled crust sitting overnight will absorb moisture and go soft. Combine and fill right before the oven.

Why did my pie filling come out runny?

The sauce probably did not cook long enough after adding the egg yolk. It needs to bubble for about two minutes on medium-low heat so the yolk thickens it. Pulling it off the heat too early leaves it thin, and the pie will not set.

What does tempering the egg yolk do?

Tempering slowly raises the yolk's temperature by whisking in hot liquid a little at a time. Dumping a cold yolk straight into hot milk would cook it instantly, leaving you with bits of scrambled egg in the sauce. The extra step keeps the sauce smooth.