Try This Breakfast: Mac and Cheese
I have great news, macaroni lovers: Contrary to what you may have been told, mac and cheese can be breakfast. Not even as an obsessive “I do what I want” statement, but as a satisfying start to the day and a smart way to use up leftover pasta. I should also note that it only takes a few minutes. Start your day like a responsible adult with a bowl of mac and cheese for breakfast.
At first glance, it seems that the highlight of this dish is the large amount of cheese, which creates a thick sauce. You’re right: the cheese does play a key role, but the soft scrambled egg is actually the unsung hero, making up a significant portion of the sauce and adding to its consistency. Eggs, combined with the right combination of cheeses, become a little curd that coats the pasta. When you scoop it, the cheese stretches and melts, and it tastes like a creamy treat – just like mac and cheese should be – with the added bonus of protein from the eggs.
How to Make Breakfast Macaroni and Cheese
Start by preparing your cheese combination. Just as a grilled cheese sandwich uses dairy , so does a good pasta product. Different cheeses behave differently when heated: some are more elastic, others melt perfectly, and some do not melt at all. I like it to melt and stretch a little, so I used a soft havarti, a little cheddar and a dollop of cream cheese to create a savory base.
Beat two eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Melt a teaspoon of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the remaining cold pasta and let it appear in crispy spots. If the pasta has turned into an indestructible brick, add a teaspoon of water and cover the pan for a few minutes. The moisture will help soften the pasta.
At this point I chopped up the chicken sausage and added it to the pan. Once the eggs are in, the dish will be ready in no time, so if you want to add vegetables, meat or seasonings, add them now while the pasta is heating. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula. When you see crispy brown areas appearing on the noodles, add cheese. Mix them with the rest of the ingredients and then pour in the eggs.
Turn off the heat immediately after adding the eggs and stir. Cover the pan with a lid and leave on the hot burner for two to three minutes. The eggs will continue to cook gently and the cheeses will continue to melt completely. If you leave the heat on, the eggs will cook (and possibly overcook) before the cheese is heated through. It will still taste good, but it won’t have the creamy texture.
Remove the lid and stir the mixture again. I topped it all with chopped green onions (because they’re vegetables) and piled the golden mixture into a bowl. This is a great breakfast to make if you have a container of leftover pasta, but you can also quickly boil up some fresh noodles if you’re feeling fancy. Feel free to personalize the add-ins beyond the sausage slices. Instead, add frozen peas, chopped peppers, or cooked bacon.
Breakfast Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients:
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2 eggs
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1 teaspoon butter
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A pinch of salt
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1 cup leftover cooked pasta
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1 sliced sausage patty (or other add-ons)
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1 ounce havarti cheese, coarsely chopped
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¼ cup grated cheddar
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1 tablespoon cream cheese
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Garnish with chopped onions
1. Beat the eggs in a bowl and set aside. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add butter. Add the remaining pasta and chopped sausage (or whatever add-ins you’re using) with a pinch of salt and stir with a rubber spatula.
2. Once the pasta begins to brown in spots, add the chopped havarti, shredded cheddar and cream cheese. Stir briefly before pouring in the beaten eggs. Turn off the heat and stir the mixture for a while.
3. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and leave on a warm burner for 2-3 minutes. Open the lid and stir the macaroni and cheese. The cheese should be completely melted and the eggs should be cooked and mixed with the cheese. If the mixture is wetter than you prefer, cover it again and you can even turn the heat up for another minute or so. Garnish with chopped onions and enjoy warm.