Swiss cheese mac and cheese savory with mushrooms will become one of your favorites. If we could eat happiness, it would be Mac and Cheese. This easy stovetop recipe made creamy with a luscious Swiss Cheese Sauce.
Swiss Cheese. I hold this hole-ridden treat in adoration as it’s given me many great pots of fondue, added the perfect compliment to a simple turkey sandwich and has caused me to swoon when combined with mushrooms as a topping for a burger.
Not to mention a fabulous partner for cauliflower for this Creamy Swiss Cheese Cauliflower side dish. It’s mild and sweet and offers a lot to love.
Best Swiss cheese to use for Macaroni and Cheese
And my favorite brand? Jarlsberg of course. Jarlsberg is marketed as Swiss cheese because of its characteristics, but it tends to be sweeter and stronger. And it melts wonderfully.
So grab a package of Jarlsberg Swiss Cheese from the deli, pick up a pint of mushrooms, and all you need is some butter and milk and your favorite mac and cheese pasta.
And you’ll stir up one of the best Swiss mac and cheese dishes you’ve ever had.
Mushrooms and Swiss, classic partners, combined with a white sauce and pasta was a perfect side dish for our braised chicken thighs dinner …which are an indulgent story all their own.
Why Use Pasta Water? … Because It’s Gold
I credit the creamy consistency of this dish to reserved pasta water which was added to the white sauce.
Why? This soupy water that you throw down the drain is a miracle ingredient. It contains essential starch that can be used to adjust sauce or gravy, to thin or thicken.
I learned this trick years ago from my Mother. She also used reserved water from boiled potatoes to make the most delicious fried chicken gravy.
Recipe for Swiss Cheese Mac and Cheese With Mushrooms
I hope you give this mushroom mac and cheese recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.
Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes. And if you have a favorite macaroni and cheese recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
- Hatch Chile Mac and Cheese
- Mac and Cheese with Tomatoes
- Flemings Steak House Chipotle Macaroni and Cheese
And don’t miss my Pasta Category. You’ll find lots of main course pasta recipes and side dish pasta ideas. Including the most popular pasta recipe on my site for Spicy Creamy Shrimp Pasta.
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Creamy Swiss Cheese Mac and Cheese with Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 pint mushrooms sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 4 ounces Swiss cheese Jarlsberg
- reserved pasta water
- ½ pound elbow macaroni
Instructions
- For the mushrooms: In a fry pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and saute until the moisture evaporates and mushrooms are just starting to brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
- For the white sauce: Combine olive oil and butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. When butter is melted and starting to bubble add the flour and cook stirring constantly. Sprinkle in a little more flour if needed to make a thick roux. Cook for about a minute and a half. Add the milk and stir until the sauce thickens. Add cheese and blend well. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Right before draining the pasta, reserve about a cup of the hot pasta water. Drain the pasta and mix it with the white sauce. Add the mushrooms. Mix everything together well while drizzling in some of the reserved pasta water until you reach that perfect creamy consistency.
Nutrition
Creamy Swiss Mac and Cheese with Mushrooms …It’s what’s for a Side Dish.
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
I know Ms. Goofy would like this recipe. I would add one more ingredient. I bet you cannot guess? It starts with b and ends with acon.
It most certainly could use a couple bits of bacon. What was I thinking????
I love mac and cheese, even those ones in boxes, yes, I know. I often add mushrooms to my pasta but not with a cheese sauce; great idea! This looks wonderful!
Nazneen, I love that stuff in the blue box too! 🙂
What great looking mac ‘n cheese! I love the idea of making this with mushrooms — I’m so going to steal that! And the pasta water trick is a good one — I know it, but I so rarely use it. I have to change that. Good post — thanks.
Steal away John, and let me know how you like it.
I admit to not being a great fan of mac and cheese. I know. I am weird. However my father and my daughter are giant fans-so I will tuck this away for future reference. It looks so good, LeaAnn. And I use pasta water, too. Makes all the difference in the world!
I think you’re the first person that I’ve ever heard that isn’t a fan of mac and cheese. Wish I could say that, I’d weigh less. 🙂
I am with you 100% on Swiss cheese and pasta water. Miracle ingredient indeed, it is a wondrous addition to sauces.
Thanks Chris.
Comfort food at its finest!!
Couldn’t agree more Deborah. 🙂
Jarlsberg is my favorite in so many cheesy dishes! I never thought of putting mushrooms in Mac and cheese. A delicious idea!
Thanks Susan.
I hate you for posting this! 😉 Because I am going to make this and eat the whole thing. Some of my favorite flavors, swiss and mushrooms! UUgh- is it lunchtime yet? Pinned!
LOL, and I’ve hated you for a couple of things you’ve posted. 😉
Your version of one of our favorite dishes looks delicious. Lea Ann. I’ve made the same old recipe for years and I need to change things up a bit. Adding some pasta water adds a lot to most pasta dishes but, unfortunately, I usually don’t think of it until I pour the noodles into my colander to drain.
Thanks Cathy. Let me know what you think if you try it.
Mmmmm, this really sounds delicious. Mushrooms and Swiss are like beans and rice, a perfect couple, then add them to pasta, and you have a great comforting dish.
Thanks Karen. And now thanks to you I’m craving Beans and rice.
Sounds absolutely wonderful!!!!!
Thanks Jenn.
Love the idea of the mushrooms in the mac and cheese. I think they not only add additional flavor, but give the dish a bit of meaty taste. Your photo is fantastic too.
Sam
Thanks Sam. And I agree, loved the texture they added.
this mac and cheese is FANCY!
Fancy!? Love it. 🙂 Now you’ve got me feeling all sophisticated.
Holy schnikes! This looks totally feed the kids cake—send them on their way—fire up a candle or two—brush my teeth—pop a cork (or three)—put on some Barry White—let the dish take it from there! (This is absolutely right up my alley.)
LOL – I’m speechless. 🙂
Sounds delicious Lea Ann and I’ll remember the starchy water trick. I sure agree with your paring of the mushrooms and Swiss.
Thanks Larry. And the potato water when you make gravy… and that’s an order. 🙂
This is my kind of food! Creamy and comforting for sure. I can see why it is one of your all time best mac and cheese creations!
Thanks Holly.
Hi Lea Ann! Now you have me thinking about the chicken thighs… I think you left us hanging there 😉 I’m drooling over this mac & cheese. It’s so nice when the ingredients from the fridge turn into incredible!!
Good to hear from you Jaime. Yup, those chicken thighs will be a blog post soon.
Oh Lea Ann, love this kind of creamy comfort food, and the mushrooms take it to a whole new level.
Great idea to reserve the pasta water. I so often forget that is the secret ingredient for creamy pastas. I love the Swiss cheese take!
This looks decadent and delicious! I love the added mushrooms. YUM.