Cheesy baked bean pasta is a delicious and comforting play on mac & cheese, featuring 3 types of cheese, bechamel sauce and Hendersons relish.
This fun take on mac and cheese is pretty simple to make, and it cooks in around 45 minutes, which includes all preparation.
Baked Bean Mac and Cheese
Cheesy baked bean pasta may sound like an abomination to many, but it's a glorious throwback to my student days. No, it's not haute cuisine, but it is a glorious slice of comfort food.
It is essentially mac and cheese with baked beans and a couple of extras, and I love it.
A tin of baked beans is often maligned in the food world, but they are tasty, relatively nutritious and cheap, and most importantly, like many Brits, I love them!
You'll see them here served with everything from a fry up to my corned beef and potato pie. They even make an appearance as an ingredient in my fish finger pie!
They are livened up with a bit of Hendersons relish and loads of chives before being topped with my take on mac & cheese.
My choice of cheese includes some fantastic sharp Cheddar cheese for flavour, sweet and nutty Gruyere for its melting properties and Peccorino for more big flavour and a golden topping.
It's not pretty food, it's not grand food, but my gosh, it will make you smile from the deepest parts of your belly!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different types of pasta?
Yes, of course, you want something quite short with lots of holes or ridges to hold onto that cheese sauce.
Everything from rigatoni to fusilli and penne to cavatappi works well.
Can I use different types of cheese?
Yes, use whatever you have, but you want something with a good flavour profile and nice melting characteristics.
I use Cheddar for big bold flavours and Gruyere for sweet nutty tones. But everything from a good Red Leicester or Wensleydale, French Comte or Swiss Raclette deserve special mention.
Mozzarella is often a favourite, and it does have wonderful melting properties, but it lacks in flavour!
What is Hendersons relish?
Hendersons is an old British condiment, similar but different to Worcestershire sauce. I use it in a lot of my vegetarian/Vegan recipes because it is better than any brand of Veggie/Vegan Worcestershire sauce I have ever tried!
You can substitute it for Worcestershire sauce or mushroom ketchup if you wish. The former is not vegetarian, the latter is.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, you can cook this completely, cool it and refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Chuck it in the oven covered with foil when you are ready to reheat it until it is piping hot all the way through.
Serving Suggestions
This cheesy bean pasta bake recipe is properly hearty, and it is more than enough to stand on its own as a meal.
However, something extra to mop up the bean and "mac and cheese" juice is more than welcome.
I've added some garlic bread in the pictures on this page, but you could double down on the cheese and add some cheesy garlic bread.
If you are after something a little different, serving this as a side for 3 or 4 people makes a great side for some bacon and sausages.
It would also be great served with my bacon chops recipe!
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- Oven.
- 20cm or 8" Saucepan.
- 17cm or 7" Saucepan.
- Sieve or colander.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- 2 x 15cm x 10cm (6" x 4") baking dishes.
- Mixing bowls.
- Grater.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Cheesy Pasta with Baked Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 175 g Dried Pasta 6oz (I use macaroni)
- 30 g Butter 2 Tbsp
- 30 g Plain Flour 3 Tbsp
- 325 ml Milk 1⅓ Cups
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon White Pepper
- 1 Pinch Nutmeg
- 75 g Cheddar Cheese ¾ Cup Grated
- 75 g Gruyere Cheese ¾ Cup Grated
- 25 g Peccorino Cheese ¼ Cup Grated
- 400 g Tin Baked Beans 14oz
- 2 tablespoon Hendersons Relish
- 20 g Chives ½ Cup
Instructions
- Bring a 20cm or 8" saucepan of well salted water to a boil. I use 1½-2 teaspoons of salt in a pan this size.
- Grate the Cheddar and Gruyere cheeses.
- Finely chop the chives.
- Heat the 17cm or 7" saucepan over a medium heat and add the butter.
- When the butter has melted, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- By now the pasta water should be boiling, add the macaroni and cook for 30 seconds less than it says on the packet.
- Return to the butter and flour (roux) and add the milk little by little, stirring constantly.Do not add the next "glug" of milk until the base is smooth. You should end up with a smooth and lump free bechamel sauce in 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the Gruyere and Cheddar cheeses until melted, doing this in 3-4 batches makes it easier.
- Add the salt, white pepper and nutmeg, then stir to combine.
- By now the pasta should be cooked, drain it and add it to the cheese sauce along with half of the chives and stir to combine.
- Divide the baked beans between the two baking dishes, then sprinkle the Hendersons relish over the beans.
- Sprinkle most of the remaining chives (reserve a few for garnish) over the beans.
- Divide the mac and cheese mix between the two baking dishes.
- Grate the pecorino cheese, sprinkle it over the two baking dishes and transfer to the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes at 200°C or 395°C or until nicely golden on top.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before sprinkling with the remaining chives and serving.
