Brie Mac and Cheese

Brie mac and cheese is a very adult version of a childhood favourite. Made with brie, white wine, and fresh thyme and topped with toasted Panko breadcrumbs, this is the perfect vegetarian dinner for those nights when you want something delicious that's ready in under half an hour.

If you love cheesy pasta with a crunchy topping, this brie mac and cheese is the perfect recipe to try. I personally love melted brie to bits and the cheese truly shines in this recipe.

This is not your regular mac and cheese, though. It's a grown-up version made with white wine and fresh herbs that pairs great with a glass of Chardonnay.

The good news is that this baked brie mac and cheese is super easy to make. I use an oven-proof cast-iron casserole to make it so I can easily transfer the dish from hob to oven.

You can also make the brie cheese sauce in a large pan then use a separate baking dish for the oven step.

Ingredients for brie mac and cheese

You only need a handful of ingredients to make this macaroni and brie cheese recipe.

• Brie cheese — Use your preferred brie for this mac and cheese. You'll need a whole 200 g (7 oz) block, and you should leave the rind on because it will melt and the flavour will be amazing. If you tend to remove the rind on your brie, this brilliant article from Bon Appétit may change your mind.
• Butter — You'll need butter for the sauce and an extra bit for toasting the breadcrumbs. Unsalted butter is great because you don't want to end up with a very salty mac and cheese.
• Garlic — I make this mac and cheese with a bit of crushed garlic, which I think pairs great with thyme and brie. You can skip it if you don't want the sauce to be garlicky.
• Dijon mustard — Use just a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to balance the rich flavours of this mac and cheese.
• Fresh thyme — Take the flavour of the mac and cheese to the next level with some freshly chopped thyme. Dried thyme would also work, but use just half a teaspoon instead.
• White wine — I typically use Sauvignon Blanc in this recipe, but any dry white wine would do. If you don't cook with wine, simply skip it.
• Double cream — You can use single cream (half-and-half) instead of double cream to reduce the fat content and calories, but be prepared to lose some of the creaminess.
• Panko breadcrumbs — Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb with a very crispy texture. Unlike Italian breadcrumbs, panko ones don't absorb too much oil, which makes them perfect for a mac and cheese topping.

How do you make it?

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the pasta 1 minute less than recommended on the package.
• Meanwhile, melt 20 g of butter in a large oven-proof cast-iron casserole. Add the brie and cook on medium heat until melted.
• Stir in the garlic and Dijon mustard. Cook for 1 minute and then add the fresh thyme and white wine.

• Next, stir in the double cream and cook for another minute. Transfer the cooked pasta to the casserole and stir well to combine.
• Now it's time to preheat the oven to 200° Celsius (395° Fahrenheit).
• In a separate small pan, melt 10 g butter and toast the panko breadcrumbs for 1-2 minutes over medium heat.
• Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs over the pasta and bake for 5-10 minutes or until golden.

Recipe notes and tips

• The mac and cheese shouldn't need any extra salt because it has enough from the salted pasta, brie and mustard. However, you should check and season to taste before adding the breadcrumbs.
• If you don't cook with wine, you may substitute it with the same quantity of vegetable stock.
• You can make this brie mac and cheese your own by adding extras such as baby spinach, broccoli florets, or peas. If you're not a vegetarian, some pancetta would also work great.

If you liked this brie mac and cheese, you might also like:

Creamy Hot Smoked Salmon Pasta

Easy Salmon Pesto Pasta with Pine Nuts

Creamy Whisky Pasta with Smoked Salmon

Pasta alla Boscaiola (Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta)

Easiest Ever Creamy Prawn Linguine (Linguine con Gamberi)

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