Creamy Cavatappi
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If you’re looking for a grown-up mac and cheese recipe, this Creamy Cavatappi is exactly the dish you need to make ASAP! This fancy version of macaroni and cheese features cavatappi pasta, parmesan cheese, and gruyere cheese in a super creamy, perfectly seasoned sauce. It’s decadent, delicious, and easy to make in just 25 minutes!
Table of contents
I love cavatappi pasta! Translated to “corkscrew” in Italian, this spiral pasta is like macaroni’s fancier older cousin. It’s sometimes referred to as cellentani, spirali, or double elbow pasta, and you can use it anytime that you’d use macaroni or elbow pasta. It’s great in pasta salads, with marinara sauce or tossed with pesto.
In this creamy cavatappi recipe, I’m using the pasta as the base for a fancy, gourmet mac and cheese. It’s like that bowl of luxurious macaroni and cheese that you order at a fancy steakhouse. The taste is rich, creamy, flavorful, and guaranteed to be your new favorite leveled-up mac and cheese recipe!
Besides being incredibly delicious, it’s also easy to make in only 25 minutes. So even though it feels luxurious, it’s not just for special occasions! This pasta can easily be whipped up any night of the week.
Ingredients
- Cavatappi noodles – these noodles can be found on the pasta aisle at most major grocery stores. If purchasing the brand Barilla, they’ll be labeled as cellentani pasta. You can also order cavatappi noodles online, if you can’t find them in a store near you.
- Parmesan cheese – this hard Italian cheese is salty, sweet and nutty. It adds a delicious depth of flavor to the cheese sauce in this recipe. You’ll want to freshly grate an 8 ounce block of parmesan for this recipe.
- Gruyere cheese – gruyere is a type of swiss cheese that is typically aged longer than a traditional swiss. I prefer gruyere in this recipe because it has a stronger flavor than swiss cheese. It has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor, that pairs perfectly with the rich, bold flavors in this recipe. You’ll want to freshly shred an entire 8 ounce block of gruyere for this recipe.
- Unsalted butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter, so that I can determine how much salt I want to add to the recipe. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt in this recipe by 1/2 teaspoon.
- Garlic – I recommend fresh minced cloves for the best flavor.
- All-purpose flour – used to make a roux, to thicken the cheese sauce. You can also make it without flour, and use cornstarch instead. You will only need half of the amount of cornstarch, because cornstarch has more thickening power than flour. For this recipe you’ll need 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to replace the 1/4 cup flour.
- Salt + black pepper – to season the cavatappi sauce.
- Italian seasoning – click the link for my easy, homemade seasoning mix. It’s filled with delicious herbs, like parsley, rosemary and thyme. It also includes minced onions and garlic, which add great flavor to this recipe. You can make it ahead of time and store it in the pantry for up to 6 months. You can also purchase pre-made Italian seasoning on the spice aisle at the grocery store.
- Half-and-half – you can use 2% or whole milk, but the sauce will not be as thick and creamy if you don’t use half-and-half. I’ve made this recipe with both, and either will work, but I do prefer the texture of the cheese sauce made with half-and-half.
- Lemon juice – add a zest of flavor and acidity to brighten the sauce at the end with fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
To start this recipe, salt a large pot of water and bring it to boil on the stove. Add the cavatappi pasta and cook according to the package directions, until the pasta is tender. Drain and set it aside.
- Grate an entire 8 ounce block of gruyere cheese and an 8 ounce block of parmesan cheese. You can use a box grater, or the grater attachment on a food processor, or KitchenAid mixer. Set the grated cheese aside.
- Melt butter in a large sauce pan, or pot, on the stove over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add flour to the pot with the melted butter and garlic.
- Stir everything to combine to form a roux. This mixture will thicken the cheese sauce.
- Season the roux with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Slowly pour half and half into the pot and bring it to a gentle boil.
- Turn the heat on the stove to medium-low and stir in the shredded parmesan and gruyere cheese.
- Continue stirring until the cheese has completely melted into the sauce. Turn the heat off on the stove.
- Add lemon juice and the cooked noodles to the pot. Stir to combine the pasta with the sauce until it’s fully coated. Optionally top with chopped fresh parsley or basil as a garnish.
Optional additions
This pasta dish is delicious just as written, as a side dish or main dish. But if you’d like to spice it up, add veggies, or a protein, it’s also tasty with any of these additions.
- Steamed broccoli – while the pasta is cooking, use another burner on the stovetop to steam 1-2 cups of fresh broccoli florets. Set it aside and mix it in with the cooked pasta at the end.
- Fresh spinach leaves – toss in 1-2 cups of fresh spinach leaves with the cooked pasta at the end.
- Asparagus – dice asparagus spears into 1 inch pieces until you have about 1 cup of asparagus. Add 1 teaspoon oil to a skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Cook the asparagus in the skillet for 3-4 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and set the asparagus aside. Stir it in with the cooked pasta at the end.
- Peas – add 1 cup of frozen peas to the creamy cheese sauce at the end. Let the peas simmer in the sauce for 1-2 minutes before adding the cooked pasta and lemon juice.
- Sauteed mushrooms – while the pasta is cooking, use another burner on the stove to cook fresh mushrooms. Click on the link for my homemade recipe. Stir in the sauteed mushrooms with the cooked noodles for a creamy mushroom pasta dish.
- Caramelized onions – up to 5 days before making this recipe, click the link and follow the directions for how to caramelize onions. Stir in the caramelized onions with the cooked pasta to add another layer of flavor and decadence to this creamy pasta.
- Red pepper flakes – spice up the sauce by adding 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes with the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. You can also simply sprinkle a few red pepper flakes on top before serving.
- Shredded chicken – click the link for my easy Instant Pot shredded chicken recipe, or remove chicken from a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Stir in 1 cup of cooked, shredded chicken breasts at the end with the cooked pasta and lemon juice.
- Bacon – cook the pasta and grate the cheese, then start this recipe by adding 1/2 cup diced, raw bacon to the saucepan. Cook for 5-6 minutes, or until crispy, then use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the saucepan and place it on a paper towel lined plate. Add 2 tablespoons butter (instead of 1/4 cup) to the bacon grease in the saucepan and continue with the recipe as instructed. At the end, mix in the diced, cooked bacon before serving the pasta.
- Sausage – crumbled, cooked loose sausage or sliced, smoked Italian sausage can both be added to the creamy cavatappi. Simply mix 1/2 pound of cooked sausage into the cheese sauce with the cavatappi noodles.
- Lobster – if you want to make an even fancier version of mac and cheese, grill and dice a lobster tail. Add the lobster meat to the cheese sauce with the cavatappi noodles.
How to make baked mac and cheese
To make this recipe into a fancy baked mac and cheese, follow these simple steps.
- Transfer the prepared creamy cavatappi to a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish.
- In a small bowl, melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter. Combine it with 1 cup panko bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese.
- Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the creamy cavatappi in the baking dish.
- Turn the oven broiler on to high.
- Place the prepared crusted cavatappi on the middle rack in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown. You can also bake the creamy cavatappi in the oven at 350°F for 30 minutes.
If you plan to bake this creamy cavatappi pasta recipe, you can make it ahead of time and store it, covered in the fridge, for up to 3 days before baking. I do recommend waiting to put the breadcrumb topping on the dish until right before popping it in the oven. This way the breadcrumbs will stay crispy.
Recipe tips
- Let the half and half sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes before using it in this recipe. Really cold milk, or half-and-half, will take longer to thicken in the sauce. Simply set the half and half on the counter before starting this recipe. By the time you’ve boiled the noodles and started preparing the cheese sauce, it will be good to go!
- Always shred your own cheese. I always recommend shredding your own cheese for the best flavor. Bagged pre-shredded cheeses have additives and they will not melt as well as freshly-grated cheese.
- If you prefer a more “saucy” cheese sauce, add additional milk or half-and-half, 1/2 cup at a time, until the creamy sauce has reached your desired consistency.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, omit 1 cup of the half-and-half. If the sauce is too thick once you’ve added in the macaroni noodles, you can always pour in a little more milk, or half-and-half, to thin it out.
- This recipe will serve 4 people as a meal, or 8-10 people as a side dish. If you’d like to double this recipe to serve 15-20 people at a holiday meal, simply click the 2X button in the recipe card below. The ingredient amounts will automatically update for the new serving size.
Storage and reheating
Store creamy cavatappi leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
To reheat the cavatappi on the stove, add it to a medium saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, or until heated through.
To reheat it in the oven, place it in an oven-safe dish and cover with aluminum foil. Reheat at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.
To reheat it in the microwave, place one serving in a microwave-safe bowl and reheat for 2 minutes.
What to serve it with
If you want to make an easy meal anytime of the year, serve this creamy cavatappi as a side dish with any of these delicious weeknight meals.
- Marinated Grilled Sirloin Steaks
- Smoked Meatloaf
- Marinated Grilled Tri Tip
- Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Smoked Tri Tip
- Slow Cooker French Onion Chicken
If you want to serve this mac and cheese as a side dish at Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas, pair it with any of these impressive main dishes.
More cheesy recipes
If you’re a cheese-lover like me, then you have to try these other popular easy, cheesy recipes!
Creamy Cavatappi
Ingredients
- 16 ounces uncooked cavatappi noodles
- 8 ounces parmesan cheese, shredded into approximately 2 ¼ cups
- 8 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded into approximately 2 ¼ cups
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, or 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, click link for homemade recipe
- 3 cups half and half
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove.
- Add the cavatappi noodles and cook according to package directions.
- Drain the noodles and set aside.
- Shred the parmesan and gruyere cheese, and set aside.
- Place a large saucepan, or dutch oven, on the stove over medium heat.
- Add the butter, once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the flour and stir the butter, garlic and flour into a roux.
- Season with the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Slowly pour in the half and half and bring to a gentle boil.
- Turn the heat on the stove to medium-low and stir in the shredded parmesan and gruyere cheese.
- Stir consistently until the cheese melts into a creamy sauce.
- Remove from the heat after the cheese is melted, stir in the cooked cavatappi noodles and lemon juice, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Let the half and half sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes before using it in this recipe. Really cold milk, or half-and-half, will take longer to thicken in the sauce. Simply set the half and half on the counter before starting this recipe. By the time you’ve boiled the noodles and started preparing the cheese sauce, it will be good to go!
- Always shred your own cheese. I always recommend shredding your own cheese for the best flavor. Bagged pre-shredded cheeses have additives and they will not melt as well as freshly-grated cheese.
- If you prefer a more “saucy” cheese sauce, add additional milk or half-and-half, 1/2 cup at a time, until the creamy sauce has reached your desired consistency.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, omit 1 cup of the half-and-half. If the sauce is too thick once you’ve added in the macaroni noodles, you can always pour in a little more milk, or half-and-half, to thin it out.
- This recipe will serve 4 people as a meal, or 8-10 people as a side dish. If you’d like to double this recipe to serve 15-20 people at a holiday meal, simply click the 2X button in the recipe card below. The ingredient amounts will automatically update for the new serving size.
- Store creamy cavatappi leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
- To make this recipe into a fancy baked mac and cheese, follow these simple steps.
- Transfer the prepared creamy cavatappi to a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish.
- In a small bowl, melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter. Combine it with 1 cup panko bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese.
- Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the creamy cavatappi in the baking dish.
- Turn the oven broiler on to high.
- Place the prepared crusted cavatappi on the middle rack in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown. You can also bake the creamy cavatappi in the oven at 350°F for 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
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