Guinness and Irish Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese – Flavorful stovetop mac and cheese made with Guinness stout, sharp Irish cheddar, and a touch of dijon mustard. Creamy and cheesy with an optional crunchy breadcrumb topping.
St. Patrick’s Day is almost here! What will you be eating? Corned beef and cabbage? Shamrock shakes and green beer? I’m not a huge fan of any of the above (although I could take down a loaf of Irish soda bread in record time), but what I am a fan of is macaroni and cheese!
In honor of the upcoming holiday I made this delicious twist on mac and cheese by adding Guinness stout and lots of Irish cheddar cheese. And (eeeekkkk), it is SO, SO good!!! Like, can’t-put-down-my-fork-good.
This recipe is super flavorful, ultra creamy, and my new favorite mac and cheese. Guinness, Irish cheddar, and a touch of dijon mustard add a slight sharpness that cuts through the richness of this dish. It’s a grown up version of mac and cheese that is boldly flavored and worlds apart from that bland stuff that comes in a box.
I love the contrast of creamy and crunchy, so I topped this mac and cheese with a sprinkling of crunchy, garlicky breadcrumbs. Feel free to skip the topping if you’re looking to take a shortcut. It’s great either way! With or without the topping, there’s no need to turn on your oven. It’s all made on the stovetop.
Pour a pint of Guinness, throw together a salad, and you have a perfect meal! Oh, and don’t forget dessert – Guinness Brownies with Irish Cream Frosting or Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies!
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Recipe
Guinness and Irish Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
Macaroni and cheese:
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter*, see note
- 2 tablespoons flour*, see note
- ⅔ cup Guinness or other stout
- 1 ½ cups 2% milk
- ½ cup half and half
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
- 3 ½ cups shredded cheddar (or another good melting cheese), divided SEE NOTE
Topping (optional):
- 1½ tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- salt/pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
Instructions
Topping (if using):
- In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add garlic and breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs are lightly toasted and the mixture is fragrant. Remove from the heat, add salt and pepper to taste and minced parsley. Set aside.
Macaroni and cheese:
- Boil elbow macaroni in well salted water and cook until just al dente. Before draining the pasta, reserve a cup of the pasta water and set it aside (see note). While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheese sauce:
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together for a minute. While whisking, pour in Guinness, milk, half and half, salt, pepper, and mustard. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking frequently, until it thickens slightly (several minutes).
- Add cream cheese and 2½ cups grated cheese and stir/whisk until completely smooth. Add drained, cooked pasta and stir to combine. Add remaining 1 cup grated cheddar and stir until melted (this will help achieve a stringy/cheese-pull texture). I like to let this mixture sit over low heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently, so that the pasta can soak up some of the cheese.
- To serve: Transfer to a serving bowl or individual bowls and sprinkle the top with the reserved toasted breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Patti
Do you know approximately how many ounces or grams of cheddar makes 3 1/2 cups shredded?
Allison
It looks like it is about 291 grams. https://www.howmany.wiki/vw/–1%7C2–cup–of–grated-cheese–in–gram
Barbara T.
I was disappointed in the outcome of the recipe. Perhaps our taste is a bit tame. This was a robust recipe but just not for us. I followed the recipe to the letter even to the type of beer. The topping was great!
Alli
Very good directions and easy to follow. Delicious recipe! Turned out perfect! I added some spice and other stuff to mine and then threw it on the smoker for a few minutes
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
April
Great recipe! I subbed out a little of the Kerrygold cheddar for a smoked cheddar that I picked up and it made it a bit smoky. It was wonderful! Definitely a keeper!
Allison
That sounds delicious! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Emerald Isle
I was onto this quite some time ago but at least I honestly called it ‘American Irish’ 😅 Top tip – if you use the can with the ‘widget’ you will get even better results. It’s all to do with the nitro, enjoy! 🎼😊
PC
Great recipe! Added a little smoked paprika and was awesome! Thanks for the recipe!
Allison
That sounds delicious! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Jenny
Made this with the thick sauce option for St Patrick’s Day and wasn’t disappointed. It has a subtle flavor which was elevated by the topping.
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by!
Sarah
Loved it! Perfect addition to my standard Irish food. Everyone loved it! Definitely keeping and making again!! Thank you!!
Allison
I’m so glad! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Heather
I’ve made this recipe about 5 times now, always doubling it. It’s requested for Thanksgiving, Christmas, St Pat’s Day, and always the first thing gone. I make it all in my instant pot so I can take the whole thing with me and serve warm (adding a bit more cream and the topping when I am ready to serve).
Allison
Perfect! I’m so glad. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Brooke
Heather, how do you know prepare it in an instant pot. I’m thinking of making this for a potluck. Thank you!!
Diana
I have a question. I do not like beer!!! The taste, to me, is awful! Can I make this with a substitute for beer?
Allison
You can just leave the Guinness out. You’ll likely need a bit more milk.