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This unique French version of macaroni and cheese casserole features a creamy blend of sheep, goat, and cow's milk cheeses, diced ham, and herbes de Provence.
Comfort Food with A French Flair
This unique version of macaroni and cheese has a distinct flavor profile that captures an authentic European quality. Our recipe features a medley of imported ingredients, including three varieties of cheese, delicately seasoned unsmoked ham, and a traditional French blend of dried herbs. The end result is a luscious, creamy dish that, when accompanied by a crisp salad, creates a deliciously satisfying dinner.
About the Ingredients
Here’s some information about the ingredients we chose to make our French macaroni and cheese. Quantities and other details are listed in the printable version of the recipe below.
- Ossau-Iraty: Ossau-Iraty is an ivory-colored sheep’s milk cheese made in the French Pyrenees. It has a firm creamy texture, buttery flavor, and nutty aroma. It is high in butterfat and melts smoothly, making it a good choice for macaroni and cheese. One-year Manchego is an acceptable substitution.
- Chèvre: Chèvre is the French word for goat and, when referring to cheese, describes a soft, creamy white cheese made with goat’s milk. It has a tangy, grassy flavor and blends beautifully with the sheep’s milk cheese in this recipe.
- Mimolette: Mimolette is a cow’s milk cheese produced in the city of Lille in the northernmost region of France. It is generally aged for 18 to 24 months and has a unique, bright orange color that comes from the addition of annatto, an all-natural food coloring made from seeds. Mimolette has a rather fruity aroma and a nutty caramel flavor that becomes sharper with aging. You can substitute aged Gouda or Edam if you can’t find Mimolette.
- Uncured, preferably unsmoked ham: We were fortunate enough to find a French-style ham called HerbeCotto at our local Whole Foods deli counter. It’s an all-natural, uncured ham flavored with a hint of herbes de Provence. It worked beautifully in this recipe but may be hard to find, so look for any ham with a mild flavor (like good-old boiled ham) instead. You don’t want to overpower this dish with smoked ham flavor or the sweetness of baked ham.
- Herbes de Provence: Herbes de Provence is a dried blend of seasonings commonly used in southern France. The mix can vary slightly but usually contains basil, rosemary, sage, thyme, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, and summer savory. It has a fragrant, floral quality, and how much you use will depend on personal taste and the intensity of your specific blend. A word of caution; like many dried herbs, Herbes de Provence does lose flavor within a few months, so we recommend buying small quantities and using it up fairly quickly.
- Pasta: For this recipe, we opted for pipette pasta, from the Italian term “little pipe.” This pasta variety’s petite, ridged shape is ideal for this dish as the creamy cheese blend coats it inside and out. Other good choices include mini shells (conchigliette) or mini bow-ties (farfalle).
How to Make French Macaroni and Cheese
This is an overview of how this dish is made. Detailed measurements, ingredients, instructions, and times are available in the printable version of the recipe below.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter a 2-1/2 to 3-quart baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender but not soft (al dente). Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add minced shallots and sauté until softened.
- Add the ham and continue cooking for another minute. Add white wine and herbes de Provence and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, set aside, and wipe out the pan.
- Heat the milk in the microwave or a separate saucepan until warm but not scalded. Set aside.
- Return the saucepan to the stove and melt some butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and blend with a whisk until well combined. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture develops a pale golden color, 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually add the warmed milk, whisking continually until well blended.
- Continue cooking, whisking frequently, until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Scrape down the sides of the pan with a spatula once or twice during cooking to ensure there are no lumps in your sauce.
- Reduce the heat to low, add the Ossau-Iraty and about half of the Mimolette, and stir until completely melted. Add the goat cheese (chèvre), stir until melted, then add the ham mixture and combine well.
- Cook for a minute, stirring constantly, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in more of the herbes de Provence. Taste again and adjust the amount of herbes de Provence to your liking (we used an additional teaspoon).
- Add the cooked pasta, combine well, and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
- While the macaroni bakes, heat more butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add more minced shallot and sauté until slightly softened. Add the panko crumbs and toss to combine. Continue cooking until lightly toasted, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the remaining Mimolette, and combine well. Remove the macaroni from the oven, top with the crumb mixture, and return to the oven until the topping is crisp and golden.
- Let the macaroni and cheese rest for about five minutes before serving.
How to Store Leftover Mac and Cheese
Allow the macaroni and cheese to cool completely before storing. Transfer to a smaller baking dish coated with nonstick spray or a food storage container (you can also wrap individual portions in foil). Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Macaroni and cheese can also be frozen for up to 1 month, although it may change the texture slightly. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake tightly covered for 20 to 30 minutes.
More Macaroni and Cheese
Love mac and cheese? Visit our post on How to Make Macaroni and Cheese for our basic formula that includes all the techniques and ratios you need to know to make perfect macaroni and cheese. Choose from classic baked or creamy stovetop versions, select your favorite cheese and mix-ins, and you’ll be on your way to creating your own unique versions of this quintessential comfort food.
French Macaroni and Cheese
This unique French version of macaroni and cheese casserole features a creamy blend of sheep, goat, and cow's milk cheeses, diced ham, and herbes de Provence.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pipette, or other medium-sized, ridged cut of pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, about 3 tablespoons, finely chopped, divided
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 3/4 lb uncured ham, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (see notes)
- 2 to 4 teaspoons herbes de Provence, divided
- 3-3/4 cups whole milk
- 5 tablespoons butter, divided
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, white or black
- 8 ounces Ossau-Iraty (see notes for substitutions), coarsely grated
- 6 ounces chèvre, goat cheese, softened
- 3 ounces Mimolette (see notes for substitutions), coarsely grated, divided
- 3/4 cup panko crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter a 2-1/2 to 3-quart baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pipette and cook until tender but not soft (al dente). Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add 2/3 of the shallot (2 tablespoons) and sauté until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the ham and continue cooking for another minute. Add the wine and 2 teaspoons of the herbes de Provence and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, set aside, and wipe out the pan.
- Heat the milk in the microwave or a separate saucepan until warm but not scalded. Set aside.
- Return the saucepan to the stove and melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and blend with a whisk until well combined. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture develops a pale golden color, 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually add the warmed milk, whisking continually until well blended.
- Continue cooking, whisking frequently, until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 7 to 8 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the pan with a spatula once or twice during cooking to ensure there are no lumps in your sauce.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the Ossau-Iraty and about half of the Mimolette stirring until completely melted. Add the goat cheese, stir until melted, then add the ham mixture and combine well.
- Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, then season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in 1 teaspoon of the herbes de Provence. Taste again and adjust the amount of herbes de Provence to your liking (we used an additional teaspoon).
- Add the cooked pasta, combine well, and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
- While the macaroni bakes, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining shallot and sauté until slightly softened, 1 minute. Add the panko crumbs and toss to combine. Continue cooking, stirring continually for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the remaining Mimolette, and combine well.
- Remove the casserole from the oven, top with the crumb mixture, and continue baking for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the topping is crisp and golden. Allow the macaroni and cheese to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Cheese Substitutions
Here are a couple of widely-available suggestions for alternatives to the French cheeses in this recipe.- Ossau-Iraty: Substitute 1-year Manchego
- Mimolette: Substitute aged Gouda or Edam
How to Store Leftovers
Allow the macaroni and cheese to cool completely before storing. Transfer to a smaller baking dish coated with nonstick spray or a food storage container (you can also wrap individual portions in foil). Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Macaroni and cheese can also be frozen for up to 1 month, although it may change the texture slightly. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake tightly covered for 20 to 30 minutes.Nutrition
Calories: 564, Total Fat: 27g, Cholesterol: 90mg, Sodium: 1136mg, Carbohydrates: 53g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Protein: 27g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I can’t see the notes and it mentions refering to them when adding the mimolette?
Hi Paul,
I just updated the recipe and removed the “see notes” on the Mimolette. Here’s why: Back in 2013 FDA banned the import of Mimolette cheese on the grounds that its method of production made it a potential allergen. I won’t go into the full details here, but you can read a thorough explanation on NPR’s website. It was unavailable for a few years (which is why I added the “see notes”), but you can once again buy it here in the US. If you can’t find Mimolette or are hesitant to try it, Edam (from the Netherlands) is an acceptable substitute.