Ultimate Mac 'N' Cheese with Herb Crumb
This ultimate mac 'n' cheese with herb crumb combines vintage Cheddar, cream cheese with pepper and Parmesan into a silky sauce, finished with a crunchy golden breadcrumb topping. The Thermomix TM7 grates, blends and cooks the cheese sauce in one bowl, while the fresh herb crumb adds texture. A comforting vegetarian main course the whole family will love.
About this recipe
Mac 'n' cheese with herb crumb Thermomix TM7 style is the comfort food upgrade every cheese lover needs. Instead of standing at the hob stirring a roux and hoping it doesn't split, this all-in-one kitchen machine grates the vintage Cheddar in seconds, blends the pepper cream cheese and Parmesan into a velvety sauce, and cooks everything with steady heat while you get on with other things. The finishing touch is a crunchy crumb made from bread, garlic cloves, fresh mixed herbs and olive oil, toasted until golden and scattered generously over the top for contrast against the creamy pasta. A pinch of dried chilli flakes and garlic powder lifts the richness without overwhelming it. This is the ideal quick weeknight dinner for families, a reliable crowd-pleaser for casual gatherings, and a brilliant recipes gateway for anyone new to cooking with a Thermomix, because the machine does the tricky sauce work for you.
Preparation tips
- Cube the vintage Cheddar before grating so it processes evenly, and let the grated cheese come to room temperature before adding it to the sauce, which helps it melt smoothly without clumping.
- For the herb crumb, use day-old bread rather than fresh, as it blitzes into coarser crumbs that stay crunchy; tear the bread into pieces first and pulse in short bursts for an even texture.
- Serve the mac 'n' cheese immediately while the sauce is glossy, or transfer to a gratin dish, top with the herb crumb and brown briefly under a hot grill for a crispier finish that children especially enjoy.
Recipe variations
- Make a lactose-light version by swapping the cream cheese with pepper for a plant-based cream cheese alternative and using mature vegan Cheddar; keep the Parmesan-style topping nutritional yeast-based for a fully dairy-free mac 'n' cheese.
- For a festive twist, fold through crispy bacon lardons or caramelised leeks before baking, and add a spoonful of wholegrain mustard to the Cheddar sauce with a scattering of extra fresh herbs over the finished crumb.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Grating the vintage Cheddar in the Thermomix TM7 takes just seconds, producing fine, even shreds that melt quickly into the sauce. [Multi-Function]
- Weighing the pasta, milk and cheese directly in the mixing bowl keeps every mac 'n' cheese ratio accurate with no separate scales to wash up. [Built-in Scale]
- The TM7 blends the cream cheese and Parmesan into a silky, lump-free sauce while you cook the pasta, saving hands-on stirring time. [Time Savings]
- Precise heating cooks the cheese sauce gently without catching on the base, so the Cheddar stays smooth rather than grainy or split. [Precision Control]
- Grinding the bread, garlic and fresh mixed herbs into a uniform crumb in the Thermomix gives the topping consistent crunch after toasting. [Multi-Function]
Ingredients
- vintage Cheddar cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- garlic cloves
- fresh mixed herbs
- white bread
- olive oil
- dried chilli flakes
- fine sea salt
- water
- short dried pasta