Who doesn’t like cheese? What about cheese on cheese? Or one more… cheese on cheese on pasta?! You didn’t think it could get any better, did you? Well, Cheesy Fondue Casserole exists to make all your dairy dreams come true, and it’s just what you dreamt up. A big casserole dish filled with buttery pasta mixed in a melty, salty cheese sauce topped with more bubbly, golden-brown cheese and crumbled crackers for that added crunch. Voila! And that is the entirety of Cheesy Fondue Casserole. Yes, you are still awake. This is reality. Consider us your dairy, ope, we mean fairy godmother!
Ingredients
- 3 cups elbow macaroni, dried
- 3 cups Swiss cheese, shredded
- 2 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces Swiss cheese, cubed
- 12 ounces small shrimp, optional, fresh or frozen, peeled, and deveined
- 1/2 cup green onions, optional, sliced
- 1 3/4 cups saltine crackers, crushed
- 3 tablespoons butter, cut
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 3 –Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 4 –Drain the water from the cooked pasta and return the pasta to the pot. Set aside.
Step 5 –While the pasta is cooking, place 2 1/2 cups of the shredded Swiss cheese with the Gruyere cheese, flour, and garlic in a large bowl; toss to combine.
Step 6 –In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the broth and wine, cooking just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan.
Step 7 –Add the cheese mixture to the broth mixture, 1 cup at a time, whisking constantly after each addition.
Step 8 –Cook the cheese sauce mixture until the cheese melts, be sure not to boil.
Step 9 –Transfer the cheese sauce mixture away from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
Step 10 –Pour the cheese sauce mixture over the pasta, gently stirring to combine.
Step 11 –Fold the cubed Swiss cheese, shrimp, and green onions into the pasta and cheese sauce mixture.
Step 12 –Spoon the pasta and cheese sauce mixture into the prepared dish.
Step 13 –Evenly sprinkle the pasta and cheese mixture with the crackers and dot with the butter.
Step 14 –Bake uncovered until the casserole is bubbly, the top is golden, and the shrimp is cooked through, for about 35-45 minutes.
Step 15 –Serve warm.
