Beecher’s Flagship Cheddar with Avocado, Lime, and Shell Pasta
Cookbook author Stephanie Stiavetti shares this delicious recipe from her cookbook MELT: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese. Here’s what she and her co-author Garret McCord have to say about the recipe:
“If you ever have the opportunity to wander through the Pike Place Market, the heart of the food scene in Seattle, you’ll likely come across the Beecher’s Handmade Cheese shop. Inside, you can sample their wares and watch the cheesemaking process unfold before your eyes. The proprietors serve what they call the World’s Best mac and cheese; with its jaunty kick of spice and smooth sauce, it’s definitely a contender for the title.
We love to use Beecher’s Flagship—a fierce, creamy paragon of Cheddar if ever there was one—in this avocado macaroni and cheese. The svelte texture of avocado melds so well with this sharp, tangy Cheddar. Smooth and buttery with a slight citrus tang, this jade-colored mac is a casual way to enjoy mac and cheese.”

Beecher’s Flagship Cheddar with Avocado, Lime, and Shell Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- Zest of 1 lime
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 green onions green parts only, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 3 ripe avocados pits and skin removed, divided
- 10 ounces conchiglie or other medium shell pasta
- 1½ cups milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 10 ounces Beecher’s Flagship Cheddar shredded
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
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Remove the stem from the jalapeño and cut the jalapeño half. Remove the ribs and seeds—or keep them, depending on how much heat you like. Toss the jalapeño into the bowl of a food processor with the lime zest and lime juice. Add green onions, garlic, and flesh of 2 of the avocados. Blitz together into a very smooth paste.
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Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain through a colander and set aside.
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To prepare the mornay sauce, heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. As soon as the milk starts to steam and tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan, turn off the heat. Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium flame. Add the flour and stir with a flat-edge wooden paddle just until the roux begins to take on a light brown color, scraping the bottom to prevent burning, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the milk and stir constantly until the sauce thickens enough to evenly coat the back of a spoon—a finger drawn along the back of the spoon should leave a clear swath. Remove from heat and stir in salt and pepper. Add cheese to sauce, stirring until completely melted. Add the avocado-onion paste and whisk together until uniform and creamy. The key word here, if you haven’t guessed, is smooth. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
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Add the pasta and cilantro to the sauce and stir together. Dice the last avocado and toss together with the mac and cheese. Serve immediately with a splash of lime juice.
Recipe Notes
Alternative cheeses: Jasper Hill Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, Fiscalini, Bandage Wrapped, Cheddar, Shelburne Reserve
Wine pairings: Pinot Grigio, Verdelho, Godello
Additional pairings for the cheese, outside of this recipe: corn, cooked black beans, persimmons, most chili peppers, winter squashes such pumpkin or butternut
** Check out an Q&A with Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese cookbook author, Stephanie Stiavetti here.