Steak Mac and Cheese Cupcakes

Name: Steak Mac and Cheese Cupcakes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 ‚ÅÑ4 cup fine breadcrumbs; 1 cup heavy cream (at room temperature); 3 eggs; 1 teaspoon chopped thyme; 1 ‚ÅÑ2 teaspoon fennel pollen or ground fennel seed; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 ‚ÅÑ2 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 ‚ÅÑ2 pound elbow macaroni (cooked); 1 cup diced (cooked flank steak); 12 grape tomatoes (halved)

10 MINPrep Time

20 MINCook Time

6Servings

by Giada De Laurentiis

Beginner

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Newman

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You'll never make the boxed stuff again once you try these mac-and-cheese
cupcakes. I "beef" them up with steak, but you could easily use chicken.

Steak Mac and Cheese Cupcakes

Servings

6

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ‚ÅÑ4 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 cup heavy cream (at room temperature)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 ‚ÅÑ2 teaspoon fennel pollen or ground fennel seed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 ‚ÅÑ2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 ‚ÅÑ2 pound elbow macaroni (cooked)
1 cup diced (cooked flank steak)
12 grape tomatoes (halved)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter and breadcrumb a 12-cup standard-size muffin pan. In a large bowl whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, thyme, fennel pollen, mustard, and salt until smooth and combined. Stir in the cheeses with a rubber spatula.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta well and add to the cream mixture. Quickly begin to fold in the pasta and flank steak so as not to cook the eggs. Divide the mixture among the prepared muffin pan, and top each with 2 halves of grape tomatoes.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until slightly puffed up, set in the middle, and beginning to brown. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing with an offset spatula.