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Recipe

A Bite To Eat With Alice: Japanese mac and cheese with miso sesame slaw

Prep time: 
25
Cook time: 
45
Skill level: 
Medium
Serves: 
6
A golden-baked Japanese mac and cheese with crispy panko topping, garnished with spring onions.

Baked until golden and topped with fresh spring onions, this Japanese-inspired mac and cheese is one the whole family will love. (ABC TV: Wesley Mitton)

Alice Zaslavsky is the host of A Bite To Eat with Alice, weeknights at 5pm on ABC TV and anytime on ABC iview. Alice is the resident culinary correspondent for ABC News Breakfast and ABC Radio, a food literacy advocate, bestselling cookbook author, and creator of Phenomenom, a free digital toolbox helping teachers slip more serves of veg into the curriculum.

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Rick Davies loves a classic mac and cheese, but Alice is taking it up a notch with this Japanese-inspired version. 

Shredded cabbage, carrot, spring onions, panko breadcrumbs, and miso paste arranged on a wooden board for miso sesame slaw.

Fresh, crunchy ingredients come together for a miso sesame slaw that perfectly complements rich, cheesy mac and cheese. (ABC TV: Wesley Mitton)

A rich, cheesy sauce infused with curry powder gives the dish a deep, savoury warmth, while a crunchy panko topping adds the perfect contrast. 

A smooth, golden cheese sauce being whisked in a pink Dutch oven.

Whisk continuously while adding milk to prevent lumps and ensure a silky-smooth cheese sauce. (ABC TV: Wesley Mitton)

Served alongside a bright and tangy miso sesame slaw, this dish is a balance of comfort and freshness.

A white baking dish filled with mac and cheese, topped with a layer of panko breadcrumbs before baking.

For the crispiest topping, toss panko with a little melted butter before sprinkling over the mac and cheese. (ABC TV: Wesley Mitton)

Tips

  • Keep the cheese sauce moving: Stir continuously to prevent the cheese mixture from seizing up or turning lumpy.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste: Different brands of curry powder vary in intensity, so season gradually and taste as you go.
  • Swap the curry powder if needed: If you don't have Japanese curry powder, regular curry powder works as a great substitute.
  • Massage the slaw: Gently massaging the cabbage helps soften it and enhances the texture of the salad.
  • Store and reheat leftovers: Any leftovers can be kept in the fridge and reheated for an easy next-day meal.

Here’s the full list of recipes from Season 2 of A Bite To Eat With Alice.

This recipe appears in A Bite to Eat with Alice, a new nightly cooking show on ABC iview and weeknights at 5pm on ABC TV.

A Bite To Eat With Alice: Japanese mac and cheese with miso sesame slaw

Prep time: 
25
Cook time: 
45
Skill level: 
Medium
Serves: 
6

Ingredients

For the mac and cheese

  • 200g elbow macaroni (or your preferred pasta shape) 
  • 2 tablespoons butter 
  • 2 tablespoons plain flour 
  • 3 cups (750ml) milk (or plant-based milk, if preferred) 
  • 1 tablespoon Japanese curry powder (or cubes)  
  • 2 cups (240g) grated sharp cheddar cheese 
  • Salt flakes, to season 
  • Freshly-cracked black pepper, to season 
  • 1 cup (140g) frozen peas 
  • 4 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal (reserve ¼ cup, for garnish)  
  • 1 cup (100g) panko breadcrumbs (or coarse breadcrumbs), for topping 

Miso sesame slaw 

  • 2 tablespoons white miso paste 
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup 
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds  
  • 3 cups (300g) white cabbage, finely shredded 
  • 1 medium carrot, coarsely grated 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan-forced (210°C conventional) and lightly grease a baking dish (22x33cm). 
  2. Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside. 
  3. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2—3 minutes, until the mixture forms a roux and becomes golden in colour (it'll smell like cookies). Gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Add the curry powder and cook for 5—8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and begins to simmer. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add in half of the cheddar cheese, stir until fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Season the cheese sauce with salt and black pepper to taste.  
  4. Combine the cooked macaroni, frozen peas and spring onions with the cheese sauce, ensuring the pasta is evenly coated. Transfer the mac and cheese to the prepared baking dish. Toss the breadcrumbs and remaining cheddar cheese, then scatter over the top of the baking dish. Bake for 25—30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbly.  
  5. Meanwhile, to make the miso sesame slaw, whisk together the miso paste, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup and sesame seeds. Add the cabbage and carrot and toss to combine. 
  6. Once the mac and cheese is cooked, allow to cool for a few minutes, garnish with reserved spring onions and serve with the miso sesame slaw. 
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