Korean-Style Turkey Mac & Cheese (Printer-Friendly)

Creamy mac and cheese topped with sweet-spicy Korean-style ground turkey crumbles and fresh scallions.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni

→ Cheese Sauce

02 - 2 cups whole milk
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
05 - 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
06 - 0.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
08 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Korean-Style Turkey

09 - 1 pound ground turkey
10 - 2 tablespoons gochujang
11 - 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon honey
13 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
14 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
15 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
16 - 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Garnish

17 - 4 scallions, thinly sliced
18 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

# Steps:

01 - Cook the elbow macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute until golden.
03 - Gradually add milk while whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Lower the heat and stir in cheddar and mozzarella cheeses until melted and smooth. Season with salt and black pepper. Keep warm over low heat.
05 - In a separate skillet over medium-high heat, add sesame oil. Sauté garlic and ginger for 1 minute until fragrant. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
06 - Stir in gochujang, soy sauce, and honey. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the turkey is well-coated and the sauce is slightly thickened. Add red pepper flakes if desired. Remove from heat.
07 - Combine the cooked macaroni with the cheese sauce, stirring until fully coated and creamy. Fold in half of the turkey mixture.
08 - Divide the mac and cheese among serving bowls. Top each with remaining turkey crumbles, sliced scallions, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like two dishes in one—creamy, dreamy mac and cheese meets savory Korean flavors without feeling confused or overstuffed.
  • The whole thing comes together in under 45 minutes, which means weeknight dinner without the stress or takeout bill.
  • Ground turkey keeps it lighter than traditional recipes, but the gochujang adds so much umami depth you'd never guess it's the healthier choice.
02 -
  • If your cheese sauce breaks or gets grainy, you've overheated it—low and slow is everything once the cheese goes in, and if disaster strikes, whisk in a splash of cold milk and remove from heat immediately.
  • Gochujang varies wildly in heat level depending on the brand, so taste your turkey mixture before dumping it all in—you can always add more spice, but you can't take it back.
03 -
  • Buy your gochujang from an Asian market or online—it's cheaper and fresher than grocery store versions, and the quality difference is noticeable.
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds right before serving to wake up their nuttiness and make them taste like you actually know what you're doing.
Return