Swiss Macaroni and Cheese with Applesauce (Älplermagronen)

Swiss Macaroni and Cheese

Every winter, my family and I try to make the most of the ski season by spending most of our weekends skiing. And every winter, we always spend a few weeks in the Swiss alps for some downtime in the snow.

Another reason why I love being in the mountains is the alpine food. There’s something about the crisp air and wooden chalets which makes one crave rich food like Cheese Fondue, Raclette, and this Swiss Macaroni and Cheese with Applesauce.

What is Swiss Macaroni and Cheese?

Swiss Macaroni and Cheese is similar to the American version, but with the addition of boiled potatoes, topped with crispy onion and bacon, and served with a bowl of apple compote (applesauce) alongside.

In Swiss-German, mac and cheese is called Älplermagronen, which roughly translates as alpine macaroni.

Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

My recipe for a simple macaroni cheese always starts with a Béchamel Sauce, to which I add cheddar and/or Gruyère cheese.

For a Swiss Macaroni Cheese, I boil cubes of potatoes with the pasta, and I also take the time to make some crispy fried onion and bacon to use generously on each dish.

If time is on my side, I also like to make my own apple compote, but store-bought is completely fine here.

How to Make Swiss Macaroni and Cheese

Like a classic macaroni and cheese, you start this dish by making a Béchamel sauce (or white sauce). To see step-by-step photos, please see my recipe for Béchamel Sauce.

For the cheese component, I like to use a really strong and aged Gruyère cheese, but any mild Gruyère or Emmentaler cheese would work too.

Crumbled crispy bacon is an obligatory garnish for meatlovers, and I particularly love this dish served with fried onion rings which add a lovely sweetness and crunch against the soft pasta.

Some restaurants give this dish an extra carbohydrate kick with the addition of diced boiled potatoes.

But what makes this dish truly Swiss is the small bowl of applesauce (or apple compote) served alongside.

How to Eat Swiss Macaroni and Cheese

I used to think that the apple compote on the side was to be eaten either as a palate cleanser, or at the end of the meal like a dessert.

Upon observing my Swiss friends and colleagues eat Älplermagronen, there seems to be no hard and fast rule about whether the applesauce should be eaten together with the main dish or as a dessert. To my shock and horror, I have even observed people mix the applesauce into their mac and cheese! I guess you do as you wish 😉

I personally prefer to eat it as a dessert; the tart sweetness of the apple compote is a nice end to a rich and creamy meal.

5 stars (6 reviews)

Swiss Macaroni and Cheese with Applesauce

Thanh | Eat, Little Bird

Prep15 minutes mins

Cook45 minutes mins

Total1 hour hr

Serves: 3 to 4

A creamy Swiss Macaroni and Cheese with Applesauce (or Älplermagronen mit Apfelmus). This is a classic alpine dish from Switzerland and is simply the best macaroni and cheese recipe you will ever try!

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Ingredients

For the bacon topping

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 200 g (7 oz) pancetta or thick bacon, sliced into thick batons

For the fried onion topping

• vegetable oil, for shallow frying
• 1 large brown onion, thinly sliced

For the Applesauce

• 2 Braeburn apples, or other cooking apples
• 2-3 tablespoons water
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar, to taste

For the Cheese Sauce

• 75 g (¾ stick) unsalted butter
• 75 g (½ cup) plain flour, (all-purpose flour)
• ½ chicken stock cube
• 1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 litre milk
• 100 g (3 ½ oz) Gruyère, grated
• 100 g (3 ½ oz) cheddar cheese, grated
• sea salt
• white pepper, freshly cracked

For the Pasta

• 300-400 g (10-14 oz) dried macaroni
• 3-4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice

To Serve

• parsley and/or chives, finely chopped

Instructions 

For the bacon topping

1. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan.
2. Cook the bacon or pancetta until it is golden and crispy.
3. Remove the bacon or pancetta to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil.

For the fried onion topping

1. Fill a small saucepan with vegetable oil to about 2.5 cm (1 inch) depth and heat until the temperature is about 180°C (350°F).
2. Fry the onion over medium-high heat until it is golden and crispy.
3. Remove the onion to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil.

For the Applesauce

1. Peel, core and chop the apples.
2. Place the apples into a small saucepan, together with the water.
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften and break down. Some apples release a lot of water upon cooking, whilst others absorb a lot of water. So keep a close eye on the pan to make sure the apples do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Add more water if necessary.
4. Once the apples have completely cooked down, either mash the apples with a wooden spoon or purée the apples with a stick blender. Some types of apples cook and break down more easily than others so you may not need to always use a blender. However, the Swiss like to serve their applesauce very smoothly puréed.
5. Taste for sweetness to see how much sugar you want to add.
6. Set aside to cool slightly.

For the Cheese Sauce

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Once the butter starts to melt, add the flour, stock cube and Dijon mustard.
3. Stir until everything comes together into a paste. Cook this paste for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously so that the flour can cook off.
4. Slowly whisk in the milk. I do this a bit at a time to make sure there are no lumps in the sauce.
5. Once all of the milk has been added, use a wooden spoon to stir the sauce continuously over the heat until it has thickened nicely. If the sauce is too thick, add some more milk to thin it out.
6. Take the saucepan off the heat and mix through the grated cheese.
7. Season with salt and pepper.

For the Pasta

1. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions in a lot of salted boiling water, together with the potatoes. Alternatively, boil the potatoes separately.
2. Drain the pasta and potatoes well.

To Serve

1. Mix the cooked pasta and potatoes through the sauce while it is still hot and over low-medium heat.
2. Garnish generously with the fried bacon or pancetta, fried onions, and herbs.
3. Serve with a bowl of applesauce alongside (I like to serve the applesauce warm).

Kitchen Notes

• OVEN & STOVE TEMPERATURES
  All recipes on this website have been tested on an induction stove and/or with a conventional oven (i.e. an oven without fan). All recipes on this website use temperatures for a conventional oven, unless otherwise mentioned. Convection ovens (i.e. fan-forced ovens) are typically 20°C/70°F hotter than conventional ovens, but please check your manufacturer’s handbook.
• CONVERSIONS
  To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.

Nutrition Information Nutrition Information

Calories: 528kcal, Carbohydrates: 34.3g, Protein: 24.9g, Fat: 32.4g, Cholesterol: 98.4mg, Sodium: 528.5mg, Fiber: 1.4g, Sugar: 13.6g

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Update

This recipe was first published on 14 December 2016. It has been updated with new photos and more comprehensive recipe notes.

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