sam and dave's rich and creamy rigatoni 'n cheese

Name: Sam and Dave's Rich and Creamy Rigatoni 'n Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 pound(s) (16 oz.) box rigatoni pasta, i use barilla; 1 tablespoon(s) salt, I used kosher salt; 8 ounce(s) extra sharp cheddar, weigh then grate; 8 ounce(s) monterey jack, weigh then grate; 4 ounce(s) parmesan, weigh then grate; 2 cup(s) (1 pint) heavy cream; - freshly ground salt to taste; - fresh cracked black pepper to taste; - *paprika, dried parsley and more pepper for top to garnish

(1 RATING)

219 Pinches 4 Photos

Kelly Williams

Forked River, NJ

Updated on Dec 3, 2025

This gem of a find was originally printed in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It is the baked macaroni and cheese recipe created by Dave Roberts for his and Sam's BBQ restaurant in Marietta, Georgia. This rich, creamy and decadent mac 'n cheese is the best I have ever had BAR-NONE! I have always started with a béchamel sauce and have added as many as a dozen cheeses. This is much easier and no béchamel needed! Although I will have years of fun paying with different cheeses, this will be my go-to recipe for life. So very easy and definitely company-worthy!! ~Photos by me~

Rate

prep time 10 Min

cook time 40 Min

method ---

yield 6-10 serving(s)

Ingredients

1 pound (16 oz.) box rigatoni pasta, i use barilla
1 tablespoon salt, I used kosher salt
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar, weigh then grate
8 ounces monterey jack, weigh then grate
4 ounces parmesan, weigh then grate
2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
- freshly ground salt to taste
- fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- *paprika, dried parsley and more pepper for top to garnish

How To Make sam and dave's rich and creamy rigatoni 'n cheese

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350. In large pot, bring water to boil, add 1 Tbl. salt. Boil rigatoni noodles according to package directions. Once cooked, drain but do not rinse the pasta. While pasta is boiling, grate cheese. (Start while water is heating.) Drain pasta well, shaking and tilting to remove all of the water, then pour pasta into large mixing bowl. Add half the cheddar, monterey jack and parmesan cheeses, and all of the the heavy cream. Stir well to combine, season with pepper and more salt to taste. Transfer the mixture to a 9"x13" casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses on top, sprinkle nicely with paprika, pepper and parsley for pretty color, and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
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Nutrition Facts

(per serving*)

calories: 923kcal, carbohydrates: 61g, cholesterol: 174mg, fat: 59g, fiber: 3g, protein: 37g, saturated fat: 36g, sodium: 2160mg, sugar: 5g, unsaturated fat: 23g

*Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is estimated.

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