Miso has the power to add umami to all kinds of dishes, and mac and cheese is no exception. Chef Chris Rogienski of Charlotte, North Carolina’s Supperland—one of our 10 Best New Restaurants of 2022—notes that the state is also home to the largest organic miso company in the world (American Miso Company). That connection sparked a desire to do a spin on traditional mac and cheese, using miso to boost the cheesy intensity of the dish.
At the restaurant, Rogienski serves miso cream on top of the mac and cheese, but here we have simplified his approach to only include miso in the cheese sauce itself. We are big fans of his stovetop approach to the iconic dish, which maximizes sauciness, and includes other flavor enhancers like garlic powder and a touch of red pepper flakes. It embodies the blending of traditional and modern approaches that makes this and every other dish at Supperland so compelling.