- cooking spray
- 1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 onion, chopped
- 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
- 3 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 (12 ounce) package fully-cooked sausage, sliced
- 1 pear – peeled, cored, and sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain macaroni and transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
- Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onions in the melted butter until partially translucent, about 5 minutes. Whisk in flour until paste-like consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly stream in milk, stirring constantly, until flour mixture is incorporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in Cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese until completely melted and and sauce has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Pour cheese sauce into macaroni; stir to coat. Season with black pepper. Stir in sausage.
- Reserve 4 slices of pears; dice remaining pear slices and stir into macaroni mixture. Arrange the reserved slices atop macaroni mixture.
- Stir 2 tablespoons melted butter and bread crumbs together in a small bowl; sprinkle over macaroni mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is bubbling and topping is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.