American · Main · Easy
Mac and Cheese
Silky, golden, crusty-topped comfort in a dish. This is the mac and cheese that ends arguments about which one is best.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Mac and Cheese, in 5 ideas
- Grate your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch that makes the sauce grainy.
- Undercook the pasta slightly since it keeps cooking in the oven.
- Warm milk mixes into the roux without lumps. Cold milk fights you.
- Add the cheese off the heat so it melts instead of breaking into grease.
- Let it rest 10 minutes before serving so the sauce sets up.
What you need
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups sharp cheddar, grated
- 1 cup gruyere or mozzarella, grated
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika, plus more for topping
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
How to make it
Directions
- Heat the oven to 375 F. Boil the macaroni in well salted water until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the box says. Drain.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until it smells nutty.
- Slowly pour in the warm milk and cream, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 5 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the mustard powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, then add the cheeses a handful at a time, stirring until melted.
- Fold in the drained macaroni. Pour into a buttered 9x13 baking dish.
- Toss the panko with a drizzle of melted butter and a pinch of paprika, scatter over the top, and bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Buy block cheddar and grate it yourself. It is cheaper per pound and melts far better than the bagged stuff.