I have never made macaroni and cheese from scratch before, but this recipe made my family think I've done this a million times. This was a lot of work but super fun and delicious. This way saved me some serious dishes ^.^ just thought i'd share. Totally delicious! I cooked my pasta in a dutch oven, then drained and wiped it out, then when time came to make the béchamel, i used the dutch oven again, and poured my noods straight in and mixed and put directly in the oven. What do you gain from adding the flour later? So what is the point of putting the flour into the milk-butter mixture, rather than starting with a roux, and adding milk to get a béchamel? When I make mac-and-cheese, it's very similar to this recipe except the order of creating the béchamel. Double the amount of pasta for the best results. Definitely try this one!īeware! This is delicious but the proportions of sauce to noodles is WAY off. The panko on the top gives each bite a nice crunch.

This mac and cheese is delish! Thanks to the reviews I doubled the pasta amount in the recipe and it made for perfect portion sizes. I'm planning on making it as a side (emphasis on side) for next christmas family gathering! It's so rich it's almost impossible to eat a whole bowl full. So rich and flavorful with a great texture combination. And I use a LARGE saucepan (instead of the medium one recommended) or there is no room to stir in the cooked pasta.Ībsolute PERFECT mac and cheese. Was that a typo and it's just 2 cups milk, or 2 half cups so 1 cup total? Our favorite recipe, hands down! I use smoked grueyer and we top it with my husbands pulled pork. Otherwise with 2 tbsp of flour, the bechamel would taste way too floury. Yeah, they mis-typed in the recipe - It should be 2 1/2 (as in 2.5) cups of milk. To the person asking about quantity of milk. This is now my family’s favourite mac & cheese recipe! It was perfect! Be careful not to boil the milk, your sauce will probably split like mine did (I remade it). ❤️Īs delicious as mac and cheese can get, I think! I made this the day before Thanksgiving, topped it with the breadcrumb mixture day of straight from the fridge, and baked it for the same time and temp recommended.

Reheats so well, I wouldn’t hesitate to make this dish a day ahead if needed. Took another’s advice to use the same pan as the pasta, to make the sauce, and warming the milk in the microwave, saved a lot of pot clean up. The panko topping, pre toasted, with a hint of thyme. Superb! Perfect creaminess and outstanding cheese flavor just enhanced with the touch of mustard and cayenne. Meanwhile, a pinch of cayenne pepper and English mustard powder adds a small kick of heat to the whole affair. A word on those noodles: While elbow macaroni or any short pasta will work, we recommend something with ridges, such as cavatappi, which will grip nicely onto the sauce.ĭeploying four different cheeses here may seem excessive, but each plays its part in the recipe: Parmesan adds a salty hit to the crispy panko topping, while Gruyère adds a nutty richness, sharp cheddar lends tang, and fontina ensures the sauce is lush and creamy. Don’t be alarmed if the sauce looks thin at first it will continue to thicken as it bakes with the noodles. Allow a minute for the raw flour taste to cook off before adding the warm milk gradually. (Yes, macaroni and cheese is appropriate dinner party fare, and yes, this recipe can be doubled if you’re inviting a crowd.)īechamel, a roux enriched with milk, is what keeps the sauce creamy and it shouldn’t be rushed.

This baked mac and cheese recipe is our Platonic ideal of the comfort food classic: It is creamy and deeply cheesy, has a crunchy crust, and is impressive enough to serve at a dinner party.

Creamy white mac and cheese recipe