Macaroni Cheese (Printable)
Tender pasta in a rich cheddar and Gruyère sauce, baked until golden and bubbly.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 oz (about 3 cups) dried macaroni pasta
→ Cheese Sauce
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
04 - 2 cups whole milk
05 - 5 oz (1½ cups) mature cheddar cheese, grated
06 - 1¾ oz (½ cup) Gruyère cheese, grated
07 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Topping
09 - ¼ cup breadcrumbs
10 - ¼ cup grated cheddar cheese
11 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly butter a medium baking dish and set aside.
02 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander and set aside.
03 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until a smooth, golden roux forms.
04 - Gradually pour in the whole milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Continue cooking and stirring for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Add the grated cheddar, Gruyère, and Dijon mustard, stirring until the cheeses are fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Fold the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce, stirring gently until every piece is evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer.
07 - In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the remaining grated cheddar. Drizzle in the melted butter if using, and toss until the mixture resembles wet sand. Sprinkle evenly over the macaroni.
08 - Bake on the center rack for 15 to 20 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
09 - Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set slightly.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of mature cheddar and Gruyere creates a sauce that tastes like it took hours, not minutes.
- That crispy, cheesy breadcrumb topping will have people scraping the baking dish clean.
02 -
- Adding cheese to a boiling sauce will cause it to seize and turn stringy, so always remove the pan from heat first.
- A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg in the béchamel adds a warmth that most people cannot identify but everyone notices when it is missing.
03 -
- Warm the milk slightly before adding it to the roux, because cold milk hitting hot butter and flour is the number one cause of lumps.
- Reserve a handful of the pasta cooking water before draining, as a tablespoon or two can rescue a sauce that has become too thick.