Macaroni Cheese (Printable Version)
Creamy baked pasta with cheddar and Gruyère sauce, topped with golden crispy breadcrumbs.
# What You'll 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 - 5.5 oz (1 1/2 cups) mature sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
06 - 1.75 oz (1/2 cup) Gruyère cheese, freshly grated
07 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - Fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
→ Topping
09 - 1 oz (1/4 cup) plain breadcrumbs
10 - 1 oz (1/4 cup) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
11 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). 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 just al dente. Drain thoroughly in 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 the mixture turns a pale golden color and develops a nutty aroma.
04 - Gradually pour in the whole milk while whisking vigorously to prevent lumps from forming. Continue cooking and stirring steadily 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 all the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and fold 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 and remaining grated cheddar. Drizzle with melted butter if desired and toss to combine. Scatter the topping evenly over the entire surface of the macaroni.
08 - Bake on the center rack for 15 to 20 minutes until the topping is deeply golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
09 - Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set slightly before serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The combination of mature cheddar and Gruyere creates a sauce so velvety you will catch yourself tasting it straight from the pan.
- That breadcrumb topping gets perfectly crunchy while everything underneath stays creamy and soft.
- It comes together with everyday ingredients you probably already have sitting in your kitchen.
02 -
- Adding cheese to a boiling sauce causes it to separate and turn oily, so always remove the pan from heat first and let the residual warmth do the melting.
- If your sauce seems too thick before combining with the pasta, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up.
03 -
- Toss the hot drained pasta with a tiny knob of butter before adding it to the sauce to prevent the noodles from sticking together while you finish the cheese mixture.
- Grate your cheese while it is still cold from the fridge since warm cheese clumps and shreds unevenly, making it harder to melt smoothly into the sauce.