Macaroni Cheese (Print Version)
Creamy baked macaroni with a rich cheddar and Gruyère sauce, topped with crispy golden breadcrumbs.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 3 cups macaroni pasta (about 10.5 oz)
→ Cheese Sauce
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
04 - 2 cups whole milk
05 - 1½ cups mature cheddar cheese, grated (about 5.3 oz)
06 - ½ cup Gruyère cheese, grated (about 1.8 oz)
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 butter, melted (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a medium baking dish with butter and set aside.
02 - Bring a large pot of 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 saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until a smooth roux forms and turns lightly golden.
04 - Gradually pour in the 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 completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir 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, remaining grated cheddar, and melted butter if using. Mix until the breadcrumbs are evenly moistened. Sprinkle the mixture uniformly over the macaroni.
08 - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
09 - Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of mature cheddar and Gruyere creates a sauce so velvety you will want to eat it straight from the pan with a spoon.
- It comes together in under an hour which means it is completely doable on a weeknight without feeling rushed.
- That golden breadcrumb topping adds just enough crunch to make every bite interesting from the first forkful to the last.
02 -
- Take the sauce off the heat before adding the cheese because boiling cheese causes it to separate and turn grainy instead of smooth.
- Grate your own cheese every single time because the anticaking powder on pre-shredded bags will ruin the texture of your sauce.
03 -
- Warm your milk slightly before adding it to the roux because cold milk into hot butter is the number one cause of a lumpy sauce.
- Do not skip the Dijon mustard even if you hate mustard because it is the secret ingredient that makes the cheese taste exponentially more like itself.