Mac and Cheese (Print)
Velvety cheddar sauce coats tender macaroni; optional breadcrumb topping adds crunch.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10.5 oz elbow macaroni
→ Cheese Sauce
02 - 2 cups whole milk
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
05 - 1 cup (3.5 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
06 - 1 cup (3.5 oz) mild cheddar cheese, grated
07 - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Topping (Optional)
09 - 1/4 cup (0.9 oz) breadcrumbs
10 - 1 tbsp melted butter
11 - 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F if preparing the baked version with breadcrumb topping.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a smooth roux and turns lightly golden.
04 - Gradually pour in the whole milk while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4–5 minutes, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Add both sharp and mild cheddar cheeses along with Dijon mustard. Stir until the cheeses are completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Fold the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce, stirring gently until every piece is evenly coated.
07 - Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish. Combine breadcrumbs, melted butter, and grated Parmesan in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake for 15–20 minutes until the topping is golden brown and crisp.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 2–3 minutes. Serve hot while the cheese sauce is still creamy and the topping is crisp.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in one pan with ingredients you probably already have sitting in your fridge and pantry right now.
- That little dab of Dijon mustard is a quiet secret that makes the cheese taste somehow more like itself without anyone knowing why.
- It works beautifully as a stovetop quick dinner or a baked centerpiece depending on your mood and available time.
02 -
- Grate your own cheese rather than using pre shredded bags, because the anti caking coatings on packaged cheese will make your sauce grainy instead of smooth.
- Add the milk slowly and in stages to the roux, because dumping it all at once is a guaranteed way to create stubborn lumps that no amount of whisking can fix.
03 -
- Take the sauce off the heat completely before adding the cheese, because overheating causes the proteins to separate and turn oily instead of smooth.
- Saving a splash of pasta cooking water before draining gives you a starchy liquid that can loosen a too thick sauce perfectly at the end.