Let’s talk comfort food, because this mac and cheese is the ultimate cozy dish! We’re talking about that super creamy, ooey-gooey, cheesy goodness that makes you feel like everything in the world is right again. And guess what? It’s totally easy to make—just a few simple steps to cheesy perfection.
The secret to this ultra-creamy mac and cheese? It’s all about building a smooth, velvety cheese sauce from scratch. We start by making a simple roux (don’t worry, it’s just butter and flour, easy peasy!). Then, we slowly whisk in some milk until it turns into a luscious, thick sauce. And now for the star of the show—CHEESE! I love using a combo of sharp cheddar and a little Gruyere for the bold flavour. But honestly, you can mix in whatever cheeses you love.
Once your sauce is silky smooth, toss in your pasta that has been cooked a bit less than the package instructions, to avoid overcooking, (I’m all about that elbow macaroni life, but any shape works!), stir it up, and get ready to dive into a big bowl of cheesy heaven.
Pro tip: if you want to take it up a notch, bake it with a buttery breadcrumb topping for that crispy finish. Or just serve it straight from the pot for maximum creaminess—it’s your call!
This mac and cheese is comfort food at its finest, and once you try it, you’ll never go back to the boxed stuff again. Trust me, you’ll be making this on repeat all year long!
This recipe’s origin is from Martha Stewart. And although there are so many variations, I often find myself going back to this one. Feel free to experiment with cheeses and more Gruyere instead of Cheddar or other gourmet cheeses.
Preheat the oven to 375. Place the racks to the upper third of the oven. Butter 9x13 casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook macaroni 2-3 minutes less than package instructions. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Drain macaroni well. Warm milk, but do not let it boil, set aside. Place 3 cups cheddar cheese and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese in a large bowl. Put a fine mesh sieve over the bowl. Once we make our bechamel sauce, we will strain it into the cheese mixture.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour over bread and toss. Set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat in a sauce pan. When the butter starts to foam and bubble, add flour, whisking consistently - you are making a roux. Cook it for about 1 minute to cook off the raw taste, stirring constantly; do not let your roux get dark!
This next step is the most important and will make or break your mac and cheese...
Add a little bit of milk in a steady stream. If you add too much too quick, your sauce may separate and not be able to be saved. Your sauce must get very thick; as it gets thick - your job is to work out all of the lumps and dissolve all of the flour pockets into thick but very smooth sauce. At that point, at a bit more milk, whisking constantly. After all of the lumps are gone, continue adding the rest of milk in a steady stream while whisking; after you have added all the milk, your sauce will thin out.
Allow the sauce to simmer, whisking constantly, until mixture bubbles and becomes thick. You now made béchamel sauce!
Remove from heat and strain into the bowl with cheese. Add nutmeg, cayenne (if using,) salt and pepper to taste and stir. Add your macaroni and ensure the mixture is well combined. Pour it into the prepared dish. Top with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is browned. If not browned and crisp enough, broil for a couple of minutes watching closely not to burn with the oven door open. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375. Place the racks to the upper third of the oven. Butter 9x13 casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook macaroni 2-3 minutes less than package instructions. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Drain macaroni well. Warm milk, but do not let it boil, set aside. Place 3 cups cheddar cheese and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese in a large bowl. Put a fine mesh sieve over the bowl. Once we make our bechamel sauce, we will strain it into the cheese mixture.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour over bread and toss. Set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat in a sauce pan. When the butter starts to foam and bubble, add flour, whisking consistently - you are making a roux. Cook it for about 1 minute to cook off the raw taste, stirring constantly; do not let your roux get dark!
This next step is the most important and will make or break your mac and cheese...
Add a little bit of milk in a steady stream. If you add too much too quick, your sauce may separate and not be able to be saved. Your sauce must get very thick; as it gets thick - your job is to work out all of the lumps and dissolve all of the flour pockets into thick but very smooth sauce. At that point, at a bit more milk, whisking constantly. After all of the lumps are gone, continue adding the rest of milk in a steady stream while whisking; after you have added all the milk, your sauce will thin out.
Allow the sauce to simmer, whisking constantly, until mixture bubbles and becomes thick. You now made béchamel sauce!
Remove from heat and strain into the bowl with cheese. Add nutmeg, cayenne (if using,) salt and pepper to taste and stir. Add your macaroni and ensure the mixture is well combined. Pour it into the prepared dish. Top with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is browned. If not browned and crisp enough, broil for a couple of minutes watching closely not to burn with the oven door open. Enjoy!
Notes
Make it Gluten-Free: replace flour with good-quality all purpose gluten free flour, replace macaroni with gluten free macaroni, omit breadcrumbs or replace with gluten free breadcrumbs. Ensure all your ingredients are gluten free and not cross-contaminated with gluten.
Happens to be Vegetarian.
