Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is creamy pasta coated in a smooth cheese sauce made from butter, flour, and milk. The sauce comes together quickly on the stovetop, and the pasta finishes cooking right in it, absorbing the flavor as it thickens.

Ingredients for Macaroni and Cheese

Elbow macaroni is the traditional pasta shape that holds the sauce in its curves. Butter and all-purpose flour form the base that thickens the sauce without lumps. Whole milk adds creaminess, while sharp cheddar, gruyere, and a small amount of dijon mustard build depth and prevent the cheese from tasting flat. Salt and black pepper season it, and panko breadcrumbs with a little more butter make a crisp topping that contrasts with the soft pasta underneath.

Why This Macaroni and Cheese Works

The sauce starts with a roux, which is equal parts butter and flour cooked together for a minute. This step cooks out the raw flour taste and keeps the sauce from becoming lumpy as the milk goes in. Once the milk is added and the sauce thickens, the pasta goes directly into the pot and finishes cooking in the sauce instead of in water.

Finishing the pasta in the cheese sauce means it absorbs the flavor as it cooks and the starch from the pasta helps the sauce cling to every piece. The sauce stays creamy because the pasta releases just enough starch to bind it without making it gluey. A quick broil on top melts the breadcrumb topping into a golden crust.

Mistakes To Avoid

If you cook the pasta all the way before adding it to the sauce, it will turn soft and mushy as it absorbs the liquid. The starch from overcooked pasta also makes the sauce thick and gluey instead of creamy. Drain the pasta when it still has a slight bite.

Pre-shredded cheese contains cellulose and starch to keep the pieces from sticking together. When this cheese melts into the sauce, these additives make it grainy and separate instead of smooth. Always shred from a block.

Adding cold cheese to a hot sauce or stirring it over direct heat can break the cheese, causing it to become oily and separate from the sauce. Melt the cheese off the heat by stirring it into the warm sauce, which distributes the heat gently and keeps it silky.

If the sauce sits in the pan after the cheese melts, it will thicken as it cools and the pasta will dry out. Serve it right away, or reheat it gently with a splash of milk stirred in to loosen it back to a creamy consistency.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/4 cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and add the elbow macaroni. Cook for one minute less than the package directs, about 7 minutes, until just short of tender. Drain and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 1 minute, until the mixture is smooth and smells like cooked flour.
3. Pour in the milk slowly, whisking as you go to break up any lumps. Keep whisking until the mixture is smooth.
4. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the cheddar, gruyere, mustard, salt, and pepper, stirring until the cheese melts completely and the sauce is smooth.
6. Stir the drained pasta into the cheese sauce until every piece is coated.
7. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to a 9×13 baking dish. Toss the panko with the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter and scatter it over the top.
8. Broil on high 4 to 6 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully, until the breadcrumb topping is golden brown.
9. Let it rest for 2 minutes before serving.