Mac and Cheese
Creamy, sharp-cheddar béchamel clinging to every elbow — stovetop comfort food that comes together in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 12 ozelbow macaroni
- 3 tbspunsalted butter
- 3 tbspall-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cupswhole milk(warmed)
- ½ cupheavy cream
- ½ tspdry mustard powder
- ¼ tspgarlic powder
- ¼ tspcayenne pepper
- 1 tspkosher salt(plus more for pasta water)
- ¼ tspblack pepper
- 2 ½ cupssharp cheddar cheese(freshly grated, about 10 oz)
- ½ cupgruyère cheese(freshly grated)
Method
- 01
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the 12 oz elbow macaroni 1 minute less than the package's al dente time. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- 02
Melt the 3 tbsp unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until foaming subsides.
- 03
Whisk in the 3 tbsp all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 90 seconds until the roux smells faintly nutty and turns pale gold.
- 04
Slowly pour in the 2 ½ cups whole milk in a thin stream, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Then whisk in the ½ cup heavy cream.
- 05
Add the ½ tsp dry mustard powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir to combine.
- 06
Cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4–5 minutes.
- 07
Remove the pan from heat. Add the 2 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese and ½ cup gruyère cheese in two or three handfuls, stirring until fully melted and smooth after each addition.
- 08
Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and fold together until every piece is evenly coated. If the sauce feels too thick, stir in reserved pasta water a splash at a time.
- 09
Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately straight from the pan.
Adapted from public domain & community sources