# Mac and Cheese

Creamy, sharp-cheddar béchamel clinging to every elbow — stovetop comfort food that comes together in under 30 minutes.

_Dinner · American_

Prep: 5 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 25 min · Yields: 4 servings

## Ingredients

- 12 oz elbow macaroni
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups whole milk (warmed)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ tsp dry mustard powder
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more for pasta water)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese (freshly grated, about 10 oz)
- ½ cup gruyère cheese (freshly grated)

## Instructions

1. 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.
2. Melt the 3 tbsp unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until foaming subsides.
3. 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.
4. Slowly pour in the 2.5 cups whole milk in a thin stream, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Then whisk in the 0.5 cup heavy cream.
5. Add the 0.5 tsp dry mustard powder, 0.25 tsp garlic powder, 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine.
6. Cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4–5 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from heat. Add the 2.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese and 0.5 cup gruyère cheese in two or three handfuls, stirring until fully melted and smooth after each addition.
8. 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.
9. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately straight from the pan.

## Tip

> Grate the cheese yourself — pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking starch that makes the sauce grainy instead of silky. Pull the pan off the heat before adding cheese so the proteins don't seize.

Tags: comfort-food, weeknight, vegetarian, 30-minute, one-pan

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