Macaroni and Cheese

Name: Macaroni and Cheese
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12oz Elbow Macaroni; 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter; 1/4 cups All-purpose Flour; 3 cups Whole Milk; 12oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded; 1 tsp Kosher Salt, plus extra for pasta water; 1/2 tsp Pepper (Black); 1/2 tsp Dry Mustard, mustard powder; 1/4 tsp Paprika, or a pinch of Cayenne; 1 cup Breadcrumbs, preferably panko or fresh; 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted

A comforting classic with a silky cheese sauce and a crisp golden topping, this macaroni and cheese is cozy and irresistible. It balances rich, melty flavor with a crunchy finish—perfect for weeknight dinners or as a crowd-pleasing side.

A comforting classic with a silky cheese sauce and a crisp golden topping, this macaroni and cheese is cozy and irresistible. It b... Show more

Traditional American Recipe

Health Grade

D · Occasional

Rating

4.6

Time

45 min

Price

1,50 €

Calories

1029 kcal

vegetarian

easy

high protein

low sugar

Method

Preheat oven

Heat the oven to 375° F and set a baking dish aside so you can assemble everything quickly later.

Cook macaroni

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt it generously with Kosher Salt, and add Elbow Macaroni. Cook until the pasta is just shy of al dente, about 8 minutes; it should still have a little bite because it will finish cooking in the oven.

Make cheese sauce

While the macaroni cooks, melt Unsalted Butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in All-purpose Flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until it smells a little nutty. Slowly whisk in Whole Milk until the mixture is smooth, then keep cooking and whisking until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and stir in Sharp Cheddar Cheese (shredded), Pepper (Black), Dry Mustard (mustard powder), Paprika, and a little more salt until everything is silky and fully melted.

Drain the pasta

Pour the macaroni into a colander and shake it well so the water drains off. Let it sit for a few seconds until the steam calms down, then you're ready to mix.

Mix topping

In a small bowl, toss Breadcrumbs with the melted butter until the crumbs are evenly coated and look like damp sand. You want every bit moistened, but still loose enough to sprinkle.

Assemble and bake

Stir the drained pasta into the cheese sauce until every piece is coated, then spread it into the baking dish. Scatter the buttered breadcrumbs over the top in an even layer, and bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling. Let it rest for 5 minutes so the sauce settles before you serve it.

Serve

Scoop into bowls or onto plates and serve while the topping is crisp and the cheese sauce is still luscious.

Ingredients

Method

For 4 servings

Adjust servings

For the pasta and cheese sauce

12oz Elbow Macaroni
4 tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/4 cups All-purpose Flour
3 cups Whole Milk
12oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 tsp Kosher Salt, plus extra for pasta water
1/2 tsp Pepper (Black)
1/2 tsp Dry Mustard, mustard powder
1/4 tsp Paprika, or a pinch of Cayenne

For the topping

1 cup Breadcrumbs, preferably panko or fresh
2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted

🧈 Plus ~5g of fat

🧂 Plus ~3g of salt

Nutrition

Per Serving.

Calories

1029 kcal

51% of Daily kcal

Protein

40 g

81% RDI

Fat

54 g

30g sat fat

Carbs

94 g

34% RDI

Sugar

13 g

25% RDI

Fiber

4 g

13% RDI

Salt

1.9 g

38% RDI

Quality Profile

Scored against dietary guidelines.
Tap rows for a deeper breakdown.

Composite score - weighted by current nutrition science

D · 4.6 / 10

Comments

Click to rate

Ingredients

For 4 servings

Adjust servings

For the pasta and cheese sauce

12oz Elbow Macaroni
4 tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/4 cups All-purpose Flour
3 cups Whole Milk
12oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 tsp Kosher Salt, plus extra for pasta water
1/2 tsp Pepper (Black)
1/2 tsp Dry Mustard, mustard powder
1/4 tsp Paprika, or a pinch of Cayenne

For the topping

1 cup Breadcrumbs, preferably panko or fresh
2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted

🧈 Plus ~5g of fat

🧂 Plus ~3g of salt

Macaroni and Cheese

Method

Preheat oven

Cook macaroni

Make cheese sauce

Drain the pasta

Mix topping

Assemble and bake

Serve

Ingredients

Method

For the pasta and cheese sauce

For the topping

Nutrition

Calories

Protein

Fat

Carbs

Sugar

Fiber

Salt

Quality Profile

Comments

Ingredients

For the pasta and cheese sauce

For the topping

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