Mac N ' Cheese Recipe

Boil pasta

Bring 6 cups water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 12 oz elbow macaroni and cook uncovered until just shy of al dente (about 7-8 minutes; it will finish cooking in the oven or sauce). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.

Make roux

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter. Once foaming, add 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour and whisk continuously for 1 to 1.5 minutes until the raw flour smell is gone and the mixture is slightly golden (don’t let it brown).

Add milk and cream

Slowly whisk in 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream in a thin stream to avoid lumps. Increase heat to medium-high and continue whisking until the mixture thickens and starts to coat the back of a spoon, about 4-6 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

Season and finish sauce

Whisk in 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add cheeses (2 cups sharp cheddar, 1 cup white cheddar, 1/2 cup Gruyère) in small handfuls, stirring until each addition melts and the sauce is smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, whisk in up to 1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach a creamy consistency.

Combine pasta and sauce

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) if baking. In the pot used for the pasta or in a large bowl, combine the drained elbow macaroni with the cheese sauce, stirring gently to coat all the pasta. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Stovetop finish (no bake)

For a creamy stovetop mac ’n’ cheese, return the combined pasta and sauce to low heat and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately.

Bake with topping (optional)

If baking, transfer the macaroni and cheese into a lightly buttered 9x9-inch (or equivalent) baking dish. In a small bowl combine 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley; sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling and the topping is golden, about 18-22 minutes. For extra browning, broil for 1-2 minutes watching closely.

Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes to set. Garnish with additional chopped parsley if desired and serve hot.