Baked Mac`n Cheese

This American classic can be found in many forms, most people are used to eating it from a box or from frozen, like we were until we started making this recipe at home. But sometimes, the extra effort is 100% worth it, especially when you can have perfectly cooked pasta and tangy, silky, creamy cheese sauce. This mac and cheese recipe uses the classic elbow macaroni and it is as cheesy as you want it to be! So let`s get started!

Since it`s such a versatile dish, your mac and cheese preferences might become quite personal. You can get creative and add lots of flavours to this exact recipe, but if you do decide to use another style of pasta, make sure to change the part-cooking time.  

We made the classic mac`n cheese recipe for our photos, but if you want to spice it up a bit, here are some options:

Bacon Bits

Roasted Red Pepper

Shredded Chicken

Jalapenos

Green Onions

Shredded Ribs

Tomatoes

Basil

Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella

Lobster

Salami

Mushrooms

And, quite honestly, almost anything else you can imagine. If you decide to spice it up, let us know what you made in the comments on this page or on Instagram!

Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

Start by part-cooking the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and then add 2/3 Lb (300g) of Elbow Macaroni, stir and let it cook for exactly 7 minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water for a couple of seconds to stop it from cooking any longer, this will prevent the pasta from over-cooking after it gets baked in the cheese sauce. You still want to be able to see the noodles when you take it out of the oven. Lightly drizzle it with some olive oil, stir and reserve.

For the cheese sauce, you should start by cooking all your flavouring agents and toppings, they will be added back into the sauce later.

If you`re adding any meats or large vegetables, cook them separately in whichever way you prefer. In a medium pot (large enough for the cheese sauce), sauté 1 small diced Spanish onion, 3 chopped strips of bacon, and a ½ sweet red pepper (small dice) with a drizzle of oil for about 7 minutes on medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for another couple of minutes. Reserve in a separate bowl.

To make a roux, – that will thicken your sauce and make it silky smooth, – melt 4 tablespoons of butter in the same medium pot on medium heat, add 4 tablespoons of flour and use a rubber whisk to vigorously mix the roux, it should look like wet sand. Continue to whisk until it starts to lightly bubble and cook for 1-2 minutes after that, when the colour turns about 2 shades darker than how it started.

Warm 3 cups of milk and a ½ cup of heavy cream in a microwave or have them be at least at room temperature. Pour it over the roux and whisk until there are no more lumps.

Add 1 teaspoon each of sweet paprika, ground red pepper and Worcestershire, 1 tablespoon of mustard powder, a pinch of black pepper, a couple drops of Tabasco, and the reserved onion mix, stir.

Crack an egg in separate small bowl and mix it. Slowly add a ladle of the milk sauce while whisking. This step is to “temper” the egg, which means that you`re slowly warming up the egg to the sauce temperature so it doesn`t scramble when you add it into the sauce.

Add 1 to 2 cups of shredded cheese – we like to use cheddar, mozzarella and jack cheeses, – 4 to 6 slices of kraft cheese, and 1 tablespoon of cream cheese. Taste it and adjust salt and other seasonings to your taste.

In a very large bowl, mix the part-cooked pasta and the cheese sauce, making sure all of the pasta is coated in sauce.  Place the mac and cheese in a large baking dish and if you want a crispy delicious top, cover it with seasoned breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese – 1 cup of breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon each of dry oregano and dry parsley, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper – before placing it in the oven.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the crispy topping is slightly browned and the inside is warmed and cooked through. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. If you`re planning on making this dish ahead of time, just place it in the fridge before baking and before adding the breadcrumbs until 40 minutes before you`re ready to serve, then cover with the breadcrumbs and bake it.

You will have the tastiest, creamy-silky mac`n cheese you`ve ever had and, if you do have leftovers, don`t forget to turn them into crispy mac`n cheese treats!

Baked Mac’n Cheese

Servings: 6+

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

300g (2/3 Lb) Elbow Macaroni, dry

4 Tbsp Butter

4 Tbsp Flour

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 Spanish Onion, small dice

1 tsp Ground Red Pepper

1 tsp Paprika

1 Tbsp Mustard Powder

1 tsp Worcestershire

3 drops Tabasco Hot Sauce

3 Cups Milk, warm

½ Cup Heavy Cream, warm

1 Egg

1-2 Cups Shredded Cheese (we used cheddar, mozzarella and jack)

4-6 Slices Kraft Cheese

1 Tbsp Cream Cheese

3 Strips of Bacon, chopped (optional)

½ Sweet Red Pepper, small dice (optional)

Crispy Topping (optional)

1 Cup Breadcrumbs

1 tsp Dry Oregano

1 tsp Dry Parsley

2 Tbsp Shredded Cheese

Step-by-Step

1.       Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once it boils, add the macaroni, stir and let it cook for exactly 7 minutes. You don`t want to overcook it at this stage, because it will still get baked in the oven. Strain and rinse with cold water for a short second. Drizzle with olive oil and reserve.

2.       Sauté onions, peppers and bacon with a drizzle of oil in a large pot for 7 minutes, medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Reserve in a small bowl.

3.       In the same pot, melt the butter and then add the flour, whisking constantly with a rubber whisk. Continue to cook the roux for about 3-4 minutes on medium heat, until it is about 2-3 shades darker than when it started.

4.       Add warm milk and heavy cream slowly while whisking vigorously. Once there are no more lumps, cook for another couple of minutes until it starts to simmer.

5.       In a small bowl, crack the egg and whisk. Slowly pour about a ladle of the hot sauce mixture into the egg while whisking, then add the egg to the sauce. Add all other spices, sauces, reserved onion mix, and cheese to the pot and continue whisking often until the sauce is smooth, salt and pepper to taste and cook until it becomes thick and cheesy. Add more cheese to taste.

6.       In a large bowl, mix the cooked macaroni with the sauce. Pour the mixture in an oven-safe baking dish and cover with the breadcrumbs and dried herbs

7.       Place the baking dish in an oven pre-heated to 350F and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are browned and the mac and cheese is warmed and cooked through.