American
Classic Mac and Cheese
Elbow pasta is coated in a cheddar sauce that starts with a cooked butter-and-flour roux and milk. A breadcrumb layer can go under the broiler or into the oven, or you can stop at the pot.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- A cooked roux, not a handful of flour dumped into milk, is what thickens the sauce without lumps.
- The flour needs a minute in the butter so the sauce does not taste raw.
- Cheese melts off the heat, which keeps the cheddar from turning grainy.
- Breadcrumbs are a baked finish, not the thing that makes the sauce work.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 375°F if you plan to bake the crumbs. Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it with the 1 tsp kosher salt, and cook the elbows until just tender, about 7 minutes. Drain.
- 2
In the same pot, melt 3 tbsp butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook the roux, whisking, for 60 to 90 seconds, until it smells lightly toasted and looks pale gold, not brown.
- 3
Whisk in the milk a little at a time so the roux dissolves instead of clumping. Simmer, whisking often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes.
- 4
Take the pot off the heat. Whisk in the mustard, pepper, and cheddar until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
- 5
Fold in the elbows. The sauce should coat them without pooling in a thin puddle. Serve now if you are skipping the bake.
- 6
For the crumb top, stir the breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Spread the pasta in a baking dish, cover with the crumbs, and bake until the top is browned, about 12 minutes. A broiler for 2 minutes also works if you watch it.
Pro tips
- Cook the roux the full minute. Undercooked flour tastes pasty even after the milk goes in.
- Shred the cheddar from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated and can make the sauce grainy.
- Salt the pasta water, then taste the sauce before adding more salt. Cheddar is already salty.
Easy substitutions
- cheddar
- half cheddar and half Gruyere
- milk
- 2 cups milk plus 1/2 cup half-and-half
- elbow macaroni
- shells or cavatappi in the same weight
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days.
Reheating
Warm in a saucepan over medium-low with a splash of milk, stirring, until hot and creamy again, about 6 minutes. The oven at 350°F also works for a crumb-topped dish, covered for 15 minutes, then uncovered for 5.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 620
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop, Oven
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From the kitchen
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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