Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food made from tender pasta enveloped in a creamy, rich cheese sauce. The dish starts with a roux of butter and flour, which is combined with milk to create a smooth base for the sauce. A blend of sharp cheddar and gooey mozzarella gives it its signature cheesy flavour, while garlic powder adds a subtle depth. The macaroni, typically elbow-shaped, holds the sauce perfectly, making each bite both creamy and flavourful. Baked or stovetop, mac and cheese is a beloved dish that delivers warmth and indulgence in every forkful.
In this blog post, you will learn how to make macaroni and cheese.
How to Make Macaroni and Cheese
Fill a medium pot with water about three quarters full. Bring the water to a boil then pour in your macaroni. Macaroni times can vary for boiling so consult the package that it came in. Once boiled for the correct amount of time, strain through a colander. Rinse with cold water to get rid of the excess starch, pour back into the pot, and very minimally pour olive oil over the macaroni to keep it from sticking together.
In a frying pan, melt the butter. Once melted, add the garlic powder and flour to the pan. Mix with a silicon spatula until the flour is cooked and a brown paste has formed. Slowly begin to pour the milk into the pan, whisking as you pour it in. Continue to whisk until all of the milk is in the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer and continuously stir until the 5 minutes of stirring is completed. Add both cheeses to sauce on low heat and stir until the cheese has melted. Remove from the heat and pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni and serve.
Which Cheeses are the Best to Use?
The best cheeses for mac and cheese combine flavour and meltability, ensuring a creamy and rich sauce. Here’s a list with mature cheddar and mozzarella at the top:
- Mature Cheddar: Known for its sharp, tangy flavour, mature cheddar gives mac and cheese its signature richness. It melts smoothly, creating a creamy texture.
- Mozzarella: Mozzarella adds a gooey, stretchy quality to the dish, complementing the sharpness of cheddar with its mild, creamy taste.
- Gruyère: Gruyère offers a nutty, slightly sweet flavour and melts exceptionally well, adding depth to the sauce.
- Parmesan: Parmesan is great for adding a salty, savoury kick. It works best mixed with other cheeses to enhance the overall flavour.
- Monterey Jack: This mild, creamy cheese melts beautifully and adds a smooth texture without overpowering the dish.
- Fontina: Fontina is buttery and rich, with excellent melting properties, perfect for a luxurious mac and cheese.
- Gouda: Gouda provides a slightly sweet and smoky flavour, giving mac and cheese a more complex, savoury profile.
Using a combination of these cheeses, particularly mature cheddar and mozzarella, creates a mac and cheese that’s flavourful, creamy, and indulgent.
What is a Roux?
A roux is a mixture of fat and flour that is cooked together and used as a thickening agent for sauces, soups, and stews. The fat is typically butter, but oils or other fats can be used. The basic process involves melting the fat, stirring in an equal amount of flour, and cooking the mixture for a few minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
There are three main types of roux, depending on how long they are cooked:
- White Roux: Cooked briefly, it stays pale and is often used in cream sauces like béchamel.
- Blonde Roux: Cooked slightly longer until it turns a light golden colour, commonly used in sauces like velouté.
- Brown Roux: Cooked until it takes on a deeper, nutty brown colour, often used in dishes like gumbo.
In mac and cheese, a roux is used to thicken the milk, creating a smooth, creamy base for the cheese sauce.
How to Keep Pasta from Sticking Together
The best way to keep pasta from becoming sticky is by using this method. When the pasta has finished boiling and you strain it through the colander, rinse your pasta with cold water. This helps to wash away the extra starch that came out when boiling. Once rinsed, return the pasta to the empty pot. Pour over the pasta a very minimal amount of olive oil to help coat the pasta. This will keep the pasta from sticking together now.
Can I Add Bacon to My Mac & Cheese?
Yes, you can definitely add bacon to your mac and cheese! Crispy, crumbled bacon adds a savoury, smoky flavour and a crunchy texture that pairs perfectly with the creamy, cheesy sauce. To incorporate it, cook the bacon separately until crispy, crumble or chop it, and then stir it into the mac and cheese just before serving. You can also sprinkle it on top for added crunch. Bacon adds a delicious, rich element that elevates the classic dish.
Ingredients
Macaroni: macaroni is the base of the dish, providing the structure and texture for mac and cheese. Its small, curved shape holds the creamy cheese sauce, making each bite flavourful and satisfying.
Butter: butter is melted to create the base of the cheese sauce. It combines with flour to form a roux, which thickens the sauce and adds richness.
Whole Milk: milk creates the creamy consistency of the sauce. It thins the roux and provides a smooth base for the melted cheese, making the sauce luscious and velvety.
Garlic Powder: garlic powder adds a subtle, savoury flavour to the mac and cheese, enhancing the overall taste without overpowering the creamy cheese.
All-Purpose/Plain Flour: flour is combined with butter to make a roux, which thickens the cheese sauce, giving it the perfect creamy texture that coats the macaroni evenly.
Mature Cheddar: mature cheddar provides a sharp, bold flavour and creamy texture to the cheese sauce. Its strong taste gives mac and cheese its signature cheesy richness.
Mozzarella: mozzarella adds a stretchy, melty quality to the sauce, giving the dish a gooey texture. It also brings a mild, creamy flavour that complements the sharper cheddar.
Tips
- The garlic powder will make the cheese sauce taste a bit garlicky. If you are not a fan of garlic, I would not recommend putting it into the sauce.
- Once the milk is added, try to stir it constantly until it thickens to prevent it from burning.
- If you are a bacon lover, add cooker bacon at the very end with the extra cheese and sliced scallions.
Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 3 c. macaroni
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 c. milk
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tbsp. all-purpose/plain flour
- 2 c. mature cheddar shredded
- 1/2 c. mozzarella shredded
Instructions
- Fill a medium sized pot with water about three quarters full. Bring the water to a boil then pour in the macaroni. It should take around 7 minutes to fully cook in boiling water. Once boiled, strain through a colander. Rinse with cold water and place back into the pot. Very minimally pour olive oil over the top of the macaroni and stir. Set aside.
- In a pan, place the butter and let it melt. Once melted sprinkle the garlic powder and flour onto the pan and stir. Stir until it starts to become a paste which is around 2 minutes.
- Slowly begin to whisk in the milk constantly stirring. Let simmer for about 5 minutes until it starts to thicken. Make sure to stir the whole time to prevent the milk from burning.
- Once the sauce has thickened pour the shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese into the pan and melt on a low heat. Set aside some shredded cheese for topping the dish. It should take about 2 minutes for the cheese to melt.
- Once the cheese has melted pour it over top of the macaroni noodles. Pour the macaroni and cheese into a nice serving bowl. Sprinkle some leftover grated cheese on top and top with sliced scallions. Serve and enjoy!