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Ultimate Creamy Mac and Cheese

Name: Ultimate Creamy Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 400 g elbow macaroni or cavatappi; 60 g unsalted butter; 60 g plain flour; 700 ml whole milk (warm); 200 ml double cream; 200 g sharp cheddar (grated); 100 g Gruyère (grated); 100 g Comté or Gouda (grated); 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 50 g panko breadcrumbs (for topping); 2 tbsp butter (for crumbs)

Triple-cheese stovetop mac with a golden breadcrumb crust — pure American comfort in 30 minutes.

Prep

10 min

Cook

25 min

Servings

Difficulty

Easy

★★★★★

4.8(12,400 ratings)

#pasta#american#cheese#comfort#vegetarian#quick

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About This Recipe

Mac and cheese is the most Googled recipe in the United States, appearing in every American household. The secret is making a proper roux-based cheese sauce and using a blend of cheeses for depth. The baked version with a panko crust adds textural contrast that elevates it from humble to spectacular.

Ingredients

Serves 4

400 gelbow macaroni or cavatappi
60 gunsalted butter
60 gplain flour
700 mlwhole milk(warm)
200 mldouble cream
200 gsharp cheddar(grated)
100 gGruyère(grated)
100 gComté or Gouda(grated)
1 tspDijon mustard
1 tspsmoked paprika
1/2 tspgarlic powder
50 gpanko breadcrumbs(for topping)
2 tbspbutter(for crumbs)

Instructions

1
Cook the pasta
Boil macaroni in well-salted water until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Reserve 200ml pasta water. Drain.
2
Make the roux
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for 2 minutes until sandy and slightly toasted.
3
Build the béchamel
Slowly pour in warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add cream. Cook, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes.
4
Add cheese and seasonings
Remove from heat. Add mustard, paprika and garlic powder. Add cheeses in handfuls, stirring between each addition until fully melted and glossy.
Remove from heat before adding cheese — boiling causes it to split and become grainy.
5
Combine and adjust
Add pasta to the sauce. Stir to coat. Add pasta water to loosen if needed. Season generously with salt and white pepper.
6
Breadcrumb topping
Toss panko with melted butter. Transfer mac to a baking dish. Top with buttered crumbs. Grill/broil 4–5 minutes until golden and crispy.

Pro Tips

→
Never buy pre-grated cheese — it contains anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy.
→
Use a blend: cheddar for flavour, Gruyère for melt, Gouda for smoothness.
→
Pasta water starch keeps the sauce silky and prevents it from tightening up.

Variations

•
Lobster mac: fold in cooked lobster meat before baking.
•
Spicy: add hot sauce, jalapeños and pepper jack cheese.
•
Truffle mac: finish with truffle oil and a shower of Parmigiano.

Storage

Keeps 4 days refrigerated. The sauce tightens when cold — reheat with a splash of milk.

History & Origin

Thomas Jefferson is often credited with popularising mac and cheese in America after encountering a similar dish in France, though the recipe appeared in American cookbooks as early as 1824. Kraft's boxed version (1937) made it a national staple.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my cheese sauce grainy?

Overheating causes proteins to seize. Always add cheese off the heat, and use freshly grated cheese — pre-shredded varieties contain starches that cause graininess.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (450g / 15.9 oz) · 4 servings total

Calories720kcal

Protein32g

Carbohydrates74g

Fat34g

Fiber3g

Protein32g

Carbs74g

Fat34g

Time Summary

Prep time10 min

Cook time25 min

Total time35 min

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About This Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4

400 gelbow macaroni or cavatappi

60 gunsalted butter

60 gplain flour

700 mlwhole milk(warm)

200 mldouble cream

200 gsharp cheddar(grated)

100 gGruyère(grated)

100 gComté or Gouda(grated)

1 tspDijon mustard

1 tspsmoked paprika

1/2 tspgarlic powder

50 gpanko breadcrumbs(for topping)

2 tbspbutter(for crumbs)

Instructions

Cook the pasta

Boil macaroni in well-salted water until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Reserve 200ml pasta water. Drain.

Make the roux

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for 2 minutes until sandy and slightly toasted.

Build the béchamel

Slowly pour in warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add cream. Cook, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes.

Add cheese and seasonings

Remove from heat. Add mustard, paprika and garlic powder. Add cheeses in handfuls, stirring between each addition until fully melted and glossy.

Remove from heat before adding cheese — boiling causes it to split and become grainy.

Combine and adjust

Add pasta to the sauce. Stir to coat. Add pasta water to loosen if needed. Season generously with salt and white pepper.

Breadcrumb topping

Toss panko with melted butter. Transfer mac to a baking dish. Top with buttered crumbs. Grill/broil 4–5 minutes until golden and crispy.