Add we recommend you shred your own cheese. We chose extra-sharp cheddar to stand out in our béchamel sauce (more on that below). The parm brought a nuttiness that rounded out the cheddar flavor rather than distracting from it. We tried a few of these other cheeses in a blend with cheddar but the only one that still tasted iconic was this macaroni and cheese, which called for a combination of cheddar and parmesan. But we wanted our ultimate recipe to deliver classic mac and cheese flavor-meaning we wanted it to taste like cheddar. Many recipes call for cheesy additions of gruyère, fontina, brie, gouda, and even blue cheese. Three steps and done.Photo by Gieves Anderson, food styling by Anna Hampton Secret #1: Classic Cheddar is Better Cook about 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.Īdd the cheese and stir until it is melted. Stir in the macaroni.īring to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Start by putting a deep skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. I usually bribe Jack by making him hold the spoon or something for the photo, then promise him he gets a bite when we’re finished. This is what happens nearly every time I finish shooting food – the hungry vultures swarm.

So, feel free to cut the recipe in half if you don’t need 8 cups of mac and cheese. For me, most days that means using bagged cheese. And the food police won’t show up at your door. Have I used the bag stuff with this? You bet I have. As I’ve said before, the bagged stuff has cornstarch and other stuff to keep it from sticking together in the bag and it usually throws off the texture of the dish a bit. You just probably won’t get that stringy, gooey cheese pull that you would with cheese you’ve grated yourself. You can certainly use the pre-shredded bagged cheese, too. You’ll just need to use something that melts well. I use hand shredded sharp cheddar cheese in this, but you are welcome to use other cheeses here. The reduced milk then makes the perfect liquid to blend with our cheese. And cooking it in milk gives the pasta and sauce a delicious creamy flavor and texture. 10 minutes!īy using the perfect amount of liquid in this method, we eliminate the need to drain the pasta. There’s just something about the dish that says “home.” And while the methods to make it vary widely, I’ve got a super easy way to get a delicious, gooey mac and cheese on the table in about 10 minutes.

For many, Macaroni and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food.

The best mac and cheese ever