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Creamy Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese

Creamy Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese - featured image
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Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this rich, creamy baked mac and cheese featuring a luscious blend of cheddar and Gruyere.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb. dried elbow pasta
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 2 1/2 cups half and half
  • 4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese (measured after shredding)
  • 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (measured after shredding)
  • 1/2 Tbsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. paprika

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Grease a 3 qt baking dish (9×13") and set it aside.
  3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  4. Add the dried pasta to the boiling water.
  5. Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente.
  6. Drain the cooked pasta.
  7. Drizzle the drained pasta with a little bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
  8. While the water is boiling, shred the cheddar and Gruyere cheeses.
  9. Toss the shredded cheeses together to mix.
  10. Divide the mixed cheese into three piles: approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.
  11. Melt the unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
  12. Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour.
  13. Whisk the flour and butter together to combine; the mixture will look like very wet sand.
  14. Cook the roux for approximately 1 minute, whisking often.
  15. Slowly pour in about 2 cups of the half and half while whisking constantly until smooth.
  16. Slowly pour in the remaining half and half plus the whole milk while whisking constantly until combined and smooth.
  17. Continue to heat the sauce over medium heat, whisking very often.
  18. Heat until the sauce has thickened to a very thick consistency, almost like a semi-thinned out condensed soup.
  19. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
  20. Stir in the salt, black pepper, and paprika.
  21. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the divided cheeses.
  22. Stir until the cheese is completely melted and combined.
  23. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of the divided cheese.
  24. Stir until this cheese is also completely melted and smooth.
  25. In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained pasta with the prepared cheese sauce.
  26. Stir to combine fully.
  27. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.
  28. Top this layer with 1 1/2 cups of the remaining shredded cheeses.
  29. Top that with the remaining pasta mixture.
  30. Sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese.
  31. Bake for 15 minutes.
  32. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown.

Notes

Shred your own cheese from blocks for the best melt and flavor.
Cook pasta al dente, as it will finish cooking in the oven.
Whisk constantly when making the sauce to avoid lumps.
For a crunchier top, broil for 2-5 minutes at the end of baking.

Find it online: https://homecookstudio.com/creamy-homemade-baked-mac-and-cheese/