🥣 Ingredients
🍝 Pasta
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- Salt (for boiling water)
🧀 Cheese sauce
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2½ cups milk (warm is best)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup mozzarella or American cheese (for extra meltiness)
- Salt & black pepper
- Optional: pinch of mustard powder or paprika
🧀 Topping (optional but classic baked style)
- ½ cup extra shredded cheese
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs + 1 tbsp butter (for crunch)
🔥 How to Make It
1. Cook pasta
Boil macaroni until just al dente.
Drain and set aside.
2. Make roux (base of sauce)
Melt butter in a pan.
Whisk in flour and cook 1–2 minutes until slightly golden.
3. Build cheese sauce
Slowly whisk in milk until smooth and thickened.
Add cheese gradually and stir until fully melted.
Season with salt, pepper, and optional spices.
4. Combine
Mix cooked pasta into cheese sauce until fully coated.
5. Bake (optional but “old school” style)
- Pour into baking dish
- Top with cheese (and breadcrumbs if using)
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15–20 minutes
- Broil 2–3 minutes for golden crust
😋 What you get
- Creamy, silky cheese sauce
- Soft pasta coated in richness
- Optional crispy golden top layer
- Deep, nostalgic “home cooking” flavor
🔁 Variations
- 🥓 Add bacon for smoky mac
- 🌶️ Add jalapeños for spicy mac
- 🍗 Add shredded chicken for full meal version
- 🧄 Add garlic + parmesan for richer flavor
- 🧀 Use mix of cheddar + gouda for extra depth
⚡ Pro tip
Don’t overbake—it should be creamy inside, not dry. The sauce thickens as it rests.
If you want, I can also make:
- 🔥 ultra-creamy stovetop-only mac (no baking)
- 🧀 southern baked mac & cheese with eggs & evaporated milk
- 🍗 or a buffalo chicken mac & cheese version