Classic Baked Mac and Cheese (A Holiday Showstopper!)

The Comfort Food Staples: The Essential Ingredients

This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality pantry staples to create its signature comforting and cheesy flavor.

• The Cheesy Sauce (The Secret to Creaminess!):
  • The Roux & Milk: A classic and simple foundation of unsalted butter and all-purpose flour (a roux) is the key that thickens the sauce.¹ Using whole milk provides the perfect, rich base.
  • The Cheese Duo: The secret to a truly complex and delicious flavor is using a blend of cheeses. Nutty, earthy Gruyère provides a classic, Alpine flavor and an incredible, gooey melt.² Tangy extra-sharp Cheddar brings that classic, comforting mac and cheese taste.
  • Mustard Powder: A classic secret weapon! A heaping teaspoon of dry mustard powder doesn’t make the sauce taste like mustard; instead, it provides a wonderful, bright, acidic kick that magically enhances and sharpens the flavor of the cheese.
• The Crispy Topping (The Crown Jewel!):
  • Fresh Breadcrumbs: For the absolute best, most rustic and buttery topping, it is essential to use fresh white breadcrumbs. They toast up beautifully and provide a more substantial, satisfying crunch than dry, sandy breadcrumbs.
  • Fresh Tomatoes: A brilliant and beautiful addition! The fresh tomato slices on top not only look stunning but also add a wonderful, bright acidity and juiciness that cuts through the richness of the cheese.

The Casserole Masterclass: The Secrets to a Perfect Bake

This recipe uses two simple but brilliant professional techniques that guarantee a flawless, impressive result.

1. The Perfect Béchamel: The number one secret to a thick, stable, and creamy cheese sauce is a simple roux. By cooking the flour in the melted butter for a few minutes, you are cooking out the raw, pasty flavor of the flour and creating a perfect thickening agent. The key to a lump-free sauce is to then add your hot milk gradually, in a thin stream, while whisking constantly.
2. The Tempering Trick: This recipe has an optional but brilliant step of tempering an egg into the sauce.³ While you can skip it for a simpler version, adding an egg is the old-school secret to a baked mac and cheese with a rich, custardy texture that holds its shape beautifully when scooped. Simply whisk a small amount of your hot cheese sauce into your beaten egg first to gently raise its temperature, then stir it all back into the pot.

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Step-by-Step to the Best Baked Mac and Cheese

This delicious, one-dish meal is a joy to prepare.

Part 1: The Art of the Creamy, Cheesy Sauce

Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 375°F (⁴$190^{\circ}C$).⁵ In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook your 1 pound of elbow macaroni until it is al dente. Drain well.

Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, heat your 1 quart of milk in a small saucepan, but do not let it boil.

Step 3: In a separate, large pot, melt your 6 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the 1/2 cup of flour and cook over a low heat for 2 minutes, whisking constantly, to create your roux.

Step 4 (The Most Important Step!): While whisking constantly, slowly pour in your hot milk. Cook for a minute or two more, until the sauce is thickened and smooth. Off the heat, stir in your 4 cups of grated Gruyère, 2 cups of grated Cheddar, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg.

Step 5: Fold your cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and stir well. Pour the mixture into a 3-quart baking dish.

Part 2: The Crispy Topping and Final Bake

Step 1: Arrange your sliced tomatoes over the top of the macaroni.

Step 2: In a small bowl, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and toss them with your 1 1/2 cups of fresh breadcrumbs.

Step 3 (The Best Part!): Sprinkle this buttery crumb mixture evenly over the top of the tomatoes.

Step 4: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. You will know the casserole is perfectly done when the sauce is hot and bubbling and the topping is a beautiful, deep golden brown.

Let the casserole rest for a few minutes before serving.

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Classic Baked Mac and Cheese (A Holiday Showstopper!)

A classic, from-scratch recipe for a rich and creamy baked macaroni and cheese. This comforting casserole features a homemade béchamel sauce made with butter, flour, and milk. The sauce is loaded with a savory blend of grated Gruyère and extra-sharp Cheddar cheeses and seasoned with a hint of nutmeg. The creamy cheese sauce is tossed with elbow macaroni and poured into a baking dish, then topped with fresh tomato slices and a crunchy layer of buttery, homemade breadcrumbs before being baked until golden brown and bubbly.

• Author: Grace

Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
• Kosher salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 quart (4 cups) milk
• 12 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (about 4 cups)
• 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (about 4 small)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (from about 5 slices)
• Vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Bring a large pot of boiling salted water to a boil and add a drizzle of oil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions, for about 6 to 8 minutes, until al dente. Drain well.
3. While the pasta cooks, heat the milk in a small saucepan until hot, but do not let it boil.
4. In a separate large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter over low heat. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk to create a roux.
5. While whisking, pour the hot milk into the roux and cook for a minute or two more, until the sauce is thickened and smooth.
6. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the Gruyère, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon of salt, the pepper, and the nutmeg.
7. Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir well to combine. Pour the mixture into a 3-quart baking dish.
8. Slice the tomatoes and arrange them on top of the macaroni.
9. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and toss them with the fresh breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the buttered breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole.
10. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the top is browned. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

• This is a classic, from-scratch mac and cheese that uses a béchamel base for an extra creamy sauce.
• Using freshly grated cheese is highly recommended, as pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.
• Heating the milk before adding it to the roux is a key technique that helps to create a smoother, lump-free sauce.
• This casserole can be assembled ahead of time and baked just before serving.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

This Baked Mac and Cheese is the ultimate make-ahead and freezer-friendly meal.

• Make-Ahead: You can fully assemble the entire, unbaked casserole up to 2 days in advance.⁶ Simply cover it tightly with foil and store it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake, you may need to add 15-20 minutes to the total baking time.
• Storage: Store any leftover casserole, well-covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: This casserole freezes beautifully! You can freeze the unbaked casserole for the best result. Assemble it completely in a freezer-safe dish, then wrap the pan very well in a double layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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Frequently Asked questions (FAQs)

Q1: Why is my cheese sauce grainy or greasy?

The most common culprit is using pre-shredded cheese. The starches and anti-caking agents in pre-shredded cheese can often lead to a greasy or gritty texture. For the absolute smoothest, creamiest sauce, it is highly recommended to shred your own cheese from a block of high-quality, sharp cheddar and Gruyère.

Q2: Can I make this side dish ahead of time for a holiday dinner?

Yes, absolutely! This is an ideal make-ahead side dish. You can fully assemble the unbaked casserole up to two days in advance. When you are ready for your dinner, you can simply pop it in the oven to bake.

Q3: Can I use a different kind of cheese?

Of course! This recipe is a wonderful base. For a classic, gourmet flavor, a combination of fontina and white cheddar is fantastic. For a little kick, a pepper jack is a great addition.

Q4: My sauce is lumpy. What happened?

Lumpy sauce is almost always because the milk was added to the roux too quickly. The secret is to add your milk very slowly, especially at the beginning, in a thin and steady stream, while whisking constantly.

Q5: Do I have to use the tomatoes?

No, the tomatoes are optional, but they do add a wonderful, bright juiciness that cuts through the richness of the cheese. If you prefer a more traditional, all-crust topping, you can simply omit them.