🧀 Old-Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese
A classic comfort food — creamy, cheesy, and baked to golden perfection.
🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
- 12 oz (340g) elbow macaroni or any small pasta
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk (whole milk preferred)
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp mustard powder (optional, for depth)
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (optional, for topping)
- 2 tbsp butter (optional, for breadcrumb topping)
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Cook Pasta
- Boil pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- Drain and set aside.
2️⃣ Make Cheese Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Stir in flour and cook 1–2 minutes to form a roux.
- Gradually whisk in milk until smooth.
- Cook 3–5 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheese, salt, pepper, and mustard powder until melted and creamy.
3️⃣ Combine Pasta and Sauce
- Add cooked pasta to cheese sauce and stir until evenly coated.
4️⃣ Optional Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Pour macaroni and cheese into a greased baking dish.
- Mix breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle on top.
- Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbly.
🍽 Serving
- Serve as a side dish or main comfort meal.
- Garnish with extra shredded cheese or chopped parsley if desired.
🔥 Tips & Variations
- Extra creamy: Stir in ½ cup cream or cream cheese.
- Cheese blend: Use a mix of cheddar, Gruyère, or Monterey Jack for richer flavor.
- Add-ins: Cooked bacon, sautéed onions, or peas make great additions.
- Stovetop version: Skip baking for a quick, creamy mac & cheese in 10 minutes.
If you want, I can provide a restaurant-style baked mac & cheese recipe with a crunchy panko-parmesan topping and ultra-cheesy sauce.
Do you want me to do that?
