In the realm of comfort food, few dishes evoke nostalgia and pure bliss quite like macaroni and cheese. This classic dish has been a staple in kitchens and dinner tables for generations, holding a special place in our hearts and palates. From its humble origins to its modern-day variations, macaroni and cheese has undergone a culinary journey that has resulted in countless recipes, each claiming to be the ultimate version. However, in our quest to recreate the magic of this beloved dish, it is essential to return to its roots, embracing the simplicity and purity of the original recipe. In this article, we will embark on a culinary adventure to discover the secrets behind the perfect classic macaroni and cheese, drawing inspiration from the masters at Fine Cooking magazine. Join us as we explore the nuances of this timeless dish, uncovering the essential elements that make it a true culinary masterpiece.
Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!
CLASSIC MACARONI AND CHEESE
This is the classic baked Mac and Cheese of my childhood. You can add sun-dried tomatoes if you wish, or sometimes I substitute minced garlic for the salt and pepper to give it added zing! It can make Saturday Night more fun!
Provided by Cordi Tierno
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Time 1h10m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
- Grease a 2 quart casserole dish. Place a quarter of the macaroni in the bottom, followed by an even layer of one-quarter of the cheese slices. Dot with butter and season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering three times. Pour evaporated milk evenly over the top of all.
- Bake, uncovered, for one hour, or until top is golden brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 701.3 calories, Carbohydrate 64.9 g, Cholesterol 102.8 mg, Fat 33.5 g, Fiber 3.4 g, Protein 34 g, SaturatedFat 20.4 g, Sodium 552.2 mg, Sugar 7.8 g
CLASSIC MACARONI AND CHEESE FROM FINE COOKING
This is best assembled ahead. Pasta will soak up sauce. Sprinkle on crumbs just before baking. A wonderful version of a classic dish.
Provided by KathyP53
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 1h
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat oven to 375 degrees and butter 9x13" baking dish.
- Cook macaroni according to package directions just until tender and drain well.
- Melt 12 tablespoons of butter in a heavy-based medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, onion, bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns; reduce heat to medium low and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, to make a roux. Slowly whisk the milk into rux until smooth and blended. Raise heat to medium-high; whisk constantly until mixture boils. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Lower heat and continue simmering for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Strain sauce into a large bowl, removing the onion, herbs, and peppercorns. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese is melted. Toss pasta with cheese sauce and pour mixture into baking dish.
- Melt last 2 tablespoons butter and toss with breadcrumbs. Spread the buttered curmbs over casserole. Bake until sizzling and lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Cover with foil is browns too quickly.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1205.8, Fat 72.7, SaturatedFat 44.8, Cholesterol 208.2, Sodium 947.7, Carbohydrate 89.6, Fiber 3.9, Sugar 13.4, Protein 48.1
CLASSIC MACARONI AND CHEESE
Make and share this Classic Macaroni and Cheese recipe from Food.com.
Provided by carolgreen
Categories Cheese
Time 38m
Yield 1/2 cup, 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Cook macaroni according to directions. Do not add salt to the cooking water.
- Drain and set aside.
- Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking oil spray.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly spray saucepan with nonstick cooking oil spray.
- Add onions to saucepan and sauté for about 3 minutes.
- In another bowl, combine macaroni, onions, and the remaining ingredients.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Transfer mixture into casserole dish.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
- Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 152.9, Fat 2.2, SaturatedFat 1, Cholesterol 27.6, Sodium 135.8, Carbohydrate 22.9, Fiber 1, Sugar 2.8, Protein 9.7
CREAMY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This recipe, inspired by Stouffer's macaroni and cheese, delivers the best of all worlds: creamy, saucy comfort, with a consistency that's slightly more set than a stovetop version, thanks to a final bake in the oven. It stays voluptuous and molten as a result of a higher ratio of sauce to noodles, which are cooked completely so they don't soak up as much liquid. The Velveeta is necessary here, as it has sodium citrate, which prevents the sauce from separating in the oven. Elbow macaroni works fine, but cavatappi is an especially fun shape to eat with its telephone-cord bounciness.
Provided by Eric Kim
Time 1h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until just past al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Return the empty pot to the stove (no need to clean it) and set over medium heat. Melt the butter and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the butter stops spurting and quiets down, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth like gravy, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the milk. Raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, then immediately reduce the heat to low and continue simmering until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon, 2 to 5 minutes. At this stage, the sauce should be smooth but relatively loose. Take the pot off the heat.
- To the pot, add the Cheddar, Velveeta, Pecorino Romano, mustard powder, onion powder and cayenne, and season generously with salt and black pepper. Whisk until the cheese is melted and smooth like nacho cheese. Add the drained pasta, breaking up any clumps, and stir until evenly coated in the cheese sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or dish and bake until bubbling at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
CLASSIC MAC AND CHEESE
Nothing is better than homemade classic mac and cheese, the ultimate comfort food!
Provided by T-fal
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Time 45m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
- Melt the butter in the bottom of an oven-proof fry pan. Add the flour and stir over heat until just beginning to brown - don't let it get too brown. Take it off the heat and stir in about 1 cup of milk until the butter and flour mixture is fully incorporated. Put it back on the heat and simmer until just beginning to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the milk; stir to fully incorporate.
- Add all of the cheeses and stir to melt. Once melted, add the cooked macaroni. Stir to mix.
- Cover the top of the mac and cheese with panko crumbs and place the pan in the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until it is bubbling and the bread crumbs are slightly browned.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 537.7 calories, Carbohydrate 54.8 g, Cholesterol 75.5 mg, Fat 25.3 g, Fiber 1.9 g, Protein 23.6 g, SaturatedFat 15.5 g, Sodium 517.5 mg, Sugar 5.7 g
CLASSIC BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Think Stouffer's without the freezer. While it can be enjoyed straight from the pot, this macaroni and cheese has a slightly looser sauce than the stovetop variety to allow for thickening in the oven. Bread crumbs, while optional, make it truly spectacular.
Provided by Alison Roman
Categories dinner, lunch, casseroles, pastas, main course, side dish
Time 1h
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it's barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It's going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
- Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
- Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
- Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 3-quart or 9 x 13 baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1076, UnsaturatedFat 24 grams, Carbohydrate 85 grams, Fat 61 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 46 grams, SaturatedFat 31 grams, Sodium 1027 milligrams, Sugar 12 grams, TransFat 1 gram
CLASSIC MACARONI AND CHEESE
Savor a saucy, cheese crowd-pleaser with this Classic Macaroni and Cheese! You can't go wrong this delicious recipe. Watch now to find out how Classic Macaroni and Cheese will leave a lasting impression.
Provided by My Food and Family
Categories Macaroni & Cheese
Time 40m
Yield 6 servings, 1 cup each
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Melt butter in large saucepan on low heat. Stir in flour; cook and stir 2 min. or until bubbly. Gradually stir in milk; bring to boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Simmer on low heat 3 to 5 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add 1-1/2 cups cheese; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until melted. Stir in macaroni.
- Spoon into 1-1/2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake 20 min. or until heated through.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 380, Fat 20 g, SaturatedFat 13 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 55 mg, Sodium 310 mg, Carbohydrate 0 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 0 g, Protein 16 g
Tips:
- Use a good quality cheddar cheese. The better the cheese, the better the macaroni and cheese. Look for a sharp cheddar that is well-aged.
- Cook the macaroni al dente. This means that it should be cooked until it is tender but still has a slight bite to it. Overcooked macaroni will make the dish mushy.
- Make a roux. A roux is a mixture of butter and flour that is used to thicken the cheese sauce. It helps to prevent the sauce from becoming thin and watery.
- Add milk and cheese gradually. Slowly whisk the milk and cheese into the roux until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Be sure to let the cheese melt completely before adding more.
- Season the sauce to taste. Add salt, pepper, and other spices to taste. You may also want to add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little spice.
- Top with bread crumbs or crushed crackers. This will give the macaroni and cheese a crispy topping.
- Bake until golden brown. Bake the macaroni and cheese in a preheated oven until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
Conclusion:
Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It's easy to make and can be customized to your liking. With a few simple tips, you can make the best macaroni and cheese that you've ever tasted. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give macaroni and cheese a try. You won't be disappointed.
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