Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food that is enjoyed by people of all ages. From its origins as a humble peasant dish to its transformation into a gourmet delicacy, mac and cheese has come a long way. Whether you prefer a simple recipe with few ingredients or one that is loaded with complex flavors, there is a gourmet mac and cheese recipe out there that is sure to satisfy your cravings. With the right combination of cheese, sauce, pasta, and toppings, you can create a dish that is both delicious and visually appealing. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey as we explore the world of gourmet mac and cheese, where creativity and indulgence collide.
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
GOURMET MAC & CHEESE
Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King
Time 1h15m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Boil pasta in boiling salted water until very al dente?about 3 minutes less than the box instructions (it will finish in the oven).
- Render pancetta in a large oven-safe pan or French braiser over medium heat until still chewy and not quite crispy, about 20 minutes (it will finish crisping in the oven). Remove pancetta and drain all but 1 tablespoon rendered fat. Add butter, melt and then add flour to make roux. Whisk until smooth, then cook until blonde in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic, Dijon and hot sauce. Whisking vigorously, slowly add milk. Bring to simmer, whisking constantly, then cook, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes.
- Add fontina, Gruyere, Havarti and blue cheese and season with salt and pepper. Mix in pasta until fully coated. Cover entire top with pancetta and bake until bubbly and gooey, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.
- Unbaked Gourmet Mac & Cheese can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before baking, and add on another 10 minutes in the oven.
GOURMET FOUR CHEESE MACARONI AND CHEESE
When a recipe is SO good that it haunts your memory for over 40 years, you know it had to be good! As a young bride, I made this macaroni and cheese dish from a requested recipe from Bon Appetit magazine. Sadly, if I saved the recipe, it was lost along the years of moving. After the Internet, I searched, in vain, for this recipe for years, until I discovered 3/4's of it in a women's magazine. With the help of many Zaar members that helped me find the missing cheese that was needed, I now have the long lost recipe and the ability to make it again and again for an entire new generation of friends and family! This is NOT meant to be an everyday mac & cheese. It's great comfort food when you want to celebrate something special: a good grade, a birthday, or an "I love you!" kinda day. Don't skimp on the cheeses; they will be slightly costly. But, the end result is Oh So Good ! You will not be disappointed in the complex flavours of this simple dish, with a twist.
Provided by The_Swedish_Chef
Categories Cheese
Time 1h
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- PLEASE NOTE: This is a BAKED macaroni and cheese, therefore, it will NOT turn out with a lot of extra cheesy sauce asis absorbed into the pasta while baking. If you require an extra saucy mac & cheese, just reduce the amount of pasta you place into the dish or make more sauce so it is creamier. Thanks so much for making this dish; I hope you enjoy it! :).
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 3 quart rectangular baking dish with non-stick spray. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling.
- Toss all the shredded cheeses together in a large bowl, set aside.
- Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth and slightly bubbly.
- In a thin stream, whisk in the milk. Stir in the onion powder, salt, nutmeg, dried mustard and cayenne.
- Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in 2 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture and stir until smooth. Cover to retain the heat.
- Once water boils, add pasta. Cook until your desired doneness, then drain. In the pasta container, stir together the cooked pasta and cheese sauce.
- Pour half of the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle with a generous cup of the reserved cheese. Spoon remaining cheese-covered pasta into the dish and top with the remaining cheese.
- Add 1 cup of Japanese Panko Bread crumbs to the top of mixture.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the Panko crumbs are lightly browned and the cheese is bubbly. Cool slightly before serving.
GROWN UP MAC AND CHEESE
For a cozy dinner for two, try Ina Garten's Grown-Up Mac and Cheese, which features cheddar, Roquefort and GruyÂre, from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network.
Provided by Ina Garten
Categories main-dish
Time 1h10m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.
- Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.
- Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
WOLFGANG PUCK'S GOURMET MACARONI & CHEESE RECIPE - (4.1/5)
Provided by gilligan1963
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- 1. Making a roux In a heavy large saucepan over high heat, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter. When it bubbles, gradually sprinkle and whisk in the flour to form a smooth paste. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook, whisking constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, without browning. 2. Completing and enriching the béchamel Whisking continuously, gradually pour the hot milk into the roux. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer. Season with salt, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Briskly whisk the egg yolks into the pan. 3. Making the cheese sauce Whisk in the Cheddar until smooth. Simmer over low heat, whisking often, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Add and whisk in one-half cup Parmesan. Adjust seasonings to taste, adding more nutmeg if you like. 4. Cooking the macaroni Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still slightly chewy. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Rinse the macaroni under cold running water to stop the cooking, and drain again. 5. Combining macaroni and sauce Butter a 10- to 12-cup baking dish. Transfer the macaroni to a large bowl. Add the cheese sauce and stir well to combine, adding some reserved cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if needed to coat the pasta well. Spread the mixture in the prepared dish. 6. Topping the casserole Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the top of the macaroni mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese, then the breadcrumbs. Dot the top with 1 to 2 tablespoons butter. 7. Baking and serving Bake until the pasta is heated through and the topping is crisp and deep golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. To serve, scoop onto individual plates or into bowls.
OUR FAVORITE MACARONI AND CHEESE
Creamy, cheesy macaroni with a light, crunchy topping: This is the macaroni and cheese that dreams are made of. A hit of ground mustard brings an unexpected kick to this guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Provided by Rhoda Boone
Categories Cheese Pasta Side Kid-Friendly Frankenrecipe Macaroni and Cheese Cheese Week Cheddar Parmesan Small Plates
Yield Serves 12
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in the middle of oven. Butter the baking dish.
- Make the topping:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat butter and oil until butter foam subsides. Add panko and garlic; cook, stirring, until crumbs are golden brown, 4-6 minutes. Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl, stir in Parmesan and salt, and set aside.
- Prepare the macaroni and sauce:
- Set a large, covered pot of salted water over high heat to boil. Add macaroni and cook until just al dente (avoid overcooking). Drain macaroni and set aside.
- In a large wide pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle flour over butter, whisking to incorporate and make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until roux is light golden, about 4 minutes. Gradually pour in milk and cream, whisking constantly to incorporate and make a béchamel sauce. Raise heat to medium-high and bring sauce to a low boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to a simmer, whisking occasionally, and cook until béchamel sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes more.
- Add 2 tsp. salt, pepper, and mustard powder. Add the cheeses in three batches, whisking until each addition is completely melted before adding more. Remove from heat.
- Add the drained macaroni to the pot with the cheese sauce and stir well to coat. Transfer macaroni mixture to the buttered baking dish and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake until golden and bubbling, 18-22 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.
Mac and Cheese Recipes
Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food that everyone will love. It's creamy, cheesy, and can be made with a variety of different ingredients. Here are a few tips for making the best mac and cheese:
- Use a good quality cheese. The type of cheese you use will have a big impact on the overall taste of your mac and cheese. Try using a combination of different cheeses, such as cheddar, Parmesan, and Gruyère.
- Cook the macaroni al-dente. You don't want the macaroni to be too soft or too hard. Cook it for a few minutes less than the time specified on the package, and then test it by tasting a noodle.
- Make sure the cheese mixture is smooth. Use a blender or food processer to make the cheese mixture smooth and creamy. This will help the mac and cheese to have a nice texture.
- Don't overcook the mac and cheese. Once you've added the macaroni to the cheese mixture, don't cook it for too long. This will make the mac and cheese dry and crumbly.
- Bake the mac and cheese until it's golden brown. The top of the mac and cheese should be golden brown before you serve it. This will give it a nice crust and a gooey center.
Mac and cheese is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. There are many different ways to make mac and cheese, so feel free to experiment with different ingredients and cooking methods until you find a recipe that you love.
- Mac and cheese is a great dish to serve as a main course or as a side dish.
- Mac and cheese can be made with a variety of different ingredients, so it's a great way to use up leftover food.
- Mac and cheese can be baked, boiled, or microwaved.
- Mac and cheese is a popular dish to serve at potlucks and gatherings.
- Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food that everyone will love.
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