Macaroni and cheese, a classic comfort food, is a dish that can be found in various cuisines worldwide. With its creamy and cheesy goodness, it has won the hearts of people from all walks of life. However, mastering the art of creating a rich and creamy macaroni and cheese dish at home can be a daunting task. This article aims to provide you with the ultimate guide to crafting the perfect macaroni and cheese, ensuring a decadent and flavorful culinary experience.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
Macaroni and cheese is perfect supper food. It's a kids' favorite, and adults like it too. My recipe is simple and almost as quick as the boxed variety.
Provided by USA WEEKEND columnist Pam Anderson
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in large soup kettle. Add salt and pasta. Using package directions as a guide, cook until al dente. Drain. To prevent sticking, drain and immediately pour onto a large lipped baking sheet and let cool while preparing sauce.
- Meanwhile, microwave the milk and chicken broth in a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup or bowl until hot and steamy (not boiling). Melt butter in the empty pasta pot; whisk in flour, then hot milk mixture. Continue to whisk until thick and bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in mustard, Parmesan and pepper. Turn off heat, stir in cheddar until melted.
- Add drained pasta (and optional flavoring ingredients, see notes) to sauce, and stir until everything is well combined over low heat. Stir to heat through, and thin with a little water if the sauce is too thick. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 529.1 calories, Carbohydrate 47.1 g, Cholesterol 82.3 mg, Fat 26.5 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Protein 25.1 g, SaturatedFat 16.1 g, Sodium 1202.9 mg, Sugar 8.5 g
CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
This is the ultimate creamy mac and cheese recipe. It's saucy, thick and very rich, with a wonderful cheddar flavor. Once you taste it, you'll be hooked. -Cindy Hartley, Chesapeake, Virginia
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 55m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Cook macaroni according to package directions. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add 1-1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in sour cream, Velveeta, Parmesan cheese, salt, mustard and pepper until smooth and cheese is melted. Add additional milk to reach desired consistency. , Drain macaroni; toss with cheddar cheese. Transfer to a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Stir in cream sauce. , Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 653 calories, Fat 46g fat (30g saturated fat), Cholesterol 143mg cholesterol, Sodium 1141mg sodium, Carbohydrate 35g carbohydrate (8g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 25g protein.
RICH AND CREAMY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Steps:
- Gather the ingredients.
- Heat oven to 375 F. Grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
- Cook macaroni following package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse with hot water. Set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter; stir in paprika, mustard , salt, and pepper.
- Stir in the flour until smooth and bubbly.
- Add the milk and cook, stirring, until thickened.
- Add about 1 cup of the sauce to the beaten egg yolk.
- Then return the egg mixture to the sauce, stirring to blend well.
- Set aside about 1 cup of the shredded cheese and add the rest to the sauce. Stir until melted and smooth.
- Stir in the drained macaroni and turn into the baking dish. Top with the reserved cheese.
- Toss bread crumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle over the cheese layer.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until browned and bubbly.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 561 kcal, Carbohydrate 37 g, Cholesterol 156 mg, Fiber 2 g, Protein 24 g, SaturatedFat 20 g, Sodium 821 mg, Sugar 8 g, Fat 35 g, ServingSize 6 Bowls (6 Servings), UnsaturatedFat 0 g
EXTRA RICH-AND-CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 35m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain.
- Combine the evaporated milk, eggs, havarti, Colby jack, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the nutmeg in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Add the pasta and sour cream to the sauce; toss to coat, then let sit 5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly. Add the reserved cooking water to loosen, if desired.
CREAMY STOVETOP MACARONI AND CHEESE
No need for a flour-and-butter roux in this easy stovetop version of an old favorite: The cream cheese adds body and richness. If your mac and cheese gets a little stiff as it cools, just stir in some warm water to smooth it out - it works like a charm!
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories side-dish
Time 45m
Yield 8 to 10 servings (about 8 cups)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until it is al dente, about 6 minutes. Strain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
- Heat the half-and-half and cayenne in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Continue simmering until the half-and-half is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Whisk in the Cheddar and Gruyere until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Add the macaroni to the saucepan and stir to combine. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. Season to taste with salt if needed. Serve hot.
RICH 'N' CHEESY MACARONI
This delicious dish puts a new twist on traditional macaroni and cheese. The three different cheese flavors blend wonderfully. Plus, it's easy to prepare-I plan to make it often when husband Ken and I start traveling.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Place in a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. In a saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, salt and sugar until smooth. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. , Reduce heat; stir in American cheese until melted. Stir in cottage cheese and sour cream. Pour over macaroni. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Melt remaining butter and toss with bread crumbs; sprinkle over top. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 508 calories, Fat 31g fat (20g saturated fat), Cholesterol 101mg cholesterol, Sodium 1109mg sodium, Carbohydrate 33g carbohydrate (9g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 23g protein.
MACARONI AND CHEESE, RICH AND CREAMY
The original of this recipe was found in the 17 Oct 2009 issue of Family Circle magazine and the combo of three cheeses makes for a very comforting meal!
Provided by Sydney Mike
Categories Penne
Time 40m
Yield 12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Coat a 2-quart broiler-safe baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling; add penne.
- Cook penne for 6 minutes; drain.
- In a large bowl, toss together the cheddar, gruyere and asiago cheeses; set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a medium-size saucepan, melt unsalted butter over medium heat; whisk in flour until smooth and slightly bubbly.
- In a thin stream, whisk in the milk; stir in onion powder, salt and cayenne pepper.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in 2-1/2 cups of the cheese mixture.
- In a pasta pot, stir together the cooked penne and the cheese sauce.
- Pour half of mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle with a generous cup of the cheese.
- Spoon in the remaining penne and top with the remaining cheese sauce.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Increase the oven temperature to broil and cook another 3 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
- Cool slightly before serving.
ULTRA RICH MACARONI AND CHEESE
World-famous chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is so fond of his wife Marja's ultrarich mac and cheese that it appears on the menu at the Mercer Kitchen, one of his New York restaurants. Marja makes the dish with four cheeses, from creamy Monterey Jack to extra-sharp cheddar. The most unusual touch: the cubes of cream cheese that melt on top. Can be made ahead, see last note under the directions. From "Food and Wine" magazine.
Provided by Raquel Grinnell
Categories Macaroni And Cheese
Time 1h15m
Yield 1 10x15 pan, 10-12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the macaroni for 3 minutes (it will still be very chewy). Drain the macaroni and return it to the pot. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss well.
- Butter a 10-by-15-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk the heavy cream with the half-and-half, milk, eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses and the macaroni. Spread the mac and cheese in the prepared baking dish and scatter the cream cheese cubes on top.
- Bake the macaroni for 5 minutes. Using the back of a large spoon, spread the melted cream cheese cubes evenly over the surface. Bake for 40 minutes, until bubbling.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and preheat the broiler. Broil the mac and cheese about 3 inches from the heat source until richly browned, about 2 minutes. Let stand for at least 10 and up to 20 minutes before serving.
- Make Ahead: The assembled mac and cheese can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking, or add 15 minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 565.6, Fat 40, SaturatedFat 24.1, Cholesterol 163.7, Sodium 754.6, Carbohydrate 30, Fiber 1.1, Sugar 2.9, Protein 21.9
Tips:
- Use a good quality cheese. The type of cheese you use will greatly affect the flavor of your macaroni and cheese. Use a cheese that melts well, such as cheddar, Gouda, or Gruyère.
- Make a roux. A roux is a mixture of butter and flour that is used to thicken sauces. It will help to give your macaroni and cheese a creamy texture.
- Cook the macaroni al dente. Al dente means "to the tooth" in Italian. It refers to pasta that is cooked through but still has a slight bite to it. This will help to prevent the macaroni from becoming mushy.
- Use milk or cream. You can use either milk or cream to make your macaroni and cheese. Milk will result in a lighter sauce, while cream will result in a richer, more decadent sauce.
- Season to taste. Add salt, pepper, and other spices to taste. You can also add other ingredients, such as cooked bacon, diced tomatoes, or chopped green onions.
- Bake until golden brown. Top the macaroni and cheese with breadcrumbs or grated Parmesan cheese and bake until golden brown. This will give the dish a crispy topping.
Conclusion:
Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a versatile dish that can be made with a variety of different ingredients. With a few simple tips, you can make a delicious and creamy macaroni and cheese that your family and friends will love.
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