BA’s Best Mac and Cheese
This baked mac and cheese recipe is our Platonic ideal of the comfort food classic: It is creamy and deeply cheesy, has a crunchy crust, and is impressive enough to serve at a dinner party. (Yes, macaroni and cheese is appropriate dinner party fare, and yes, this recipe can be doubled if you expect an extra-large crowd.) It’s also bound to make an annual appearance on your buffet of Thanksgiving side dishes.
Béchamel, a roux enriched with whole milk, keeps the sauce in our homemade mac and cheese creamy and shouldn’t be rushed. Allow a minute for the raw flour taste to cook off before adding the warm milk gradually. Don’t be alarmed if the sauce looks thin at first; it will continue to thicken as it bakes with the noodles. A word on those noodles: While elbow macaroni or any short pasta will work, we recommend something with ridges, such as cavatappi, which will grip nicely onto the sauce.
Deploying four different shredded cheeses may seem excessive, but each plays its part in the recipe: Gruyère gives the sauce a nutty richness, while sharp cheddar cheese brings tang, and fontina ensures it’s lush and creamy. Meanwhile, Parmesan cheese adds a salty, savory hit to the crispy panko topping. A touch of cayenne and English mustard powder adds kick to the whole affair (if you don’t have them, a few dashes of hot sauce and a squirt of Dijon will do).
Looking for Stovetop Mac ‘n’ Cheese made extra lush with a pour of heavy cream? We’ve got you. For our favorite baked macaroni and cheese recipe with add-ins, including cauliflower and cherry tomatoes, click here.
