Macaroni and Cheese
Made with love, way better than from a box—and just as easy! I always double the cheese sauce and freeze some for later. It’s great on broccoli and other cooked veggies—OR just another batch of mac and cheese.
Made with love, way better than from a box—and just as easy! I always double the cheese sauce and freeze some for later. It’s great on broccoli and other cooked veggies—OR just another batch of mac and cheese.
- Carbohydrate 55.8877000183407 g
- Cholesterol 255.862200040577 mg
- Fat 85.1016450131876 g
- Fiber 1.13300001907349 g
- Protein 68.5901950130658 g
- Saturated Fat 52.5653022075676 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (741g)
- Sodium 1630.23300016231 mg
- Sugar 54.7546999992672 g
- Trans Fat 5.51592950153381 g
- Calories 1263 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook the macaroni according to the package directions; drain well.
- For the cheese sauce, in a saucepan sauté the onion in the butter until tender but not brown.
- Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper.
- Add the milk all at once; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
- Cook and stir 1-2 minutes more; add cubed cheese and stir until cheese is melted.
- Combine the cheese sauce and the macaroni and turn into a 1 ½ quart casserole dish.
- Bake uncovered at 350-degrees for 30-35 minutes or until heated through and a light crust forms on top.
- Makes 6 servings.
Can milk and American cheese successfully form a stable emulsion without splitting into grease and solids? Achieving a smooth cheese sauce requires cooking the flour and butter roux for exactly one to two minutes after thickening to eliminate the raw starch taste before introducing the cubed cheese. Incorporating cold milk all at once into the warm fat and flour mixture prevents lumping by moderating the initial temperature rise.
Substitutions for dietary restrictions alter both texture and moisture levels. Gluten-free pasta starches leach differently into dairy sauces, often requiring a reduction in total liquid by two tablespoons to maintain density. Plant-based butter substitutes containing at least eighty percent oil content perform reliably in the roux, whereas water-heavy spreads cause the flour mixture to separate.
Baking this casserole uncovered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for thirty to thirty-five minutes allows excess moisture to evaporate while developing a golden crust. Extra sauce freezes well for future use when sealed in airtight containers for up to two months, though thawed dairy requires gentle reheating over low heat to prevent curdling.
