For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out how to make mac and cheese from scratch. There were two problems. One, I didn’t really like the goopy mac and cheese sauces in most homemade recipes (I know, something’s wrong with me). I just prefer a thinner, silkier sauce. Maybe that’s why I’m always opting for the box mix instead.
And two, the sauce mixture always turned out grainy. It drove me insane.
I go above and beyond making a lot of things from scratch: pie crust, cakes, nice date night dinners. But when it came to mac and cheese, I just couldn’t do it.
The sauce would always end up too grainy. I thought it was a problem with my cheese or the heat I cooked the roux. After many Youtube videos and articles, I’ve learned that I just wasn’t mixing the milk well with the roux. I would add it all at once, and it would clump. Now, I just add 1/2 cup at a time and whisk vigorously after each addition.
I’ve also found that if you add the cheese when the bechamel is too hot, it will break the cheese down and leave you with a grainy texture. In this recipe you will let the bechamel sit for 5 minutes off the heat.
Types of Cheese
I love using a good quality sharp cheddar. I’ve also used white cheddar, gruyere, and gouda with good results. Awhile back I did incorporate bleu cheese into the mix and it was actually really good. You could also use American cheese. The world is your oyster, just make sure you use a cheese that can melt easily, and feel free to mix and match.
Tips for making this Mac and Cheese
1. Buy cheese in block form and grate it yourself.
Pre-shredded cheese has additives to keep it from clumping. This also keeps it from melting.
2. Making the bechamel
Bechamel is French for white sauce. It’s made by adding milk to the roux (a mixture made of equal parts flour and fat). In my experience, this is when things can get ugly. After you make the roux, just add a little bit of milk. The mixture will seize up and if you’re like me you’ll freak out, but just whisk quickly and it will combine together. Keep adding milk 1/2 a cup at a time, letting the mixture combine fully together each time. Then you can add the rest of the milk and simmer it a bit to thicken it.
3. Reserved pasta water
This water contains the pasta starch and helps hold the sauce together. If you prefer a thicker sauce, use more milk instead when you’re making the bechamel.
Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta (shells, elbows, or another small shape)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 12 oz (3 cups) grated sharp cheddar*
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- reserved pasta water*
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain but keep the pasta water.
- In another large pot, melt the butter on medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the butter, and whisk until combined. Keep whisking for another minute, until the mixture starts to smell slightly nutty.
- Add 1/2 cup milk and whisk vigorously until combined. Add another 1/2 cup milk and whisk again until fully combined. Add the rest of the milk and whisk once more.
- Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes or until the milk mixture thickly coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and mustard powder. Add the cheese and stir until melted.
- Add the pasta, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of pasta water. Mix, and add more pasta water if you want a thinner sauce.
