Indulgent Mac 'N' Cheese
Experience the ultimate comfort food with this Indulgent Mac 'n Cheese that's oozing with creamy, cheesy goodness. Perfect for family dinners or cozy nights in, this dish will have everyone coming back for seconds!
Community Member
Under 30 minutes
This recipe was submitted by a Tasty Community Member, and hasn’t been tested by the Tasty recipe team.Submit your own recipe here!
Under 30 minutes
This recipe was submitted by a Tasty Community Member, and hasn’t been tested by the Tasty recipe team.Submit your own recipe here!
Ingredients
for 3 servings
- 1 lb macaroni (500 g)
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- salt, to taste
- 2 ½ teaspoons paprika, or chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder, (optional but highly recommended)
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, (optional, but use for added flavor)
- 1 pinch dried basil, optional
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (55 g)
For Cheese Sauce:
- ½ cup flour (60 g)
- 4 cups milk (960 mL)
- 2 garlics, minced
- 4 tablespoons milk, use for later
- ¼ cup butter (30 g)
- 4 cups cheese (400 g), (recommended: 2 cups cheddar, 1 cup monterey-jack, 1 cup mozzarella)
- ½ cup heavy cream (120 mL), (optional but for extra creaminess, use it)
Preparation
- Take a medium-sized pot or a deep saucepan and to it, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat (to toast the flour). Reduce heat to low and add butter and minced garlic. Cook until butter has melted and garlic has caramelized.
- Increase heat to medium and add 4 cups (960 ml) milk slowly, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Continue to cook until sauce thickens- sauce should be thicker than bechamel.
- Turn off the heat and add garlic powder, salt, black pepper, paprika or chili powder, mustard powder and nutmeg. After mixing, add 1 ½ cups (150 G) of the cheese to the sauce and combine - do not turn on the heat.
- In a separate pot, boil the pasta in water and cook until al dente. Drain and reserve ¼ cup (60 ml) pasta water.
- Then, put the macaroni in a large pot and add the sauce without heating it. Add the heavy cream, 4 tbsp of milk, pasta water, basil and oregano. Add salt and pepper if needed.
- In a separate pan, toast the breadcrumbs with 1 tbsp of butter and cook for 5 minutes to create a breadcrumb topping.
- Preheat the oven to 410°F. Add half of the mac 'n' cheese to a lightly-buttered baking dish. Before adding another layer, add 1 cup (100 G) of shredded cheese. Then, top with the final layer of pasta and cover with the remaining cheese.
- Add the breadcrumbs on top and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until the top gets nice and golden-brown.
- Enjoy!
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