I will eat any version of macaroni and cheese. Kraft, Velveeta, homemade, frozen. I basically lived on it in college. Noodles and cheese are hard to mess up. And grabbing a box is especially tempting during the summer, when the days are full of swimming lessons and lake afternoons and navigating the endless construction. But trust me. Back away from the Kraft.
This recipe is almost as fast–it takes half an hour tops–and triply good. And, if you’re like me and you hate to sacrifice the sauciness of stovetop mac or the breadcrumb topping of baked, this best-of-both-worlds recipe is for you. It has a ton of creamy, Dijon-based sauce and crunchy chive breadcrumbs sprinkled on top. It’s a little more grown up, but still kid-friendly. I usually make extra sauce, and I’ve already done that work for you here. At first, you’ll think it looks like macaroni soup, but don’t worry–it’ll turn out perfect. The extra sauce also prevents the leftovers from drying out, so it keeps really well. There’s no way it can go wrong.
What else can I say? It’s creamy, rich, and the perfect comfort food. I know it’s not healthy. Don’t eat it every day. But if you’re going to eat macaroni and cheese, you might as well do it right.
stovetop macaroni and cheese
serves 8
time: 30 minutes (at the most)
ingredients
1 16 oz medium pasta shells
5 tablespoons + 3 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2.5 cups milk (2% or whole)
2 cups heavy cream (or more milk)
2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded*
1 cup swiss, shredded
1 cup Italian blend cheese, shredded (or more swiss)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup plain breadcrumbs (you can use panko too, or half and half)
3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
*please, I am begging you, do not use mild or medium cheddar. If I could banish any cheese from the planet, it would be mild cheddar. Nothing less than sharp will do.
directions
- Cook noodles to al dente according to instructions. (Make sure the pasta water is well-salted!)
- Heat a large pot or deep skillet over medium heat and melt 5 tablespoons of butter. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add flour and whisk until fully combined. Cook the flour-butter mixture over medium-high heat for about a minute to lose the floury taste. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt.
- Whisk in Dijon. The mustard/flour/butter mixture will smell very mustardy. Do not be alarmed.
- Gradually add in milk and cream, whisking continuously. Add another sprinkle of salt. Heat until it begins to bubble.
- Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheeses until combined. If the sauce has become too thick, add milk a little at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. It should be thick, but not gluey. Add another sprinkle of salt. Combine with the noodles, stirring thoroughly (and gently).
- While the macaroni is cooling, make the breadcrumbs. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add chopped fresh chives, pepper, seasoning salt, and breadcrumbs. Cook until browned, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
- Serve macaroni garnished with breadcrumbs.