Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
This is a one-pot approach that favors texture over a crust. By using the starch from the pasta water, you create a stable emulsion that holds up whether you eat it immediately or let it sit for a moment.
Use the block, not the bag.
Pre-shredded cheese is coated in potato starch to prevent clumping, which ruins the texture of your sauce. Buy a block and grate it yourself.
- large heavy-bottomed pot
- box grater
- whisk
- colander
What goes in.
- 1 lbelbow macaroni
- 4 tbspunsalted butter
- 1/4 cupall-purpose flour
- 3 cupswhole milk, room temperature
- 12 ozsharp cheddar, freshly grated
- 1/2 tspdry mustard powder
- to tastekosher salt and black pepper
Managing the starch
Reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining. Adding this back into the cheese sauce adjusts the thickness and ensures the sauce remains glossy rather than grainy.
The method.
Boil the pasta
Bring salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni two minutes less than the package instructions. Drain, but keep one cup of the starchy water.
Make the roux
In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for two minutes until it smells like toasted grain.
Build the base
Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly. Keep the heat at medium until the liquid thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Melt the cheese
Turn the heat to low. Add the mustard powder and the grated cheddar, a handful at a time. Stir until completely smooth.
Combine
Fold the pasta into the sauce. If it feels too stiff, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until the consistency feels right to you.
Other turns to take.
Spiced
Stir in a half-teaspoon of smoked paprika or a dash of hot sauce with the mustard powder.
Textured
Top with toasted panko breadcrumbs sautéed in a little butter for a crunch.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Warm your milk in the microwave for 30 seconds before adding to the roux to prevent lumps.
Do not let the sauce boil once the cheese is added, or the fats will separate.
Use a mix of cheeses if you have them; Gruyère adds a deeper flavor profile.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my sauce grainy?
You likely added the cheese while the sauce was boiling, which causes the proteins to seize. Keep the heat low during the melting phase.
Can I use low-fat milk?
The sauce relies on the fat in the milk to maintain body; lower fat content will result in a thinner, less stable sauce.
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