Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
To get a smooth cheese sauce that doesn't break, cook your flour and butter into a pale blonde roux before whisking in cold milk, then remove the pan from the heat entirely before stirring in your grated cheese.
Freshly grate your cheese.
Pre-shredded bags contain anti-caking starches that prevent the cheese from melting into a cohesive, velvety sauce.
- 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, cold
- 1 lbsharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1/4 tspground black pepper
The Carry-Over Melt
The proteins in cheese tighten and turn grainy if exposed to direct high heat. Stir your cheese in only after the white sauce is thickened and the pot has been pulled off the burner.
The method.
Boil the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni for one minute less than the package instructions for al dente. Drain and set aside.
Create the roux
In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 2 minutes. The mixture will smell like pie crust and look like wet sand.
Thicken the base
Gradually pour in the milk while whisking vigorously to break up any lumps. Continue cooking and stirring until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Emulsify
Remove the pot from the heat. Add the salt and pepper. Stir in the grated cheddar one handful at a time, waiting for each addition to melt before adding the next.
Combine
Fold the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce until every noodle is coated. Serve immediately while the sauce is fluid.
Other turns to take.
Breadcrumb Topping
Toss 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter and toast in a small skillet until golden. Sprinkle over the finished bowls.
Spiced Version
Add a quarter-teaspoon of cayenne pepper or a dash of smoked paprika to the roux to balance the richness of the cheese.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the sauce feels too thick, splash in a little extra warm milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
Use a mix of cheeses, such as half cheddar and half Gruyere, for a more complex profile.
Salt your pasta water heavily—it should taste like the ocean.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my sauce grainy?
You likely added the cheese while the pot was still over the flame, which causes the fats to separate. Keep the heat off when adding the cheese.
Can I reheat leftovers?
Yes, but add a splash of milk before warming it on the stove, as the pasta will soak up the sauce as it sits in the fridge.
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