cook · Cook

How to Make Mac and Cheese from Scratch

Name: How to Make Mac and Cheese from Scratch
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons butter; 4 tablespoons flour; 2 cups milk; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; pinch nutmeg; 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese; elbow macaroni

Real mac and cheese starts with a roux — butter and flour cooked together — then milk whisked in slowly to make a smooth sauce. Add your cheese off the heat so it melts without breaking. Toss with cooked pasta and you have the kind of mac and cheese that makes people forget the boxed stuff exists.

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
pinch nutmeg
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
elbow macaroni

Step by step

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook elbow macaroni for one minute less than package directions — it will finish cooking in the cheese sauce. Drain and set aside.
Make the roux. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in 4 tablespoons of flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture should bubble gently and smell nutty, not burn.
Add the milk slowly. Pour in 2 cups of milk gradually, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Start with just a splash, whisk until smooth, then add more. The sauce will thicken as it heats.
Season the base. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.
Melt in the cheese. Remove the pan from heat. Add 2 cups of freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, one handful at a time, whisking until each addition melts completely. The residual heat will melt the cheese without making it grainy.
Combine with pasta. Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and stir gently until every piece is coated. If it seems too thick, add a splash of pasta water or milk. Serve immediately.

Tips & troubleshooting

Grate your own cheese — pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting
Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil, or it will break and become grainy
Whole milk makes the creamiest sauce, but you can use half-and-half for extra richness
If your cheese sauce breaks, whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter off the heat to bring it back together

Variations

Baked Mac and Cheese. Transfer the mac and cheese to a buttered baking dish, top with breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter, and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Three-Cheese Blend. Use a combination of sharp cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan — about 1 cup cheddar, 3/4 cup Gruyère, and 1/4 cup Parmesan for deeper flavor.
Stovetop Bacon Mac. Cook 4-5 strips of bacon until crispy, crumble and fold into the finished mac and cheese along with some of the bacon fat for extra richness.

Questions

Why did my cheese sauce turn grainy?: Usually from adding cheese while the sauce is too hot, or from overheating after adding cheese. Always remove from heat before adding cheese, and use freshly grated cheese rather than pre-shredded.
Can I make this ahead of time?: Mac and cheese is best served immediately, but you can make it a few hours ahead and reheat gently with a splash of milk. For longer storage, undercook the pasta slightly since it will continue cooking when reheated.
What's the best cheese to use?: Sharp cheddar melts well and has great flavor. Avoid cheeses that don't melt smoothly like fresh mozzarella or cottage cheese. Gruyère, fontina, and aged white cheddar also work beautifully.
My sauce is too thick — how do I fix it?: Whisk in warm milk or some reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until you reach the consistency you want. The sauce should coat the pasta but still be pourable.