Mac and cheese is one of our family’s favorites. For years, we have made it during the holidays so it is a tradition to serve this in our household. This is the best mac and cheese there is filled with melted cheese, crispy bread crumb topping, and curly noodles throughout. We never miss making this each holiday season – and you won’t want to miss it either!
We still have the first menu we made many, many years ago. We make menus every week where we decide what to pair together for our weekly table and which items to create and share. Although it is something that is second nature at this point, we started doing this when we were kids. The first menu we ever made was for Christmas Eve many years ago. We remember thinking through exactly what to include and what to leave off. Naturally, the star of the menu was this delicious mac and cheese.
We typed up the menu and decorated it with little holly berries across the border. We wrote out all of the dishes that we featured for dinner that Christmas Eve. There were our holiday traditions like chocolate souffles and our favorites like mac and cheese. Although the menu at the time was driven by what we loved as kids, to this day we make a very similar menu for Christmas eve. It holds memories, tradition, and includes a large dish of the best mac and cheese there is.
The best mac and cheese:
Regardless of if you are serving this to kids or adults, this dish is a favorite for anyone who tries it. The top of the mac and cheese is crunchy and golden and the center is soft and creamy. Each bite you take is filled with noodles enveloped in the most delicious, cheesy sauce. The sauce is sharp and nutty from the cheddar and gruyere with a slight warmth from the nutmeg. The top is buttery and crunchy from the panko and the edges provide even more crunch–it’s the most delicious bite.
See how to make the mac and cheese in this video:
Ingredient notes:
- Cavatappi pasta: This type of pasta is what allows the creamy, cheesy sauce to get enveloped throughout the pasta. There are so many curls and little nooks and crannies in this type of pasta making it the perfect noodle to put in the mac and cheese. It is like multiple elbow noodles spiraled together so it has the nice nook and cranny effect but multiplied.
- Whole milk: Whole milk makes for the creamiest cheese base. Other milks can be used but whole milk is the best. If you want an even more decadent mac and cheese, half and half can be subbed, but we prefer whole milk.
- Butter: Butter makes just about everything better and this is no exception. It is used to make the roux and cook the flour and to butter the panko bread crumbs. It is what gives the signature golden topping to this dish–not to mention it adds so much flavor!
- Flour: Flour and butter are cooked together to make a roux for the soft, cheesy sauce. Without the flour, the liquid would be too runny with just the milk. Ensure the flour is properly cooked with the butter so there is no flour taste in the mac and cheese.
- Gruyere: Gruyere is one of our favorite cheeses. It adds a unique but not overpowering flavor to the dish. It is a type of Swiss cheese and our favorite to add to mac and cheese. If you do not like gruyere or do not have it on hand, simply use this amount of another cheese (e.g. all cheddar).
- Cheddar: Cheddar is a classic when it comes to making stringy, cheesy mac and cheese. We like the white, sharp variety in this dish for the best flavor but any sharp cheddar will work.
- Salt & Pepper: We season the dish with salt and pepper. For salt, we use diamond kosher, but halve if using morton. For pepper, we always use freshly cracked not pre ground—this makes a big difference in flavor.
- Nutmeg: Nutmeg adds a warm, delicious note to this dish. It is perfect for the holidays and pairs so well with the cheese. It adds a depth of flavor, but is really subtle and delicious in the dish.
- Bread crumbs: The bread crumbs are the star of the show. They get combined with melted butter to form a delicious, golden top and are crispy and beautiful.
How to make the mac and cheese:
- Boil the pasta: The pasta should be very al dente and slightly undercooked. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven. To do this, we boil cavatappi pasta for 6 minutes (or 3 minutes below package instructions for al dente)
- Heat the milk: While the pasta boils, heat milk in a saucepan until warmed but not boiling. The milk should be hot enough to melt the cheese but if it boils, it will scald so heat it and stir frequently
- Making the roux: In a separate pot (large enough to mix that macaroni and cheese) melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and whisk over low heat for 2 minutes. This step is called a roux and is what thickens the sauce. After 2 minutes, whisk in the hot milk and cook for 2 more minutes until smooth
- Making the cheese sauce: Turn off the heat and add gruyere, cheddar, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked pasta and stir until combined. Place in a 9×13” baking dish
- Making the breadcrumb topping: Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and combine with bread crumbs. Sprinkle mixture over the top and bake for 30 minutes until golden on top and bubbling
Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound cavatappi pasta
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 stick butter divided
- 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 12 ounces Gruyere grated (4 cups)
- 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar grated (2 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F
- Boil pasta for 6 minutes (or 3 minutes below package instructions for al dente). Drain pasta. The pasta should be slightly undercooked
- While the pasta boils, heat milk in a saucepan until warmed but not boiling
- In a separate pot (large enough to mix that macaroni and cheese) melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and whisk over low heat for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, slowly stream in the hot milk (whisking vigorously) and cook for 2 more minutes until smooth
- Turn off the heat and add gruyere, cheddar, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked pasta and stir until combined. Place in a 9×13” baking dish
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and combine with bread crumbs. Sprinkle mixture over the top and bake for 30 minutes until golden on top and bubbling
Notes
Entertainer’s Note
This can be made in advance and popped into the oven when guests are about to arrive. If needed it can also be reheated but make sure to pour over a little extra milk to keep it creamy.
Adapted from Ina Garten
