How to make a nice mac n cheese?

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I can make a simple white sauce mixed with grated cheese but it just never has the wow factor.

Anyone have a good but simple mac n cheese recipe?

Thank you

I've used Simon Rimmer's one for years now. It's pretty traditional, but he uses a bay leaf and mustard in the sauce, plus a few cherry tomatoes. Vg.

Use full fat milk for a creamy sauce. Loadsa cheese. I sweat chopped onion in butter. Add a little oil to stop the butter from burning. Sometimes crushed garlic too.

YY to mustard powder added to the flour. Make sure you cook the flour for a couple of mins before adding the milk and simmer the white sauce for a bit to make sure it doesn't taste od the flour. If you are putting it in the oven with grated cheese and or breadcrumbs make more sauce than you think you need.

As first poster said, dollop of mustard. And use very strong cheese

mustard powder

my mum crunches up cheese n onion crips and sprinkles them on the top - I cant work out if its amazing or sacrilege

Mustard power.
Strong cheddar.
I also throw in some Parmesan.

Yes to the mustard! And add Parmesan, it’s salty and a stronger flavour. You could chuck in some bacon or ham and peas and sweet corn too? Also on top add more cheese and crush up a packet of crisps and sprinkle them on top, makes a really good crunchy topping.

Get the Annie Mac book - Best Mac and cheese recipes EVER.

Sorry - Anna Mae, not Annie Mac

Great suggestions. A few people have suggested mustard powder, would it be okay to use mustard from a jar (the yellow stuff, not the seeds)?

yes to more sauce than you think you need - get the pasta out when still al dente and it'll absorb more sauce as it sits on the stove.
I use loads of #6 waitrose cheddar. The 550g blocks are often really inexpensive compared to other cheeses.

Yes mustard from a jar is fine!

Various methods:

• fry garlic (fresh or lazy) gently in the butter you use for the roux
• mustard in the cheese sauce
• pancetta
• mixed cheeses - just bought gruyere to go with the cheddar in this week’s
• slightly undercooked pasta and slightly thin sauce, then bake for 20 minutes or so; you get a crispy/chewy top without the need for breadcrumbs and no risk of burning under the grill

I might do all of these for this week’s :)

Bacon?

I used mustard from a jar and added way too much! DH and the kids liked it but it totally overpowered the meal for me. I also added bacon and topped with cheese & onion crisps. Looking forward to trying again with less mustard.

If you know how to make a creamy white sauce, just add a pinch of dried thyme (not even a teaspoonful) a small grating of nutmeg, a pinch of smoky paprika, a small squeeze of garlic puree or pinch of garlic powder. the trick is tiny amounts of flavouring so they don't overwhelm the sauce but give it depth. Use good cheese too. I use mature cheddar with a small amount of red leicester to give it a golden colour.

I mix grated cheese with fresh breadcrumbs and grill it for a while.

If I'm feeling very adventurous, I put a thin layer of red pesto on the bottom if the dish then pour in the mixed pasta and cheese sauce first. It bubbles up through the pasta and is bloody lovely (I also do the with veggies gratin)

yes to a good spoonful of mustard in the sauce....wholegrain is fine too

basically you need more cheese than you think possible, and not all in the sauce

I use at least two grater's full ...mix one into the boiled, drained pasta in the dish, then use the rest for the sauce and leave enough to scatter over the top
Do not stir the pasta into the sauce, or vice versa, just pour it over and it should be thick enough to look like it might fold. Use about a cup of double cream or creme fraiche to make it really delicious.

Buy an instant pot. Make

www.dadcooksdinner.com/pressure-cooker-macaroni-and-cheese/

I make the white sauce with half chicken stock instead of all milk and always use a strong cheese.

Definitely not how DH did it which was cook macaroni pasta, put cold cheese on it and serve with cold sweetcorn from a tin. 😎

I've used an American recipient featured in an episode of Barefoot Contessa. It uses plain flour to thicken the sauce, strong cheddar cheese and some Monterey Jack, chipotle chile powder and garlic powder/granules - not a lot, just a small amount to give it a bit of bite. I save some of the grated cheese and mix with breadcrumbs and chopped parsley to sprinkle on top before baking. It's really cheesy without being ott.

Recipe, not recipient

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