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Original poster

Mac and cheese

44 replies

AaaaaandBreathe · 02/02/2023 12:23

Looking for a good mac and cheese recipe if anyone can help?

I've tried different ways but it never quite turns out right!

OP posts:
Georgyporky · 02/02/2023 12:26

Tell us what is wrong with it ?

AlisonDonut · 02/02/2023 12:27

How do you make it?

Crumpledstilstkin · 02/02/2023 12:30

Just make a bog standard bechamel then add a tiny dash of horseradish, bung in some boiled mac that's had a couple of minutes less than the instructions, shove a load of grated cheese and panko breadcrumbs on and bung in the over at 180 ish until golden and bubbly. The usual things that go wrong are making the bechamel too watery (add more cheese) or the mac too soggy (boil less before adding in).

RomansTheyGoTheHouse · 02/02/2023 12:30

Macaroni cheese is one of those dishes that everyone has their own views on what makes a good one. I could give you mine but it'll only be right if you love a dense, intensely cheesy, saucy and heavy version of the dish. If you were hoping for something lighter and more interesting then my recipe ain't it Grin

How do you like your Mac Cheese?

BadGranny · 02/02/2023 12:30

American style or uk style?

WeAreTheHeroes · 02/02/2023 12:31

My favourite recipe uses lots of cheese added to a bechamel sauce - about 12oz - of cheddar and a bit of Monterey Jack to about 12oz uncooked weight pasta and adds some garlic powder and bit of chipotle chilli powder to the cheese sauce. They enhance the cheesiness. Keep back some of the cheese and mix with breadcrumbs and chopped parsley for topping before finishing off in the oven. I use penne rather than macaroni.

To make a dairy free, sub vegetable oil or something like Vitalite or an equivalent for butter in the sauce and use a non dairy milk. Use vegan strong cheddar and add nutritional yeast flakes to boost the flavour.

Original poster
AaaaaandBreathe · 02/02/2023 12:37

Thanks everyone!

I don't have a particular way, just choose different recipes from online and I can never quite get the flavour right, it also is often stodgy (perhaps overcooking the pasta?) My children prefer the mac and cheese from the school canteen! I'm determined to get it right.

Oh, I didn't realise there were differences in UK or US for this. What is the difference? The type of cheese?

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 02/02/2023 12:40

I make a white sauce, using the all in one method, where you put milk, flour and butter cold into the pan, then heat it up gradually, whisking until it thickens, then I add some mustard and loads of good, sharp cheddar. Then I stir it into the cooked macaroni, top with more cheese, and brown in the oven. If I make it earlier in the day, it takes 35 minutes or so in a hot oven to heat up, but if I make it to serve at once, it just needs a few minutes under the grill to brown, because it's hot already.

I do add crispy bacon lardons to mine.

Original poster
AaaaaandBreathe · 02/02/2023 12:45

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 02/02/2023 12:40

I make a white sauce, using the all in one method, where you put milk, flour and butter cold into the pan, then heat it up gradually, whisking until it thickens, then I add some mustard and loads of good, sharp cheddar. Then I stir it into the cooked macaroni, top with more cheese, and brown in the oven. If I make it earlier in the day, it takes 35 minutes or so in a hot oven to heat up, but if I make it to serve at once, it just needs a few minutes under the grill to brown, because it's hot already.

I do add crispy bacon lardons to mine.

Do you use specific measurements or just chuck it in until it's the right consistency?

OP posts:
Squiblet · 02/02/2023 12:46

Mine is similar to others' above, but the sauce includes bacon bits and some chopped & fried spring onions. Cheese mix in the white sauce is usually 75% cheddar and 25% gruyere. (half and half is nice but more expensive).

Then for the topping, mix (in a bowl) breadcrumbs, olive oil, grated parmesan and a bit of chopped parsley if you have it.

Baking in a hot oven is essential, I think, because it dries it out a little and stops it being sloppy.

Thecatisboss · 02/02/2023 12:47

I use the BBC good food recipe but adapt it by missing out the garlic and adding leeks to it. It's got breadcrumbs on top so different textures as well.

KnittedCardi · 02/02/2023 12:48

My mac and cheese doesn't have bechamel! I kind of just made it up really, but I like it because it is not too rich.

So I cook the pasta and put it in a dish with tinned tomato, oregano, salt, pepper, splash of cream, knob of butter, and some kind of meat/chicken, either cooked bacon or pancetta, or frankfurters, or cooked chicken pieces. I stir in torn morzarella, and add some grated cheese and parmesan on top. Stick in the oven for 30 mins.

Often it is the last resort meal, because you can use up all the odd bits and pieces and leftovers and stick them in.

Talipesmum · 02/02/2023 12:48

Great question, OP. I pretty much always go with Delia but I do make more sauce than she says for the amount of pasta. I often double the sauce quantity and then freeze what I don’t need. countryskillsblog.com/2014/06/17/macaroni-with-leeks-and-bacon-from-delia-smiths-complete-cookery-course-cooking-the-books-week-24/

but if you’d like an extensive testing discussion I love this column by Felicity Cloake where she tries lots of alternatives and then decides on “the perfect” option. You can adjust depending on your preference. amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/oct/06/how-to-cook-perfect-macaroni-cheese

Basically though, if it’s too stodgy, then:

  • Cook the pasta for a little less long. A couple of mins less than if you were just serving as pasta.
  • make more cheese sauce than it says. Cheese sauce is nice.
  • If that doesn’t fix it, add a bit more milk or cream to the cheese sauce so it doesn’t end up so thick by the time it’s been baked for ages.
justmindinmybiz · 02/02/2023 12:48

Any recipe with Gruyère cheese will be amazing. Try this one:

www.canadianliving.com/food/lunch-and-dinner/recipe/ultimate-macaroni-and-cheese

TwoMonthsOff · 02/02/2023 12:55

Use some of that really Finely grated Italian hard cheese in pouches it’s so much stronger than cheddar ….and a dash of mustard and nutmeg

Jijithecat · 02/02/2023 12:55

If you have a pressure cooker this recipe is great. Really quick and delicious. Not great for the waistline.
www.feistytapas.com/2015/12/jaysons-pressure-cooked-mac-and-cheese-with-instant-pot-instructions/

TwoMonthsOff · 02/02/2023 12:55

In the sauce I mean

bilbodog · 02/02/2023 12:59

When mine comes out a bit stogy its because ive made the cheese sauce too thick and/or not enough of it. I aim for my sauce to be the consistency of single cream - the pasta soaks up some if the liquid as it cooks in the oven.

RomansTheyGoTheHouse · 02/02/2023 13:21

50g butter
50g plain flour
600ml milk
350g grated cheddar
150g grated parmesan
150g mozzarella
500g pasta
10-20 cherry tomatoes

Make a bechamal sauce, season well with black pepper then slowly add in most of the cheddar and parmesan and none of the mozzarella.

Keep cooking the cheese sauce until all the cheese has melted.

Cook the pasta ntil it's not quite cooked enough to eat.

Mix pasta and sauce.

Add the grated cheese on top. Sprinkle cherry tomatoes over the top of that (essential!)

Add sliced mozzarella on top of that

Bake for 30-45mins.

Bijou23 · 02/02/2023 14:08

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 02/02/2023 12:40

I make a white sauce, using the all in one method, where you put milk, flour and butter cold into the pan, then heat it up gradually, whisking until it thickens, then I add some mustard and loads of good, sharp cheddar. Then I stir it into the cooked macaroni, top with more cheese, and brown in the oven. If I make it earlier in the day, it takes 35 minutes or so in a hot oven to heat up, but if I make it to serve at once, it just needs a few minutes under the grill to brown, because it's hot already.

I do add crispy bacon lardons to mine.

Same! That's how we do ours very tasty Grin

WeAreTheHeroes · 02/02/2023 15:19

@KnittedCardi - that reads like it's a pasta bake rather than macaroni cheese!

WeWillRockyou · 02/02/2023 16:35

I do white sauce with cheese stirred in at the end, add equal volumes of macaroni and cauliflower and serve. I don’t bother with the baking stage and find the cauliflower stops it feeling so stodgy.
so recipe is to serve three;

1oz butter
1oz flour
1/2 pint milk
6oz strong cheddar

6oz macaroni
Equal volume of cauliflower

Its become a weekly firm favourite in our house, cheap and only takes 15 minutes to pull together.

RomansTheyGoTheHouse · 02/02/2023 16:40

This is what I mean about how everyone likes their macaroni cheese different to everyone else Grin

In the end, OP, you end up with your own family recipe and everyone else's seems wrong somehow Wink

PopcornAndWine · 02/02/2023 21:17

Look up BBC Good Food Next Level Max n Cheese with Marmite - amazing 😋

AtleastitsnotMonday · 03/02/2023 21:32

KnittedCardi · 02/02/2023 12:48

My mac and cheese doesn't have bechamel! I kind of just made it up really, but I like it because it is not too rich.

So I cook the pasta and put it in a dish with tinned tomato, oregano, salt, pepper, splash of cream, knob of butter, and some kind of meat/chicken, either cooked bacon or pancetta, or frankfurters, or cooked chicken pieces. I stir in torn morzarella, and add some grated cheese and parmesan on top. Stick in the oven for 30 mins.

Often it is the last resort meal, because you can use up all the odd bits and pieces and leftovers and stick them in.

That is one distant cousin of a macaroni cheese! Chopped tomatoes, oregano, chicken, hot dogs!! A pasta bake yes, macaroni cheese, I'm yet to be convinced! But if you enjoy it, crack on!