Classic Creamy Mac and Cheese Bake
This cozy comfort food has lots of variations and you can transform it into a meal adding your favorite protein, perhaps cooked chicken breast or steak or even some juicy lobster or crab to give it a gourmet touch. If you’ve only ever had readymade mac and cheese, this recipe is going to blow your socks off. And if you have made your own, see how this one compares.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried macaroni elbow pasta shapes
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 ½ cups Half & Half
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
- 4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking dish.
- Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil, then add a pinch of salt.
- Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than what it says on the packaging (you want it al dente).
- Drain and toss with a little oil so it doesn’t stick together.
- Toss the shredded cheeses together.
- Melt the butter in a pan on the stove and whisk in the flour.
- Cook for a minute then pour in 2 cups of the Half & Half, whisking all the time.
- Pour in the rest of the Half & Half and then the milk, whisking constantly.
- Keep cooking and whisking until thickened.
- Take the cream mixture off the heat and stir in the spices and 1½ cups of the shredded cheese mixture, stirring to melt.
- Stir in another 1½ cups of the shredded cheeses until melted.
- Toss the drained pasta with the melted cheese mixture.
- Pour half of this into the baking dish and add 1½ cups of cheese on top.
- Add the other half of the pasta mixture on top and finish with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbling on top.