Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup All purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 6 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni 2-3 minutes less than the package directions (It will finish cooking in the oven) When finished cooking, drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, start the cheese sauce. In a large pot or Dutch oven melt the butter over medium to medium high heat.
- When the butter is melted, sprinkle in the flour and whisk until light brown, about 2-3 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Add in the seasonings-salt, pepper, paprika, mustard powder and nutmeg.
- Continue cooking over medium high heat until the sauce is thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Add in 4 cups of the cheddar cheese and stir until melted and creamy. Pour in the cooked macaroni. Mix together until well combined.
- Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour in half of the macaroni and cheese. Top with 1 cup of shredded cheese. Pour the rest of the macaroni and cheese and top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Dig in and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and may not be 100% accurate.
- Try a variety of cheeses in place of the cheddar cheese, such as pepper jack, gruyere, colby jack cheese, or muenster cheese. Try a combination of 2 cheeses. If you are really brave, add in some bleu cheese!
- Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the package directions to keep the noodles firm while baking.
- Add cooked chicken and/or steamed broccoli in to the dish before baking for a full meal.
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for some heat.
- Shred your own cheese from a block of cheese for the creamiest dish. Hand shredded cheese melts best.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days.