Creamy Mac and Cheese With Two Cheeses and a Breadcrumb Lid

It is 5:40 on a Friday, the week has been long, and the oven is already warm for the one dish you do not have to explain. This creamy mac and cheese recipe is elbow macaroni in a smooth cheddar and gruyere sauce, baked under buttered breadcrumbs until the top turns golden. Two cheeses, because you refuse to choose, and no one at the table will make you. Serves six, with a spoon for the corners.

Sharp cheddar, nutty gruyere and a crunchy lid: the sauce and the topping do all the talking.

The sauce in this creamy mac and cheese recipe is a simple white sauce, butter and flour cooked for a minute and milk whisked in until thick, with the cheese stirred in off a low heat. It is not complicated, but the order matters. Pasta slightly underdone, sauce smooth, topping buttered, and a hot oven to pull it together.

How to make it

1. Boil the 1 lb elbow macaroni in salted water until just under al dente, about 6 minutes, then drain.
2. Melt 3 tbsp butter in a saucepan, whisk in 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, and cook 1 minute.
3. Gradually whisk in 2 cups milk and cook until the sauce thickens.
4. Stir 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese into the sauce until melted, then season with salt and black pepper.
5. Mix the pasta with the cheese sauce and pour into a greased baking dish.
6. Toss 0.5 cups breadcrumbs with 1 tbsp melted butter and sprinkle over the top.
7. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.

Notes

Cooked leftovers keep three to four days refrigerated, per USDA FSIS. Mac and cheese firms up in the fridge, so reheat individual portions in a skillet or the microwave with a splash of milk, stirring until the sauce loosens. The oven also works, covered with foil, with a little milk drizzled over the top.

It freezes reasonably well in portions, though the sauce can turn grainy after thawing. Reheat gently with extra milk.

Boil the macaroni in well-salted water for about six minutes, until it is just under al dente, then drain it.

Melt three tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, whisk in three tablespoons of flour and cook it for a minute. This is the roux, and the minute matters because it cooks away the raw flour taste. Then whisk in the milk gradually, cooking until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.

Stir in three cups of shredded sharp cheddar and one cup of shredded gruyere, a handful at a time, until melted, then season with salt and black pepper. Shred the cheese yourself from a block if you can, because pre-shredded cheese often carries anti-caking starch that can make the sauce grainy.

Toss half a cup of breadcrumbs with one tablespoon of melted butter and sprinkle it over the top. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, until bubbly and golden.

On SwipeCart this is the swipe for a night you want comfort without an argument about what to eat. The agent fills the cart with the cheddar, the gruyere and the macaroni, and you stay on the couch until it is time to whisk.

Swaps that actually work

The sharp cheddar is the point. It is the flavor you probably think of as mac and cheese, and a mild cheddar tastes flat next to it. If you swap, keep something sharp.

Gruyere is what makes this feel like a restaurant dish, because it melts smoothly and brings a nutty depth. If you cannot find it, swap in Swiss, fontina or Monterey Jack, and the result is still creamy.

Elbow macaroni is the recipe. Cavatappi, shells and rotini all hold the sauce, so use whatever you have and adjust the boil time to just under al dente on the package.

Breadcrumbs can be plain or panko. Panko gives a crunchier lid. A handful of grated Parmesan mixed into the crumbs adds salt and color, as does a pinch of paprika.

Whole milk is the base. Low-fat milk works, but the sauce is a little thinner. A splash of cream makes it richer.

The swap that costs you a proper creamy mac and cheese recipe is a thin sauce. If the milk and flour are not given time to thicken, the cheese melts into a watery base and the bake turns out soupy. Wait until the sauce coats a spoon before the cheese goes in.

If it goes wrong

The sauce is grainy. The heat was too high when the cheese went in, or the cheese was pre-shredded. Take the pan off the heat before you add the cheese, add it a handful at a time, and shred it yourself next time.

It is dry. The pasta soaked up the sauce in the oven. Stir in a splash of milk before baking, and serve any leftovers with extra milk when you reheat.

It is mushy. The macaroni was cooked all the way before it went into the dish. Pull it when it is still firm in the middle, since the oven finishes it.

The topping is pale or soft. The breadcrumbs were not buttered, or the oven was cool. Toss them with the melted butter and bake until golden, and if the top needs a boost, run it under the broiler for a minute, watching closely.

It is bland. Usually salt. Season the pasta water, season the sauce, and taste before it goes in the dish.

What to serve with it

The default is a scoop in a bowl with a spoon. It is a main dish for six, and it is happy on its own.

The better version has something green and sharp next to it, such as a vinegary slaw or roasted broccoli, because a rich casserole needs contrast. The thing in the fridge that lifts it is crisp bacon crumbled over the top, or a squeeze of hot sauce.

It also works as a next-day lunch, reheated with a splash of milk. If you want it to feel like a different meal, stir in some leftover chicken or ham.

Why this one earns its place

This creamy mac and cheese recipe is the dinner you make when a regular Friday needs to feel like a reward. It is a white sauce and two cheeses, and a short list that fits on one line of a shopping list.

It also feeds six, so it works for a crowd, a potluck or a week of leftovers. Swipe it into your week and let the agent handle the cart.

Keep going with baked ziti, chicken alfredo, or what's for dinner tonight.

More like this: all American recipes in Crave Corner.