This Grown Up Mac and Cheese recipe is one for the record books. Creamy, cheesy, and unbelievably packed with flavor. Gruyere, cheddar, and muenster offer different flavors which meld together perfectly. When you’re feeling indulgent, or need a little comfort – this is surely your recipe!
If you’ve ever been to a bridal shower, my sincere guess is that you’ve heard about the book that I’m cooking from today.
When I got married in 2014, I had many coveted gifts.
- The food processor.
- The juicer.
- The champagne flutes.
- The flatware.
And honestly, of course I was excited and thrilled for every gift. But this one – this book – it was special. If you haven’t been able to tell by now (which I hope you have – if not, read here!), I absolutely love cookbooks. Which is why I launched this Cookbook Month. It’s a way for me to cook from my favorite cookbooks, and are some of my tried and true, favorite recipes from my cookbook collection. And this one? Well, let’s just say it’s one you’ll want to cook, cover to cover.
This Mac & Cheese. I just can’t.
It ACTUALLY is one of the easiest Mac & Cheese recipes I’ve come across, and is arguably one of the most delicious.
Cheddar.
Gruyere.
Muenster.
Gorgeous, beautiful, bubbling, GLORIOUS….
CHEESE.
I served this to friends with a variety of seasoned salts to sprinkle on top.
Apple wood smoked?
Truffle?
Black lava?
Pink Hawaiian?
Pick your poison. It was a fun way for everyone to choose their favorite, and flavor their own bowl of gooey, cheesy goodness to their liking.
Some recipes for Mac & Cheese can yield gummy, overdone, and bland tasting results. That is certainly not the case with this one! The pasta is first cooked (cook until just al dente!), tossed with the shredded cheeses and a few other ingredients, topped with MORE cheese, and broiled. This means that it doesn’t go in the oven for additional (and many times unnecessary) addition cooking.
Count this one as a repeat on my “comfort food” list. I know it will be one on yours, too!
Grown Up Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- Fine sea salt
- 10 oz egular or whole-wheat rigatoni, gemelli, ziti or macaroni pasta
- 4 Tsbp unsalted butter,
- 2 tsp white whole-wheat or all-purpose/plain flour
- 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp warm water,
- 1 1/2 cups 2% milk
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere or Comte cheese
- 3 slices Muenster cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Salt generously and cook the pasta until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes depending on the shape. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- In the same pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook until lightly toasted.
- Meanwhile, dissolve the mustard powder in the warm water. Add the milk and mustard to the pot and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Whisk in eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the cayenne and stir constantly with a flat-edged wooden spoon, trailing the bottom of the pan to make sure it doesn’t curdle, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Cheddar and Gruyère cheeses over low heat. Remove from the heat as soon as about half the cheese is melted. Continue stirring off the heat until all the cheese melts. Add the cooked pasta and stir to coat.
- Preheat the broiler/grill to high.
- Transfer the macaroni to a 1-quart ovenproof baking dish and lay the Muenster cheese over the top. Broil on the top rack of the oven until golden and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Top with freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.