How to Make Perfect Baked Mac & Cheese | Dear Test Kitchen

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Lower calorie option or more budget-friendly.

elbow macaroni

🥗Healthier: whole grain pasta

💰Cheaper: generic pasta brands

More nutritious or cost-effective.

Boil water in a pot and salt it until it tastes like the ocean.

Add elbow macaroni to the boiling water and cook for 6 minutes, drastically undercooking it.

In another pot, prepare a bechamel sauce over low heat.

Grate provolone, young fontina, and young asiago cheese using a smaller hole on the box grater.

Once the bechamel is ready, gradually add the grated cheese little by little, stirring continuously to ensure it melts smoothly without clumping.

Taste the sauce to check for saltiness, adjusting if necessary, but be cautious as the pasta will add flavor.

Once the pasta is undercooked, drain it and mix it into the cheese sauce, ensuring it is well coated.

Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture into a shallower, wider baking dish.

Top the mixture with mozzarella cheese for a crispy, bubbly crust when baked.

Bake in the oven until golden and bubbly, checking for doneness.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens