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elbow macaroni in a creamy orange cheddar sauce beneath a lightly browned cheese lid, with one portion spooned from a plain baking dish
Melissa Hart

Classic Baked Mac and Cheese

A baked macaroni casserole needs a little more sauce than looks necessary on the stove. The noodles keep absorbing liquid in the oven, and a mixture that already stands in stiff peaks won't get creamier under a browned cheese lid. Pull the pasta a minute early, keep the sauce loose and give the finished pan a short rest. The middle should still scoop softly beneath the golden top.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz elbow macaroni
  • 1 tbsp fine salt for pasta water
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt for sauce
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 10 oz medium cheddar cheese freshly grated and divided
  • 1 tsp unsalted butter for the dish

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F and butter a 2-quart baking dish. Boil macaroni in a large pot of water with the tablespoon salt until 1 minute short of the package time; drain.
  2. While the pasta cooks, melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in milk.
  3. Add mustard, sauce salt and pepper and simmer for 4 minutes until lightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in 8 ounces cheddar until smooth.
  4. Fold in the drained pasta, pour into the dish and scatter the remaining cheddar over the surface.
  5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.