Macaroni and Cheese

4 Reviews
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Photo: Sang An
Yield
Makes 6 to 8 servings
By Sara Quessenberry and Rori Trovato
November 2006
RECIPE BY Real Simple

Layer cooked macaroni with butter, milk, two kinds of cheese, and a little cayenne for a spicy kick. Assemble this casserole ahead of time and bake when ready to serve. User Alex suggests cooking it a little longer than suggested if you like the edges to get crispy and browned.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups whole or low-fat milk
  • 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Cheddar
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) grated Gruyère
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Nutritional Information

  • Calories 581
  • Caloriesfromfat 42%
  • Fat 27g
  • Satfat 17g
  • Cholesterol 86mg
  • Sodium 651mg
  • Carbohydrate 57g
  • Fiber 2g
  • Sugars 11g
  • Protein 27g

How to Make It

Heat oven to 350° F.

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the top. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Still stirring, slowly add the milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 7 minutes. Add the Cheddar, Gruyère, salt, and cayenne (if using) and heat until the cheeses melt.

Drain and rinse the macaroni. Add it to the sauce and toss. Transfer to a buttered casserole. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

In Advance: Assemble the macaroni and cheese but do not bake it. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake as directed, adding 15 to 20 minutes to the cooking time.

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Ratings & Reviews

citymommyjd's Review

ReginaH
October 17, 2010
We love Real Simple recipes, but this was a big disappointment. Very saucy, but missing some flavor. Not super easy or fast to prepare, although it would be nice as a make-ahead. My 6 year old son wanted to mention "it's kind of yucky".

ReginaH's Review

rtolin
September 09, 2010
Really excellent recipe. I substituted Monterrey Jack for the Gruyere. I ended up with way too much sauce to fit everything into my normal casserole dish, so I saved quite a bit of that for later use. It still came out wonderful, and I think with a larger dish and all the sauce it will be even creamier and better next time. All the basics are here in this recipe though, and it's quite versatile.

Lexusgal's Review

Lexusgal
December 08, 2009
Don't know from where these people are getting the swiss cheese. This recipe doesn't even call for swiss cheese. The gruyere cheese is fabulous!

rtolin's Review

citymommyjd
August 20, 2009
Even though it is expensive, this is great mac and cheese!