Mac and Cheese

Why This Mac and Cheese Works

During cooking, the pasta is only boiled to al dente, so it stays a little firm. It does not fall apart when it sits in the hot cheese sauce and bakes in the oven. The starch on the outside of the macaroni also grabs onto the sauce so it clings to every piece instead of sliding off.

In the pot, butter and flour cook together first. That flour soaks up the fat and then grabs the milk and cream when they are whisked in. After a few minutes, the liquid thickens into a smooth base that can actually hold all the melted cheese without turning grainy or oily. As the cheddar and Gruyère melt into this thick base, they stay evenly spread and the sauce becomes creamy instead of stringy.

In the oven, the sauce bubbles into the pasta and fills the hollow centers of the elbows. The Parmesan on top dries out a bit and browns, so the top firms up while the inside stays soft and saucy. After it rests for a few minutes, the cheese sauce settles and clings even better, so each scoop holds together.

Mistakes To Avoid

Boiling the macaroni until it’s very soft instead of al dente makes it fall apart later. Once it bakes in the sauce, the pasta keeps soaking up liquid and cooking more, so it turns mushy and loses any bite.

Letting the roux stay pale and thin before adding the milk and cream keeps it from thickening properly. The sauce then stays runny in the oven, so the mac and cheese comes out soupy instead of holding in creamy, velvety pockets around the pasta.

Adding the cheese while the sauce is boiling hot can cause it to clump and turn grainy. The fat separates instead of melting smoothly, so the finished dish has a slightly curdled, sandy texture instead of a smooth sauce.

Skipping the short rest after baking sends the dish to the table while the sauce is still bubbling thin. The cheese sauce hasn’t had time to settle and grab onto the pasta, so it runs all over the plate instead of cutting into neat, creamy scoops.