I hadn’t planned to spend most of the fall to date making skillets upon skillets of baked, gooey, decadent macaroni and cheese, though given the state of things right now, perhaps this steady dose of comfort food was some unintended brilliance on my part. But mostly it started because we had baked mac and cheese from The Smith one night. My kids fought over the last scrapings from the pan and I reminded them — I honestly don’t even think they realize it sometimes — that I could make it for them, too. And so the next night, I pulled up my trusty Martha’s mac-and-cheese, a forever SK and internet favorite, and it immediately …irked me. Start with cooked pasta? Warm the milk for the bechamel? So many pans, so many bowls, so many steps. On a Tuesday, no less. It felt unacceptable.
Once something gets under my skin, I can forget my other editorial plans. I was now pursued by a need to make it better, easier, and more practical for my real life in 2024. Each week since, I’ve made it one to two more times (I’m very popular with friends and family right now, thank you very much), trying to shave off time, steps, and keeping it simple enough that I’ve basically memorized it. And this is the result, my new forever go-to baked macaroni and cheese with the best part of the easiest baked mac and cheese (no need to boil the pasta) with the best parts of Martha’s (a decadent, perfect sauce) and as little fuss as possible.
A few details:
It’s here! The special audiobook edition of Smitten Kitchen Keepers, Smitten Kitchen Keepers: A Kitchen Counter Conversation! published yesterday. Read by me, I hope it feels exactly like you’ve pulled up a chair and we’re hanging out in the kitchen together. Bonus recipe: When you purchase the audiobook, you will receive a signed holiday card from me, perfect to give as a gift, with a bonus recipe. To receive your card, complete the form with your purchase order number right here. [US Residents, 18+. Ends December 13, 2024.]
Video
Skillet-Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- 1/2 cup (30 grams) panko-style breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) plus 3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 pound (8 ounces or 225 grams) dried elbow macaroni
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces or 170 grams) coarsely grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup (4 ounces or 115 grams) coarsely grated gruyère, comte, jack, gouda, fontina, or raclette
- 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces or 55 grams) finely grated pecorino romano cheese
- 1/4 cup (35 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk (710 ml), any kind, or 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) milk, any kind, plus 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk (see Note)
- Many grinds of black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
- A pinch or two of freshly grated nutmeg
Toast the crumbs: In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet (I’m using this one), melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and add the breadcrumbs. Toast the crumbs in the butter, stirring, until they’re a light golden brown. Season with a pinch of salt and scrape crumbs into a dish to set aside. Swipe out the pan to clean it, if you wish. Nobody will notice if a crumb ends up in the sauce, however.
Soak your pasta: Place uncooked pasta in a large bowl and cover with hot tap water. Soak for 10 minutes then drain it, shaking the pasta out. (I find it traps a lot of water.)
Make the sauce and assemble: Combine the three cheeses right on the paper or board you’ve grated them onto.
Return your ovenproof skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in it. Add the flour, whisking to combine. Add milk, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking to combine each addition with the butter-flour mixture until smooth. When all milk is added, season with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond brand; use half of any other brand), many grinds of black pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg, and cook, stirring, until mixture comes to a simmer and begins to thicken. Once simmering, cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Turn the burner off.
Setting aside 2/3 cup of the cheese mixture, add the rest of the cheeses to the sauce, stirring just until it has melted. Taste the sauce (carefully!) here and adjust seasonings if needed to taste. Stir in drained pasta until evenly coated. Sprinkle the surface with reserved cheese, followed by the toasted breadcrumbs.
Bake: Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. You can fish out a piece of macaroni just to confirm it’s cooked through, but I’ve never found this to be an issue. Add another 5 minutes in the oven, if needed for it to soften. If you want it a little more browned on top, run the pan briefly under your broiler for a minute.
Serve: Let rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then serve right away.
Do ahead: Given the choice between reheating cooked macaroni and cheese and baking it fresh, and given that it can take almost the same amount of oven time to bake it as to warm it through, I always choose baking the mac and cheese right before serving it. You can assemble it earlier, however, and bake before you’re ready to eat. Reheat leftovers in the original pan or an ovenproof dish at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes.
Previously
6 months ago: Steamed Artichokes, Black Bean and Vegetable Bake, and Perfect Blueberry Muffin Loaf
1 year ago: Chicken Rice with Buttered Onions
2 year ago: Apple Dumplings
3 years ago: Big Apple Crumb Cake
4 years ago: Whole Wheat Chocolate Oat Cookies and Simple Cauliflower Tacos
5 years ago: Chickpea and Kale Shakshuka
6 years ago: Crispy Spinach Pizza
7 years ago: Pizza Beans and Chocolate Tahini Challah Buns
8 years ago: Homemade Merguez with Herby Yogurt and Magic Apple Plum Cobbler
9 years ago: The Perfect Manhattan, Broccoli Cheddar Soup and S’more Cupcakes
10 years ago: Latke Waffles and The Crispy Egg
11 years ago: Frico Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
12 years ago: Crackly Banana Bread and Spaghetti with Broccoli Cream Pesto
13 years ago: Apple Pie Cookies
14 years ago: Single-Crust Apple and Plum Pie
15 years ago: Date Spice Loaf and Lebanese-Style Stuffed Eggplant
16 years ago: Summer’s Last Hurrah Panzanella, Sweet and Sour Glazed Cippoline, Majestic and Moist Honey Cake, and Best Challah (Egg Bread)
17 years ago: Red Velvet Cake, Noodle Kugel, Spaghetti Fideos with Chorizo and Almonds and Couscous and Feta-Stuffed Peppers
18 years ago: Acorn Squash with Chile-Lime Vinaigrette
I cannot wait to make this version! Perfect timing as my friends were teasing me last night about being mentioned on your podcast for my 2018 comment on your mac and cheese
Bwahaha. Kenji had a field day!
And I posted the same question a couple of days ago. :) Hope to hear back. This would be great if it can be assembled the day before. I’m thinking maybe make the sauce and just leave the pasta soak until ready to bake?
It says “drained pasta” in the directions. Typo?
The pasta is soaked, then drained.
I very much disagree; Deb is always warm and welcoming and never preachy. As this is her blog , she has the right to express any opinion she wants. The thing is , she doesn’t. She is nothing less than gracious to all her readers. Do some of us get a little “ spicy” myself included? Absolutely! This is America and we are free to express ourselves just as you are free to look elsewhere if you are unhappy with the “ tone” here. I hope you can still enjoy this wonderful site, but if not best of luck to you. I’m going to make this delicious looking Mac and cheese.
Longtime fan, first time caller. I’m just coming off a long ladyfriend weekend at the coast and have to do *something* with all of this leftover cheese. I’m curious about adding in a can of pureed beans for a little more oompf. Do you happen to have any thoughts or input on making that work?
I’m interested to hear how it works if you try it!
I might be tempted to push it towards Mexican Mac and cheese with the appropriate seasonings then. Chili powder, cumin, and garlic.
Can you do this with gluten free elbows?
Yes
I would kill to be your neighbor on testing days!! I have never attempted homemade M&C and cannot wait to try this!
With everything going on, this is exactly what I need. Thank you for bringing a spot of joy to this time of fear and stress.
Just what I need to make in this time of celebration!
Yes, I will be making this in this incredible time of celebration as well! Thank you for a great recipe!
Wow, the smug gloating is really kind of you, Sue! Stay classy!
Yes
I’m sorry, Hugh. Sending hugs and hope you just ignore that other message. We’re in this together.
Ditto
Ditto
Hugs to you. Sorry about the rude MAGA folks in your comments. Sad to see them here.
This is a cooking blog that ALL of us should be able to enjoy without your inappropriate comments, not everyone thinks just like you do, there are rude people on both sides, so please just comment on Deb’s great skills!
I’m well aware it’s a cooking blog but when the author feels the need to insert her political feelings she bears some responsibility. Peace out I’ve lost all respect for Deb and will no longer follow her
Bye bye
Re: Sue’s comment: I have loved Smitten Kitchen since 2007/2008 when I first discovered Deb’s warm, witty writing and amazing recipes. I am saddened that her political views have become a larger and larger part of the blog/IG page. They are not outspoken but the undertones/passive comments are clearly there (i.e. this recipe post) and for those of us that do not agree, or who are simply not looking for politics in our recipes, it’s become more and more of a challenge to visit the site and just enjoy the lovely writing and recipes. “The state of things”, for many of us, is very different than what it might be for Deb or any other individual who voted in another direction. So to assume that everyone agrees with her, and that everyone would welcome a line such as “the state of things” at the top of a recipe post, is a bit tone deaf. I loved that Smitten Kitchen was a welcoming place where anyone could go to get delicious recipes and wonderful writing, and where people who had no idea how to cook could make a delicious meal easily and quickly just by following one of Deb’s recipes. But sadly it has not felt that way in years.
This is her page, and she is free to post as she sees fit. If it bothers you then you can move on. I think many have moved on from people these past few years when you can’t unsee their beliefs. I, for one, am glad to see that her values, as well as her recipes, line up with my tastes. But, if they hadn’t, it is still her page to post her views as well as her recipes.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. I have also followed this blog since it’s early days and have felt welcomed into the folds of Deb’s life because she does choose to share more than recipes with us. This is her platform and she has a right to her opinions and feelings, just as you do. Perhaps the state of things she’s commenting on isn’t solely the outcome of one election, but how toxic our political climate has become, as evidenced in some people’s rude comments on a food blog. It’s depressing that political views have more of a tendency to elicit hate from people rather than a thoughtful, respectful discussion. It’s clear that some people feel safe and proud in this country with the current events, but there are so many others who do not feel safe, do not feel proud, and are truly scared for the future of our country. Can’t we make America decent and be open to discussing disagreements without so much vitriol? That is my hope, but I don’t think we’ll get there with how emboldened people have become to express their hatred for other people, usually strangers with different viewpoints. But in the meantime, I will continue to cook, continue to follow Deb’s blog for great recipes, and continue to treat others with kindness and respect, including those with whom I disagree. Because we will continue to build walls and echo chambers if we cannot face disagreements in a civilized way.
We do not live — or cook — in vacuums. I appreciate Deb’s acknowledgment of this fact. She’s a real person with a real life in a real kitchen, with concerns for her friends, family, and the world. I think everyone, regardless of how they voted, can recognize that “the state of things” is pretty painful right now. Such division and judgment. So whether you’re cooking to celebrate or cooking to alleviate grief, may your food nourish your love and compassion for all.
Sally T- I love the end of your statement and may post it in my kitchen- may your food nourish your love and compassion for all.
“The state of things’ is that you apparently support a convicted rapist, a decades’-long known scam artist, a racist, antisemitic, homophobic, transphobic POS whose only desire is to foment fear and dissent. Some of us are unwilling to separate our feelings about a person who is so devoid of humanity and who actively seeks to do harm to many of us – including, you know, WOMEN IN GENERAL. Whatever ‘issues’ have driven you to support him and his ilk, you might want to take a look at your own humanity – or apparent lack thereof.
Then leave? This is not a safe space, it’s a cooking blog, doofus.
I must have missed Deb’s political comments while contemplating which types of cheeses I was going to use. I’m so tired of the political drama myself.
I just ignore it as I have friends of all views and prefer to focus on what we have in common and ignore the rest. I have lived in both deep red and deep blue areas. When people live surrounded by the same views it is easy to assume they are shared by all. I have been here since early days as well. I can also interpret the comments differently if I choose, life is just too short. I am in the process of baking this and thought I would pop into the comments to see how the recipe turned out for people. Silly me.
People. You need your recipe developer to share your political views? Really? I feel certain we can be larger than that, and want a world that is larger than clones of ourselves.
Amen!
Just made this dish, and it came out perfectly done and looking good with just a few extra minutes added to the cook time. The cast-iron pan was a great idea (though I think the clean up may take some time). The cheeses are spot on, and the buttery crunch of the panko is delicious. Only thing I’d change is to not make all the milk evaporated. I double-checked the recipe, and it said you could use it exclusively, but to my taste it imparted an unpleasant sweetness. I’d definitely use no more than half the next time, or maybe not use it at all. Otherwise, great recipe.
I think we’d be a lot happier if we could all just cook together folks. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I don’t need politics in my dinner.
“ We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist. “
Shannon I completely agree.
it’s interesting to me that conservatives are the only ones complaining about bringing politics in to places were they think it shouldn’t be, like a cooking blog. it’s almost as if conservatives know that they’re wrong and they’re bigots and they don’t like to be reminded of it.
alternative theory: there just isn’t any good cultural products produced by conservatives. so they can’t just go find conservatives with a wonderful cooking blog, because they don’t exist.
*aren’t!!! sorry, there’s no edit button
Dolly – I 100% agree.
The water soaking got me thinking, so hear me out. What if you just put the uncooked macaroni in the cooked butter/flour/milk mixture for 10 minutes and THEN added the cheese, crumbs and baked? Would the macaroni soften enough? Would the cheese still melt 10 minutes later? Would it save another bowl? Am I missing something?
I remember on an episode of the recipe, Kenji mentioned something about sad things happening to pasta when cooked in milk… oh, found it (thank gosh for transcripts)
“And I actually tested this when I was working on my recipe and I took that step out because of foolproofing, because I found if you weren’t careful, the milk would scorch.”
And then Deb says, “[…] when the pasta is cooked in the sauce, something’s always missing for me. There’s always like an edge missing in the pasta, or I feel like it’s a little gummy.”
When I make lasagna, I add a cup of water to the sauce and use dry noodles. You’re right, they do come out “a bit” gummy, but for me, the one pan/one pot method kills it over fighting with damp noodles and more time when I have hungry kiddow…I think if you were to use dry elbow in the recipe, you’d need to add water to the sauce so that the M&C isn’t too dry.
So I think you have misunderstood my thinking. I don’t mean COOKING the noodles in the milk. I mean SOAKING the noodles in the warmed milk/butter/flour mixture, not on the heat of the stove. THEN putting the mixture with already soaked noodles in the oven. I interpreted Deb’s comments about the gummy noodles as to what happened if she just put it straight in the oven with uncooked noodles. I don’t know if I misunderstood that part.
Good catch! Yes, for me, what works better is soaking it first in hot tap water, as I do for lasagna. By the time my elbows come out of the water, if you bite into them, they’re clearly undercooked but it’s the smallest crackle left in them. So, the milky sauce just finishes the job.
When working on this recipe, I cooked the pasta first several times. First, just to al dente. Then 4 minutes. Then just 2 minutes. It drove me crazy that every time, by the time the macaroni and cheese came out of the oven, it tasted mushy and overcooked. Soft is fine for mac and cheese, but not, to for me, textureless. But when I soak it first in hot water, it tastes perfect to me. Cooked, but not … over.
Love that you did a little public service to friends and family, spreading the comfort we all need at this time. Thanks for another beautiful recipe, sweet story of the Perlman family dinners and the ineffable coziness we all need right now.
I’m allergic to wheat so (please forgive) will be trying this glorious dish with soy pasta + soy flour. I’ll report back!
Can’t wait to hear!
This recipe looks so good— I can’t wait to try it! But please don’t use hot tap water in cooking! Hot water pulls metals and contaminants from pipes much more than cold water. Personally I have no idea what the state of the pipes in my rental is, so I wouldn’t risk it. I’m going to heat up the water in an electric kettle and use the same method!
This is what I was thinking! We’re always told (here in the UK) not to drink hot water from the tap or to use it to speed up the kettle.
I was thinking that too. Here is info from the EPA.
: Hot water dissolves lead more quickly than cold water and is therefore more likely to contain greater amounts of lead. Never use water from the hot water tap for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula.
I guess it depends on your knowledge of the construction and age of your home. As for me, I always thought that drinking or cooking with water that was first heated in your hot water heater sounds less than appetizing.
I’d just heat some water in my kettle.
Thank you for this. I do not live in new construction and have no idea what’s going on with the pipes, so Team Electric Kettle!
Ran to the comments to say this. Would recommend putting a BIG asterisk next to the “hot tap water” – unless you’re really really certain about the cleanliness of your pipes or hot water tank, etc, much safer to use a kettle to boil some water and then let it cool slightly to soak the pasta in. Not sure it saves much time versus just boiling the pasta to undercooked at that point but at least it’s safe to eat!
If I wanted to add broccoli to this, how would I go about it? Par boil it then fold in at the end? Or should I just roast the broccoli and serve it on the side? Help! I want to eat all the cheese but I want some vegetables too.
You could par-boil or even steam it for 2 minutes before adding it. It’s possible it will soften in the 30 minutes of baking time too, without parboiling.
What a cozy, blessedly simple, delicious looking dish! I’m going to try this with Jovial cassava elbows. They have a tendency to be a bit gummy – hope this works!
Any report back from your attempt with GF pasta? I want to try it but I am also nervous it will turn out mushy!
I just made this! 10/10 Will make again, and again and again! Used the cheeses I had on hand (sharp cheddar, pepper jack and parm). Chefs Kiss! Also, used a combination of 1/2-1/2 and skim milk. Everything turned out perfect.
I want to eat this right now.
Would halving the recipe work?
It’s just my husband and I, and I’m the only one who will eat mac & cheese.
Oh, I was waiting for you to post a recipe that would both help me eat my feelings from the past week and fill the role of “cheesy carbs” for Thanksgiving, and boy, did you deliver! Thank you for what you do 😁
+1 to this, JV – couldn’t agree more! :)
Thank you, Deb!!!
Has anyone made this or any other m&c recipe with plant-based milk and cheeses? I’ve got vegans staying with me for a week and this might be a crowd-pleaser?
It hasn’t worked well for me, plant based cheese, really isn’t as tasty and melty. And adding nutritional yeast is okay as a sprinkle on topping, but too much adds a “funk” taste. Better to stay with a sort of “Veggie Chili Mac”.
Love this blog and have been following it for years. Deb offers the best recipes that always work as written.
My question: would this par cooking pasta method work for other baked pasta dishes if sauce/liquid levels were increased? I ask as like Deb I am not a fan of overcooked baked pasta. Thanks!
Yes. I use it in my perfect vegetable lasagna. I also sometimes do it with my old-school baked ziti, adding a little extra water to the sauce.
Homemade is more difficult but if you baked this boxed version that comes with a perfectly creamy sauce (it’s the best one out there though I usually get the white cheese version), and added the breadcrumbs no one would be the wiser…
https://daiyafoods.com/products/dairy-free-cheddar-mac-cheese
You can make the bechamel fine with oat milk rather than dairy… but I’m yet to find a really great vegan cheese that would do the job of these cheeses here. I’m not sure if it’s rude to recommend another recipe blog on this one… but rabbit and wolves has a list of 14 vegan mac and cheese recipes (her recipes work really well for me) and you might find something there that’s better for your guests, and come back to this one when they’re gone!
Thanks, one of my kids can’t eat dairy and one family member can’t eat eggs do vegan recipes have been a godsend even though none of us is vegan.
My tip for vegan Mac and cheese as someone who eats predominantly vegan food: Look for a vegan Mac and cheese recipe that uses blended and soaked cashews to make the sauce instead of a vegan cheese. My favorite dish that scratches the same itch as Mac and cheese involves blending soaked cashews, roasted kabocha or butternut squash, a clove of garlic, salt, lemon, and some nutritional yeast until it’s super creamy. Mix with cooked noodles and sprinkle with some toasty breadcrumbs and you’re in business.
could I do this in a large or Dutch oven? I need a bigger batch. And if so, do I double everything and cook it longer? Thanks!
Just a heads up, there’s a note about this in the recipe notes, that you might find helpful: “Size and yield: While 90% of the time I make it as written, perfect for 4 servings, it can be easily doubled in a 12-inch round skillet, my favorite braiser, or a 9×13-inch baking dish for the bigger holiday gatherings ahead. The baking time is the same.”
Yes, you can double it easily. Notes up top:
My tip for vegan Mac and cheese as someone who eats predominantly vegan food: Look for a vegan Mac and cheese recipe that uses blended and soaked cashews to make the sauce instead of a vegan cheese. My favorite dish that scratches the same itch as Mac and cheese involves blending soaked cashews, roasted kabocha or butternut squash, a clove of garlic, salt, lemon, and some nutritional yeast until it’s super creamy. Mix with cooked noodles and sprinkle with some toasty breadcrumbs and you’re in business.
I like to add a little Italian seasoning to my mac and cheese. I use a combination of cheddar, mozzarella and Parmesan with a little cayenne and black pepper added. Usually no additional salt is needed due to the saltiness of the cheddar cheese. Great comfort food!
hi deb, the link for the 10″ skillet (“i’m using this one” in the recipe steps) goes to the 12″ lodge you link/rec for doubling. can you provide the link for the 10″ skillet? [is it just a 10″ lodge?] thanks!
I just attempted this with my 10” cast iron frying pan and chickened out. Moved it to a larger baking dish. The sauce took up more room than what was shown in the photos.
I also flinched and moved everything to a Dutch oven half way through making the sauce. I was getting milk everywhere even with whisking very gently. I’ll probably make this again, but up the amount of pasta, use a bigger skillet, and keep everything else the same.
Sorry, link is now fixed. It was supposed to go here.
This was DELISH!
Super easy- I did blend the cottage cheese with the milk to smoothe it out — I also add a good pinch of curry powder to bring all the seasonings together… it adds an amazing depth of flavor!
Thanks for an easy & delicious Mac & cheese!
Where is the cottage cheese component listed?
I think she got it mixed up with the recipe for Easiest Baked Mac and Cheese.
The link to a 10-inch skillet goes to a 12-inch skillet (same as the link to a 12-inch skillet above).
Whoops — now fixed. I meant to link to this one. I actually bought a second one for myself after looking it up; couldn’t resist the price.
Also a longtime reader, first time caller. For thirty years I’ve been making mac and cheese with a tub of mascarpone added to the white sauce, because I read it in a Martha Stewart recipe in the magazine in the 90s. I’ve never seen that recipe online, has anyone else? The magazine is long gone, but I highly recommend this addition. Everything else stays the same, you just stir it into the pan once the white sauce is thickened.
Best to everyone in the US in these days.
Does this make a very saucy mac and cheese? My go-to recipe requires 550ml milk for the bechamel, which is about 2 and a bit cups, but it starts with cooked pasta and I am wondering whether the extra 200ml is needed to get the pasta cooked. (I am very attracted to the idea of not having to parboil the pasta.)
Also, whilst I’m here, I like to add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and use half mature cheddar and half smoked cheddar in the sauce.
There’s a little extra milk in here to account for what’s needed for the pasta to finish cooking after soaking.
I just made this using oat milk in place of regular, as we have some lactose-sensitive tummies (sharp cheddar and pecorino for cheeses!) and it’s DELICIOUS!
Thank you!!!!!
I like when we get to reap the benefits of your righteous indignation over a recipe.
Delicious! Thanks Deb.
I was a bit skeptical as I was making this – it was feeling just a litttttle too fussy still for a weeknight mac and cheese, and the sauce didn’t wow me when I tasted it per the directions. But it came together perfectly, and is definitely my favorite baked mac and cheese to date. The topping was the star. I used Red Leicester in place of cheddar and Edam in place of gruyere, and made it a 12-inch braiser without doubling the recipe. Excellent.
I have enjoyed your blog tremendously throughout the years and will miss your recipes. I’m happy to leave on a positive note about Mac and Cheese, a Southern tradition and favorite!
In fear of setting myself up for ridicule here, but as a northern european who had never had mac and cheese: is this considered a main dish? Would you typically serve something alongside (and what)?
It depends, usually I make this and serve with a fresh tossed salad. But it can also be a side dish with ham, or other meat. But it is rich, and carb heavy, so skip the bread.
Hi Anna! Nothing to ridicule here :) I make mac & cheese as part of my Christmas dinner every year, and I typically serve it as a side with a ham and some kind of roasted green vegetable. It replaces what might otherwise be a potato side for us.
I wouldn’t personally eat it as a main dish because I feel better with something higher in protein, but you absolutely could if you wanted.
Respectfully disagree that something higher in protein is needed. All the cheese here!
Which is not to say that, personal taste, you don’t enjoy it that way. More power. I’m only meaning to comment on the “need”.
Assembled this last night, and layered the reserved cheese and freshly toasted panko crumbs before putting in oven today for a quick meal.
I was worried it looked waaaaay too saucy last night but went with recipe as written figuring the noodles would soak up the sauce. But, it still came out waaaaay too saucy. I think I could have x1.5 or even x2’ed the pasta.
100% side dish except when one has had a stomach flu or is otherwise in need of comfort, in which case it can be a main. Far better with vegetables and other foods for balance. I even left out the cayenne and used white pepper as I feel not quite the thing. No vegetable will grace my lips tonight, don’t tell.
This is why I love you, Deb.
This was great for using up odd bits of cheese from the fridge! But a half pound of noodles wasn’t nearly enough for the amount of sauce, so I stopped partway through and soaked the other half of the package. I used penne instead of macaroni, and would soak it for longer next time. Other than the noodle fuss, this was easy and delicious!
This recipe is very convenient (pasta soaking only) with a quick and easy cheese sauce that tastes really good, but it’s very heavy. The ingredients are very similar to my pre-boiled version that isn’t anywhere near as heavy so it’s not the amount of cheese. This recipe was worth the try but I will continue to pre-boiled the pasta for my mac and cheese.
Could this be frozen (minus toasted crumb topping) for baking later? I’m guessing it could be cooked for the same amount of time after being thawed in the fridge and topped with freshly toasted panko, but it’s a lot of ingredients to take a chance on, hence the question.
I haven’t tested it but I bet it could be.
I’m a private chef and I’ve tried many, many times to freeze dishes made with a roux-based bechamel (or cream gravy), and I’ve never been satisfied with the results. The sauce invariably splits in very unattractive ways. The taste won’t be affected all that much, but I don’t think you’ll be happy with the way it looks. If you’re going to freeze a baked pasta dish, I’d suggest doing something with a nondairy sauce.
Do you freeze it before or after it bakes in the oven?
I subscribe to a lasagne service (PDX Lasagne Project) and they deliver it uncooked and frozen. The instructions say to bake uncovered at 375 F for 75-90 minutes, then broil on low for 5-10 min if you want the top more brown. I find it takes the full 90 min, and I don’t need to broil it to be brown and crispy on top. The lasagne with Bechamel was fine, no breaking.
My previous comment was intended for Ruth to read and be gracious to those who dont agree with her ,thanks Deb for being such an inspiration!
“My kids fought over the last scrapings from the pan and I reminded them — I honestly don’t even think they realize it sometimes — that I could make it for them, too.” I feel this in my soul. I am a math teacher. I literally had one of my kids tell me that I wasn’t a real math teacher yet (whatever that meant), so I couldn’t possibly help him. Newsflash–I could indeed, and did, help him!
Also, that looks amazing. Never too many good mac and cheese recipes!
Ah yes, misogyny starts so young, easiest to nip it in the bud and set them on a truer path at that age…
How are you seeing misogyny in what sounds like a very typical family interaction? Not everything is that deep.
This xkcd comic has it nailed: https://xkcd.com/385/
I made this tonight, and it was delicious! Came out less creamy than I hoped and the sauce was a bit grainy after baking (despite using the evaporated milk!) but the flavor was really nice nonetheless.
GF Macaroni, should I soak for less time? Their cook time is often less than regular noodles. I just don’t want mushy macaroni. Thank you and I appreciate your recipes and writing so much.
Sounds wonderful and I’d like to add this to our Thanksgiving repertoire. Smitten Kitchen for the win…again! You mention that it can be assembled ahead of time and baked when ready. Do you recommend assembling completely and then refrigerating until ready to bake? Or maybe preparing the sauce and then soaking/adding the pasta last minute? I’d like to make this the day before but don’t want the pasta to end up soggy after sitting in the sauce overnight. What would you suggest?
You can assemble, refrigerate, and bake when needed. Might need a little longer in the oven to finish, but otherwise will be the same.
LOVE mac & cheese.
Loved the recipe! Super easy and I followed it to the T
Made this tonight using soy milk and can report success. Delicious! The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Thanks, Deb!
I followed this recipe exactly (including Deb’s cheese recommendations). I’m glad I doubled it using a 9×13 dish because everyone took seconds, and I still had enough for a leftover lunch the next day.
Spicy note: this was a side dish for an evening of a “Hot Ones” contest with friends. Everyone loved how the mac-n-cheese soaked up the sauce on our plates. The best pairing was with Hot Ones Barbacoa Los Calientes Hot Sauce (4/10 heat level).
I live in a place where it’s not safe to use hot tap water for cooking (lead risks). Maybe add a caveat to the recipe?
Mine turned out kinda gritty :( Any thoughts as to why?
Did you use any pre-grated cheese? Sometimes that can affect texture.
Has anyone tried making this in advance and cooking later? I was curious if the pasta would be too soft or even mushy after sitting in the fridge overnight and cooked the next day.
Bahahaha HOW did we post basically the same exact question all of three minutes apart…
It should be just fine but if you’d like to adjust it a little, you can just soak the pasta for 5 minutes and add an extra splash of milk or water to the cheese sauce.
Super excited to try this! Any guidance on just how far in advance it can be assembled before baking? Is the morning of the day before pushing it and/or risking soggy noodles?
Oh daaaang!!!!!! This recipe looks really good. It gives me yet another recipe to try in my enameled skillet. The addition of evaporated milk is so intriguing!! Thank you, Deb! :-)
I made this recipe last week. It is now my goto recipe for Mac and Cheese.
I made this and it was delicious but I also had some serious sauce splitting/grittiness and didn’t use any pre-shredded cheese but I did have to cook it longer than listed, so that likely contributed. My two recommendation/notes for others making this are
1. Remember that the pasta will expand more while it cooks in the sauce – before cooking it seemed like there was 3x the sauce needed so I added more pasta and I think it would have been fine without. It ended up really crowded.
2. ONLY soak the pasta for 10 minutes. I forgot about it and left it in the water while I was prepping the cheese and sauce and the pasta was quite mushy. Next time I’d set a timer and drain it right at 10 minutes.
I made this in my 9-10” cast iron pan and it came out delicious and looked beautiful. I was wishing it had a little more creamy liquid to it though. Maybe I had too many noodle’s? I used Barilla elbow Mac which on the box it says 1lb. Instead of just dividing it in half I weighed everything and almost the whole box was just over a half pound. Do you usually weigh yours or eyeball 1/2 a box? I want to double the recipe for thanksgiving but not sure if I should weigh out a pound of noodles or just use one box? Any suggestions?!
I weigh it. For more creaminess, you can add a splash more milk or cream to the sauce.
This was WONDERFUL and relatively easy (I have made your rendition of Martha’s before and this was simpler). Teenager home from college for Tday and asked around 4 pm for “that” mac and cheese but I felt too lazy to do “that” one. I used what I had so a few swaps but mostly stayed true to your recipe. Used gemelli, 2.5c sharp cheddar (cabot mac and cheese blend), 1/2 c cream cheese, 1/2 c parm and UHT parmalat milk that was past date so only really good for cooking plus some oat milk. Added all the spices (cayenne, lots of black pepper, mustard, nutmeg and thyme) plus some penzey’s air dried shallots (LOVE LOVE LOVE this new product, so easy to add shallot flavor to any recipe). Doubled it all up and baked in my huge staub braiser (which I think is very much like your perfect pan but maybe a bit larger). HUGE success-everyone loved it.
Made this as a side tonight and everyone loved it, even my picky husband and my five year old who has traditionally turned his nose up at every cheesy homemade pears concoction presented to him (boxed mac is a staple of his diet). Used Parmesan instead of pecorino. It didn’t turn out super creamy and I wonder if it’s because the noodles didn’t soften up as much as they should have while soaking. Either way it was a hit and I’ll continue to experiment with it!
I’m so excited to make this revamped and simplified mac and cheese for Thanksgiving (and then many more times during the winter)!
Thank you Deb! You are the hero we need :)
Made this yesterday for a Friendsgiving and it was so delicious. I doubled the recipe and it came out beautifully. Only issue was the pasta soak…by the time I got to the end and was supposed to fold in the elbows, they were one big clump and SO mushy despite following the soak directions (no more than 10 minutes) to a T. Had to quickly prepare a cavatappi noodle I had in the cupboard. Boiled it for 1/2 the time to al dente and the noodles came out PERFECT. I like a cavatappi noodle better anyway :)
Oooof made this today. SO good! Loved the noodle soak hack (although I think I cheated and used my water kettle to boil and poured it on of the noodles- I cut the time down to 25 mins and they were so perfect) I wouldn’t change a thing – just added the extras suggested in the blog; paprika, mustard and a minced garlic. Also- be super careful with the cast iron, the liquid was quite high and I really had to be careful with whisking, potentially could be a lot of spill over. Overall- will keep this on the rotation forever!
Made it, doubled it, and my 12-inch skillet was overflowing, so I switched to a Dutch oven. Mine turned out a wee bit too saucy, but I soaked my pasta for more like 20 min (got distracted by toddler), so maybe the pasta absorbed too much water. Loved the cheese blend. In the future, I would add cauliflower to feel like I’m getting more nutritional bang for my buck.
I made this last night and we thought it was delicious. I used Trader Joe’s cheddar/gruyere melange cheese and it was very tasty. I might try using cheddar and gruyere separately next time to see if it’s even better. I agree with others that it wasn’t very creamy, but we were ok with that. It was more of a casserole type of mac & cheese than the creamy stovetop in a pot type. I might add some chopped broccoli next time.
Looks stupid easy. Gonna try it tomorrow.
However, I will add chopped crisp bacon and Mrs. Renfro’s Sweet-Hot jalapenos.
Thank you for the simple method of one of my favorite meals.
I really like this method. It’s a combo of the two ways I was already making mac and cheese. To reduce the blandness I used jalapeno/pepper jack cheese for about 75% of the cheese and the rest was whatever needed to be purged from my fridge (cheddar and parm). I did the evaporated milk/whole milk combo. I figured that 10 oz of cheese vs the 12 oz called for in this recipe is enough with 8 oz of dry pasta and that worked for me. Next time I might use one-third less butter than is called for in the recipe or cook the bread crumbs in olive oil.
Great recipe! I’m happy to report that it works fine with Jovial gluten free macaroni and gluten free flour. I even messed up the directions by adding the cheese too early and it was still great. One caveat – a double recipe does not fit in a 12 inch skillet. I changed midway to a Dutch oven instead.
PS After reading other comments – mine was perfectly creamy and the pasta was not mushy (which is extraordinary for GF baked pasta). I used evaporated milk and skim milk, grated my own cheese, and used cheddar, Jack, and pecorino. I used hot tap water and drained the pasta after the specified time. Truly this is a remarkable recipe!
Thank you! Making this today with jovial as well. Was concerned about the mush factor with GF. Moving on with confidence :)
I doubled it as well using farfalle with ALDI sharp cheddar, pepper jack, and parm and had to transfer the whole operation from a 12 inch cast iron pan to a dutch oven halfway through. Glad to see I’m not alone.
It was so good and easy to make on the night before Thanksgiving in an already messy kitchen. My husband *loved* the texture of the pasta (perfect al dente, he said) and the flavor of the sauce. I used all the seasonings, and my kids ate it up, including the 14 month old. I will make this over and over again. Thank you so much, Deb, for another great recipe.
I used white cheddar, real parm and gruyere.
I used half evap milk, half whole milk.
It tasted great BUT my sauce split in the oven. (I wished I had just stirred into cooked noodles and served immediately!)
What did I do wrong? Tia
I had the same issue – used the same ingredients as you but the sauce split in the oven. It still tasted great but hoping for a suggestion to avoid splitting the next time. Thanks for another great recipe Deb!!
I had the same experience. Delicious but my sauce broke. I grated my own cheese and baked for the recommended time and temp. Not sure what went wrong!
soooo good! I made it as written, doubled in a 9×13, for a gathering and everyone loved it.
Made this for Thanksgiving and browned the butter and also added sage to both the breadcrumbs and the cheese sauce– it was a huge hit!! We used aged cheddar, gouda, and mimolette. I think we’ll need to double it for next year, because the leftovers are already nearly gone.
Long time fan, first time commenter. I can’t wait to make this! I’ve been craving some comfort food, and baked Mac & Cheese sounds perfect. I usually add some chicken or veggie bullion to the pasta water to help season the pasta. Any reason you wouldn’t recommend doing that with the boiling water for soaking the pasta in this recipe? I used to salt my pasta water but find the bullion just adds another level of flavor and saltiness. Thank you for all of the great recipes!
There is such a difference between Southern Macaroni and Cheese, and Northern Macaroni and Cheese. Northern cooks always make a sauce with the cheese. In the South, Macaroni is layered in a dish with cheese, and custard of eggs, milk is poured over the dish.
Just a different way of cooking it. Both excellent.
This is so ridiculously tasty! I had gruyere, Sarveccio parmesan, and Dubliner in the fridge, and they were amazing all together. I used a tablespoon less of butter in the mac and cheese itself (full amount in the bread crumbs), since that’s what I had in the fridge, and a little less flour to match. I’ll do the same amount of butter and flour next time! Super easy to make. This will be on our regular rotation.
Added this to our Thanksgiving table and it was a huge hit. Due to dietary needs from two of our guests, I made this GLUTEN-FREE. Followed the directions as written but subbed King Arthur GF flour, GF panko and GF elbow macaroni. Honestly, it no complaints from anyone who wasn’t GF and the taste/texture didn’t suffer. This will be a regular rotation in our household – ty!
I just decided to make this at 9 AM because I was stressing out about work stuff, I used the little bits and ends of cheese that I had in the fridge (sharp cheddar, fontina, mozzarella, Romano, and Parmesan) and it is literally perfect and amazing!
I made this for my husband’s 40th surprise birthday party as a side dish for 35 people! After scouring the comments and reassuring myself that Deb knows what’s she’s doing, I made this for a crowd without testing the recipe beforehand. And let me tell you- I received rave reviews. My foodie friend told me is was the best Mac n cheese she has EVER had. EVER. I decided to 4x the recipe for 30-35 people as a side dish to accompany BBQ meat. I followed the recipe pretty closely- Soaked the noodles for the exact time, used the spices the recipe calls for. I added a generous sprinkle of salt after tasting the sauce but otherwise faithfully followed the recipe. I used a combo of cheddar (dubliner), gruyere and manchego, and pecorino. I baked for 30 min. The noodles seemed aldente, and the sauce appeared a bit separated, but I didn’t have time for this. I cooked the Mac n cheese in a large aluminum foil tray that went into a warming dish with lid, straight out of the over, until ready to serve. I think the time spent there brought it together to make it the perfect dish. It was perfection and made for great leftovers. Make this. You won’t regret it. And only use 1/2 lb of pasta per recipe as stated.
We are adding some lobster bits for our annual holiday lobster mac and cheese! Yum.
I doubled this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! Good all on the panko topping. I used a blend of fontina, pecorino & white cheddar and loved the flavor combo. I want to make it again with raclette just to switch it up and make a smaller batch just for me. Love the ease of not having to cook the noodles, thanks for sharing, Deb!
Doubled this for Xmas eve dinner and it was a big hit. Tip: don’t soak the pasta for more than the 10 minutes specified or it will get mushy by then end of the baking period.
Made this for dinner on this snowy evening. It is scrumptious! Especially the crispy bits. Did not make any changes to the recipe.
Have made this several times now with various configurations of dairy (all milk, half milk half and evaporated milk, and half buttermilk and half evaporated milk); always comes out great. I also confess to regularly adding (thawed and violently drained) frozen broccoli or peas.
The soaked pasta is genius, and I’ve begun stealing the method for casseroles and other skillet bakes.
We made this for a party and people raved! Someone said this might be the best mac and cheese they’ve ever had. We tripled it which was too much for a crowd of about 12 adults and 10 kids as a side dish, doubling would have worked fine. Used pepper jack as one of the cheeses which melted beautifully. Next time will try with some mix ins.
This is honestly the best Mac and cheese I’ve ever made. The perfect snow day dinner.
Made this tonight! It tastes pretty delicious, but it wasn’t pretty like yours – mostly because my top layer seemed a bit oily – like visible pools of oil on top. (I made as written.) I wonder if it was the cheese I used? (A pretty mass-market cheddar.) Anyway, my twelve year-old didn’t complain, so I may try again. Love your recipes. Thank you!
Did anyone else have a problem with this sticking to their seasoned cast iron pan (or ideas about how to deal with that)?
Enameled cast iron (such as Staub or Le Crueset) or just regular cast iron?
Regular–a new Lodge skillet.
Used le cruises. Didn’t grease. Didn’t stick. Served easily. There were a few crusty bits around the edges- cooks bonus. Delicious.
That would be le crueset. Auto correct strikes again.
Hi, Thanks for the Mac and cheese recipe! What is a good salad to serve with it to make a complete meal?
What are you craving? I’ve got 143 salad recipes in the archives. Here are two favorites:
https://allnestor.shop/2023/04/baby-wedge-salad-with-avocado-and-pickled-onions/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://allnestor.shop/2013/08/kale-salad-with-pecorino-and-walnuts/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I am gobstruck. I can’t believe this worked. And not only did it work- my sauce was GF flour and oat milk. AND – my pasta was slightly larger than elbow sized shells
(not gf free). AND I halved the recipe and made it in my 7 inch cast iron skillet. Yay Deb! you keep futzing with those recipes girl!
Would this Skillet-Baked Macaroni and Cheese work with all sharp cheddar for children?
Thank you!
Sure!
Thank you, Deb! I always count on your recipes! I also love your stories.
We made this for Friendsgiving and it was the biggest hit. My son now wants to make it to serve for a fundraiser for his school (food day at a high school). Do you think it could be a) assembled night before b) baked morning of c) kept warm in roaster thru three lunch periods? I know this is not the ideal way to treat Mac and cheese, but he’s so determined.
Hello, could you clarify how I can assemble it ahead of time and bake when I’m ready to serve? Do I make keep the sauce snd pasta separate until ready to bake? Or can I throw everything together (as directions) and put in oven when I’m ready to bake? Thank you so much!
You can do either — I vote for baking right before serving.
Delicious! Came out perfect! Will definitely make this again.
Hi Deb. I want to make this for my sister who’s just home from hospital. Is it possible to freeze it in case she doesn’t need it right away? And if so should it be frozen before baking or after? Thanks for your help with this.
LOVIT! TY! Added stewed tomatoes, less milk , obviously!
Just made this. And here were my mistakes. 1. I thought the mixture was so soupy before baking that I tossed in more macaroni. Big mistake. The recipe was right. 2. If you have a convection oven it is going to cook everything faster. Take it out at 20 minutes. Especially because it’s going to continue to cook if you don’t serve it immediately. 3. Serve it soon after taking it out. I will give this another try and not make the above mistakes.
This is a great recipe. The macaroni is still al dente,perfect, not over cooked and mushy. I would err on the side of extra milk in the sauce because the macaroni soaks up some of the liquid. Seconds were had all round. We followed up with Smitten Kichen whole wheat chocolate chip cookies. These too are the best.
This looks absolutely delicious! I’ve been veggie for 24 years, but still not made a Macaroni Cheese anywhere near as good as my late mother’s was. I’m looking forward to trying your recipe.
This looks so delicious, I can’t wait to bake it. Also I know this is probably the most annoying question, but I feel given how much I adore Smitten Kitchen Keepers and Smitten Kitchen Everyday that I must ask….is another cookbook in our future?
Thank you! It’s not annoying, in fact, I always need a nudge! I am indeed *just* getting started on a 4th cookbook but I will hardly mention it as it is (at best) slated for Fall 2027. I will make sure it is worth the wait.
This was delicious. Made as-is except with the breadcrumbs I threw in some dried shallot flakes (I trick I picked up from Kenji’s instagram). Thanks so much!
This is my first SK dud and I’m so sad about it! The pasta took forever (and several additional cups of milk) to soften. In the end, the cheese sauce was SO thick and pasty, and it tasted of excellent cheeses and macaroni starch. :( I did triple check the recipe (mise en place) and my oven temp. Not sure what went wrong and assume it was user error, but def won’t try it again.
I made this tonight, I used the hot water tap on our filtered water tank. The pasta turned out okay, and the dish was “okay”. Maybe I am not wowed, because I used odds and ends of cheese in the fridge. Nothing fancy. The crusty top was a hit. I did not add as much salt, as a teaspoon and a half seemed like way too much for my family.
This was one wasn’t for me, sadly. I doubled the recipe, used sharp white cheddar, Gouda, and pecorino (not pre-shredded) in the correct ratios for doubling. Used Dececco large macaroni noodles. Made in a Le Creuset and followed the directions to a T. I’m not sure what went wrong, but my sauce split and was totally gritty/greasy. I also didn’t love the flavor. It tasted great before baking, but something went awry in the 30 minutes it spent on the oven :(
Insanely good recipe, my family loves it and it freezes/reheats beautifully. Thank you!
Just commenting to say I made this last night and it was great! I was skeptical of the soaked noodles but it totally worked. Also, I used about 3/4 of a bag of trader Joe’s pasta.
I made this for a party and froze it (without the crumbs)
Would you recommend thawing it before baking or baking from frozen?
I freeze it (with the breadcrumb topping) and then thaw it in the fridge, then bake it. Still tastes amazing reheated.
Can I make this without the flour? I’m wanting a more smooth and creamy texture. Thank you!