Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Aged Cheddar
A real stovetop béchamel under a crust of buttered crumbs, not a bag of orange powder.
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Written
Method
-
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni about 2 minutes short of al dente, then drain — it finishes cooking in the oven.
-
Melt 4 tbsp of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook until the roux smells toasty and turns pale gold, about 2 minutes.
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Whisk in the milk gradually, then simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes.
-
Off heat, stir in the mustard powder, cayenne, and both cheeses a handful at a time until fully melted and smooth.
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Fold in the macaroni, season with salt and pepper, and pour into a buttered 9x13-inch baking dish.
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Melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter, toss with the breadcrumbs, and scatter evenly over the top.
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Bake at 375°F until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the crumbs are deep golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
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Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce sets enough to hold a scoop.
Notes
The béchamel is what separates this from the stuff in a box — it holds the cheese in suspension instead of letting it break into grease and clumps the second it cools. Shred the cheddar off a block yourself; pre-shredded bags are coated in starch to stop clumping in the bag, and that same coating stops the cheese from melting smooth here.
Gruyère brings a nutty depth that cheddar alone doesn’t get to, but a good melting Gouda works if that’s what’s in the fridge. You can assemble the whole dish through the breadcrumb step a day ahead and refrigerate it — add about 10 minutes to the bake time to account for the cold start.