Are you on the lookout for the best, cheesiest baked mac and cheese? I received you! This 4-Ingredient Baked Mac and Cheese combines macaroni, heavy cream, cream cheese, and sharp cheddar to create a easy however tremendous creamy baked macaroni and cheese your whole household will love!
Do you get annoyed with curdled mac and cheese? Does grainy mac and cheese make you need to pull your hair out? Similar, buddies. That’s why I really like this tremendous straightforward recipe that solely requires 4 easy elements. There’s no roux to interrupt, no eggs to curdle, simply easy, creamy, tacky deliciousness right here. And baking it offers you that golden baked cheese taste and texture.
Yep, you heard me. 4 elements. Macaroni, heavy cream, cream cheese, and sharp cheddar.
Why This Mac and Cheese Stays Creamy—No Graininess or Curdling!
Among the finest components about this straightforward mac and cheese recipe is that it’s practically foolproof with regards to texture. You received’t have to fret a couple of grainy or curdled sauce, which might generally be a problem with different mac and cheese recipes. Right here’s why this one stays so easy and creamy:
- No Eggs: Some recipes use eggs to bind all the pieces collectively, however eggs will be difficult. If you happen to’re not cautious, they will curdle or scramble when uncovered to excessive warmth. Since this recipe skips the eggs altogether, there’s no danger of that occuring, so your sauce stays velvety easy.
- No Roux: Roux-based mac and cheese depends on flour to thicken the sauce. But when the roux isn’t cooked correctly or is uncovered to an excessive amount of warmth, it could trigger the sauce to show grainy. By ditching the roux, we get rid of the potential for flour to trigger any bizarre texture points. As an alternative, the creaminess comes from heavy cream and cream cheese, which soften fantastically and provides a easy texture with out the necessity for flour.
- Brief Bake Time: Overcooking can even trigger mac and cheese sauces to interrupt, leaving you with a separated, oily mess. This recipe bakes for nearly 20 minutes, which is the proper period of time to soften all the pieces collectively with out overheating the sauce.
The outcome? A brilliant creamy, tacky dish that’s as easy as will be—each single time!
What sort of cheese ought to I take advantage of?
With so few elements, you actually have to maximise the flavour at each alternative. That’s why I like to make use of a mixture of sharp yellow cheddar and further sharp white cheddar cheeses. Right here’s why:
- Sharp Cheddar: This cheese melts fantastically and provides a pleasant balanced, creamy taste. It’s basic in mac and cheese as a result of it offers you that easy texture and wealthy style that everyone loves.
- Further Sharp Cheddar: That is the place you actually amp up the flavour. Further sharp cheddar has a extra intense, tangy chunk to it that pairs completely with the creaminess from the heavy cream and cream cheese. It offers the dish a depth that takes it from “good” to “WOW!”
If you happen to’re feeling adventurous, you possibly can swap out one of many cheddars with one other melty cheese like Gruyère, Gouda, Fontina, and even Pepper Jack, however the two sorts of cheddar collectively are what actually make this recipe sing!
I sometimes do 2 (8-ounce) blocks of sharp and 1 (8-ounce) block of additional sharp. However be happy to experiment! Make it your personal!
Recipe FAQ
1. Can I make this mac and cheese forward of time?
Completely! You may put together the mac and cheese up till the baking step, then cowl it and refrigerate it for as much as 24 hours. The pasta will proceed to soak up the liquid because it sits, so I’d add an extra 1/2 cup of heavy cream or milk to the sauce if you understand you need to make this upfront. Once you’re able to serve, permit the dish to come back to room temperature, then bake it within the oven as directed.
2. Can I freeze mac and cheese?
Sure, you possibly can freeze this mac and cheese! As soon as it’s totally assembled (earlier than baking), let it cool, then cowl tightly with plastic wrap and foil. It may be frozen for as much as 2 months. (See my notice about further liquid above.) Once you’re able to bake, thaw it in a single day within the fridge, permit it to come back to room temperature, then bake as directed.
3. What if my sauce is just too thick?
In case your mac and cheese sauce appears too thick, you possibly can loosen it up by including a splash of milk or much more cream earlier than baking. Stir it in to succeed in the specified consistency. The cream cheese and cheddar will naturally thicken the sauce, however a bit of additional liquid could make it even creamier if that’s your choice.
4. Can I add mix-ins to this mac and cheese?
Positively! This mac and cheese is an ideal base for every kind of enjoyable additions. Cooked bacon, sautéed onions, garlic, or perhaps a handful of your favourite veggies like broccoli or spinach can take this dish to the subsequent stage. Simply you’ll want to cook dinner any mix-ins earlier than including them, so that you don’t find yourself with an excessive amount of moisture within the dish.
5. Can I take advantage of a distinct pasta?
Sure! Whereas conventional elbow macaroni is the go-to, you possibly can swap it out for different pasta shapes like shells, cavatappi, and even penne. Simply remember that cooking occasions could range barely, so control your pasta when boiling.
6. Why doesn’t this mac and cheese have a crunchy topping?
This model is all in regards to the creamy, tacky goodness with none extras. However for those who’re a fan of a crispy topping, you possibly can simply add some buttered breadcrumbs or crushed crackers to the highest earlier than baking. Simply sprinkle it over the mac and cheese earlier than popping it within the oven for that added crunch! Simply be cautious about it burning for those who broil the cheese on the finish just like the recipe suggests.
Useful Ideas for the Excellent Mac and Cheese
1. Grate Your Personal Cheese
Pre-shredded cheese is likely to be tempting for comfort, and y’all know I really like straightforward, but it surely’s usually coated in anti-caking brokers that may have an effect on the way it melts and might generally give the mac and cheese a grainy mouth really feel. For the smoothest, creamiest sauce, it’s finest to purchase blocks of cheese and grate them your self. Plus, freshly grated cheese simply tastes higher!
2. Salt Your Pasta Water
Don’t neglect to season your pasta water generously! It must be salty like the ocean. For the reason that pasta absorbs water because it cooks, salting the water helps be certain that your macaroni is seasoned during, which supplies the ultimate dish extra taste.
3. Don’t Overcook the Pasta
For the most effective texture, cook dinner your pasta simply till it’s al dente. It can proceed to cook dinner a bit of while you bake the dish, so if the pasta is overcooked throughout boiling, it would flip mushy within the oven. Examine your pasta a minute or two earlier than the package deal directions recommend for the proper chunk.
4. Don’t Skip the Resting Time
When you pull the mac and cheese out of the oven, give it a couple of minutes to relaxation earlier than serving. This enables the sauce to thicken up a bit and offers the flavors an opportunity to meld. I do know it’s tempting to dive proper in, however this little wait will make for a good higher mac and cheese expertise!
I’m going to say it once more. Grate your personal cheese. Now, don’t get me fallacious—I’m all about comfort, and I really like the convenience of grabbing a bag of pre-shredded cheese as a lot as the subsequent individual. However with regards to mac and cheese, freshly grated cheese actually makes a world of distinction.
Right here’s why: pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking brokers (like cellulose and potato starch) to maintain it from clumping within the bag. Whereas that’s tremendous helpful, it additionally means the cheese doesn’t soften as easily. Once you grate your personal cheese, you’re skipping these components, and the result’s a a lot creamier, velvety sauce. Plus, block cheese simply has a more energizing, extra strong taste, which makes an enormous distinction in a dish like this the place the cheese is entrance and middle.
Belief me, it’s value the additional jiffy of grating to get that good soften and taste in each chunk!
Extra Mac and Cheese Deliciousness
Recipe Card
4-Ingredient Baked Mac and Cheese
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Notes
You should utilize a wide range of totally different cheeses. I usually use a mixture of sharp yellow and further sharp white. Utilizing sharp or additional sharp will provide you with probably the most taste.
Vitamin
Energy: 647kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 24g | Fats: 45g | Saturated Fats: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 10g | Ldl cholesterol: 133mg | Sodium: 496mg | Potassium: 214mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1534IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 533mg | Iron: 1mg
* If dietary values are offered, they’re an estimate and can range relying on the manufacturers used. The values don’t embrace optionally available elements or when elements are added to style. If calorie rely and different dietary values are necessary to you, I like to recommend grabbing your favourite manufacturers and plugging these elements into a web-based dietary calculator.
