Description
This Classic Macaroni Cheese recipe delivers a creamy, cheesy baked pasta dish made with a blend of mozzarella, cheddar, and Red Leicester cheeses. With a rich cheese sauce enhanced by English mustard and topped with a golden crust, it’s a comforting homemade favorite perfect for family meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 500 g Macaroni
- 20 g Butter (for tossing pasta)
Cheese Sauce
- 50 g Butter
- 50 g Plain flour
- 600 ml Milk
- 2 tsp English mustard
- 100 g Grated mozzarella
- 100 g Grated cheddar
- 50 g Grated red Leicester
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Topping
- 100 g Grated cheddar
- 100 g Grated red Leicester
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 180℃ fan/200℃ conventional/400°F/Gas Mark 6 to prepare for baking the macaroni cheese later.
- Cook macaroni: Boil the macaroni in a large pan of salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package instructions to ensure it holds texture after baking. Drain the pasta, then immediately stir in 20g butter to prevent sticking.
- Make roux: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 50g butter. Stir in 50g plain flour to form a paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to eliminate raw flour taste.
- Create cheese sauce: Gradually whisk in 600 ml milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Keep cooking gently until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Season sauce: Stir in 2 teaspoons English mustard, 100g grated mozzarella, 100g grated cheddar, and 50g grated Red Leicester cheese. Season with a good pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and stir well until evenly coated.
- Layer in baking dish: Spoon half of the macaroni and cheese mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle half of the remaining grated mozzarella, cheddar, and Red Leicester cheeses evenly over the top.
- Add second layer: Add the remaining macaroni and cheese mixture over the cheese layer, then finish by sprinkling the rest of the grated cheddar and Red Leicester on top to form a cheesy crust.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
Notes
- Boil pasta slightly less than package instructions to prevent it becoming mushy after baking.
- Use a mix of cheeses for depth of flavor; feel free to adjust cheeses based on availability.
- The mustard adds a subtle tang that enhances the cheese sauce without overpowering.
- Ensure the cheese sauce thickens properly before combining with pasta to avoid a runny bake.
- For a crunchy topping, you can add breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter on top before baking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
