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45 min
11,005,584 views This week on Basics, I'm showing you a few different ways to make mac and cheese: the comfort food you just need sometimes.
6 Servings
US
original
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INGREDIENTS
For the Easiest Mac & Cheese
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup water
8 oz dry pasta
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
For the America’s Test Kitchen Method
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup water
8 oz dry pasta
1 tsp dijon mustard
sprinkle cayenne pepper
4 oz American cheese, grated
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 oz extra sharp cheddar, grated
Toasted bread crumbs
For the J. Kenji López Alt’s Method
6 oz dry pasta
Cold water
6 oz evaporated milk
6 oz cheese of choice, shredded
1 tsp dijon mustard (optional)
sprinkle cayenne pepper (optional)
For the Baked Mac & Cheese
Bechamel/Mornay Sauce
1 box dry pasta (16 oz)
½ lb cubed mozzarella
3 oz cheddar, grated
1 oz parmesan, grated
For the Bechamel/Mornay Sauce
1 ½ lbs cheese, any make up of the following:
Parmesan, shredded
Gruyere, shredded
Sharp white cheddar, shredded
Fontina, shredded
Low moisture full fat mozzarella, cubed
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
4 cups cold whole milk
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tbsp whole grain mustard
For the Southern Style Mac and Cheese
1 lb macaroni noodles
8 oz mozzarella, cubed
4 oz gouda, shredded
8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
2 oz parmesan, grated
3 eggs
4 oz yellow cheddar, shredded
4 oz white cheddar, shredded
12 oz evaporated milk
DIRECTIONS
1.
For the Easiest Mac & Cheese
1.
Start by combining whole milk with water in a medium saucepan.
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup water
2.
Then add and cook the pasta directly in the milk & water mixture over medium heat while stirring and allowing the liquid to be absorbed by the pasta, about 1 minute before the pasta is done.
8 oz dry pasta
3.
Before adding the cheese, kill the heat and add shredded cheddar cheese. Stir it until it is just distributed amongst the pasta, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes.
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
4.
After resting for 5 minutes, plate and enjoy.
5.
For the America’s Test Kitchen Mac & Cheese
1.
Start by combining whole milk with water in a medium saucepan.
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup water
2.
Then add and cook the pasta directly in the milk & water mixture over medium heat while stirring and allowing the liquid to be absorbed by the pasta, about 1 minute before the pasta is done then reduce the heat.
8 oz dry pasta
3.
Add dijon mustard, cayenne pepper and grated American cheese then mix together over low heat before seasoning with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
1 tsp dijon mustard
sprinkle cayenne pepper
4 oz American cheese, grated
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
4.
Once the American cheese has completely melted add grated extra sharp cheddar, kill the heat entirely and mix it until it is dispersed amongst the pasta then cover and let it rest 5 minutes.
4 oz extra sharp cheddar, grated
5.
After 5 minutes, give it a stir then serve and enjoy, or optionally toast up some bread crumbs in butter to top the mac and cheese with.
Toasted bread crumbs
6.
For the J. Kenji López-Alt’s Mac & Cheese
1.
In a medium saucepan, cover pasta with just enough cold water to submerge and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer until most of the water is absorbed and the pasta is fully cooked.
Cold water
6 oz dry pasta
2.
Then pour evaporated milk over top, bring that to a simmer, and once it’s at a bare simmer add shredded cheese of choice (cheddar in this case).
6 oz evaporated milk
6 oz cheese of choice, shredded
3.
Mix and cook that over low to no heat until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce has thickened. Add some optional Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper.
1 tsp dijon mustard (optional)
4.
Once completely mixed together and creamy, plate and enjoy.
5.
For the Baked Mac & Cheese
1.
On a stovetop, start by cooking your pasta of choice. While they’re cooking, make a pan of bechamel - method below.
1 box dry pasta (16 oz)
2.
Once the bechamel/mornay sauce is finished, place the cooked pasta into a casserole dish and pour the cheese sauce over top. Stir together inside the casserole dish.
Bechamel/Mornay Sauce
3.
After the cheese sauce has been evenly dispersed, add the cubed mozzarella and mix to make sure it’s evenly distributed.
½ lb cubed mozzarella
4.
Top the whole thing with grated cheddar and grated parmesan.
3 oz cheddar, grated
1 oz parmesan, grated
5.
Place into a 375°F oven for about 45 minutes (rotating once halfway through) and bake until a golden brown on top.
6.
Let sit and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
7.
For the Bechamel/Mornay Sauce
1.
Start by shredding the parmesan, gruyere, fontina, and sharp white cheddar on the large hole side of a box grater and cubing the mozzarella cheese. All to specified weight.
1 ½ lbs cheese, any make up of the following:
Parmesan, shredded
Gruyere, shredded
Sharp white cheddar, shredded
Fontina, shredded
Low moisture full fat mozzarella, cubed
2.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until it stops spattering, the stage right before browning. Make sure to swirl regularly so the butter doesn’t splatter.
¼ cup butter
3.
At this point, add flour and whisk into a thick paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw flour smell dissipates.
¼ cup flour
4.
At which point, slowly add the cold milk a little at a time. Slowly add 1/2 a cup of milk while whisking together until it reaches a smooth paste then add another ½ cup whisk until smooth, and so on and so forth until all of the milk have been added.
4 cups cold whole milk
5.
Whisk that rigorously over medium-high heat until it comes to a bare simmer and reaches a consistency of just thicker than that of heavy cream.
6.
Once the bechamel is finished, combine all the cheese (except mozzarella) into a heatproof bowl. Pour the bechamel over top through a fine-mesh strainer. Fold the cheese into the bechamel and whisk until it is fully melted and turned into a mornay sauce.
1 ½ lbs cheese, any make up of the following:
7.
Season with a bunch of salt, freshly ground pepper, cayenne pepper (optional), and whole grain mustard and whisk to combine.
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tbsp whole grain mustard
8.
For the Southern Style Mac and Cheese:
1.
Start by cooking macaroni pasta in water.
1 lb macaroni noodles
2.
Then shred sharp cheddar, cube mozzarella, and shred smoked gouda.
8 oz mozzarella, cubed
4 oz gouda, shredded
8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
3.
Once the macaroni is cooked, drained, and returned to the warm pot. Add in the sharp cheddar, stirring into the past while adding evaporated milk and mix together.
12 oz evaporated milk
4.
After the cheese has melted and the pasta is creamy and cheesy, add in the smoked gouda and mozzarella then mix together until evenly distributed.
5.
Once the pasta has cooled enough to stick a finger without being burnt, put in large eggs - whisking together vigorously until the eggs are nice and smooth.
3 eggs
6.
Place into a casserole dish, smooth it all out then cover/sprinkle on top with shredded yellow and white cheddar cheese along with the grated parmesan.
4 oz yellow cheddar, shredded
4 oz white cheddar, shredded
2 oz parmesan, grated
7.
After the cheese is evenly coated on top, place the casserole dish into a 375°F oven for about 45 minutes until golden brown.
8.
Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
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