If you’re looking for a way to wow everyone at the Thanksgiving table, look no further than this classic baked mac and cheese that will bring tears of pride to your mama’s eyes the minute she takes a bite.
Prep Time/Cook Time: 1 hour
Serving Size: 4 to 6 people
Ingredients:
- 1 box of elbow pasta (or any pasta of your choice)
- ½ cup of salted butter (Kerrygold Irish Butter is best)
- ¼ cup of flour
- 1 cup of whole milk (or unsweetened non-dairy milk)
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoons of paprika
- 1 tablespoons of pepper
- 2 cups of smoked gouda cheese, grated
- 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- ½ cup of parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated
- 1 cup of coarse breadcrumbs (or panko breadcrumbs)
Instructions:
Cook elbow macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al-dente, making sure not to overcook because the pasta will continue to cook when baked in the oven. After the pasta is cooked, reserve ½ cup of pasta water, drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, in a medium saucepan heat ¼ cup of butter. Add flour to the melted butter, whisking constantly for about four minutes, or until the flour is golden brown. Slowly whisk in the milk and pasta water to avoid clumping. Add chopped garlic cloves, paprika, salt and pepper. Bring roux to a simmer.
Add grated gouda and sharp cheddar cheese to the roux and whisk until the cheese is completely melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Once the cheese is completely melted and incorporated into the roux, add the cooked pasta to the mixture making sure to coat all noodles completely.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and coat a baking tray with cooking spray or butter so macaroni does not stick to the pan.
