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the immersion blender solves this problem perfectly every time. This is my best secret! Sometimes cheese melts a little unevenly and the onions leave little flecks in the sauce.
Use an immersion blender to make the finished sauce ultra smooth and creamy. You can also line the pan with tinfoil and then lightly spray it. Spray your pan lightly with non-stick spray to prevent the sauce from sticking. This way they will finish cooking while baking without becoming bloated or soggy. The cold rinse will stop the noodles from continuing to cook. Cook your pasta slightly under al dente and rinse it with cold water immediately after draining. Shred your own cheese - really! Pre- shredded cheese is coated, so it doesn't melt the same, nor does it have the same flavor.
Sprinkle over individual servings so it stays crisp.
Want a crunchy topping? Try sautéing panko bread crumbs in a skillet in a little melted butter or olive oil until golden brown. It adds starches and helps thicken up the sauce and keeps the sauce clinging to the pasta. If you don’t have mustard powder, substitute 1 tsp prepared mustard (regular or dijon). Shred it yourself for a nice smooth sauce. Don’t use pre-shredded cheese or the sauce might end up grainy and gritty. But I prefer serving it as a side to one of the following main dishes: I’ll admit, sometimes this simple mac and cheese recipe gets served by itself when I’m short on time. You may need to add a splash of milk to thin out the mac and cheese sauce and prevent the pasta from drying out. If you wind up with leftovers of this homemade mac and cheese, I recommend reheating them in a saucepan over low heat. Here we go with cheddar, mozzarella and cream cheese. Use a blend of cheeses for a nice combination of flavor. What’s the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Toss pasta with cheese sauce, thin with pasta water a splash at a time as needed. Returning pan to warm heat as needed to melt fully. Melt in cheddar: Remove saucepan from heat add in the shredded cheeses half at a time, and whisk to melt. Melt in cream cheese: Reduce heat to low add in cream cheese and whisk until melted. Increase heat slightly, then bring mixture to a low boil whisking constantly. Make the mac and cheese sauce: While whisking slowly pour in milk, add in mustard and garlic powder. Make a roux: while pasta is cooking, in a large saucepan (4 quart) or medium pot melt butter over medium heat then add flour, cook 1 minute whisking constantly. Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Cook pasta: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, boil pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Here’s what you’ll need to make the silky smooth mac and cheese sauce and pasta: Homemade Mac and Cheese IngredientsĪs promised, this stovetop mac and cheese recipe is super simple to make.