Homemade Healthy Mac & Cheese
This homemade mac and cheese starts with a classic béchamel sauce, one of the foundational sauces I learned to make in culinary school. The original recipe from my notebook combines béchamel with Gruyère, cheddar, Parmesan, and cooked pasta.
used cheddar, fontina, and Parmesan, then baked everything with more cheese and breadcrumbs until golden and bubbly.
Ingredients
1 pound elbow macaroni or short pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk, warmed
1½ cups sharp cheddar, shredded
1 cup fontina, shredded
½ cup Parmesan, finely grated
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
Black pepper, to taste
Pinch of turmeric, optional
½ cup breadcrumbs
Chopped parsley, for serving
Instructions
Heat the oven to 375°F.
Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the flour and whisk for 1 to 2 minutes.
Slowly pour in the warm milk while whisking.
Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Reduce the heat and stir in 1 cup cheddar, the fontina, and the Parmesan.
Season with salt and pepper. Add a small pinch of turmeric for a deeper golden color, if desired.
Fold the pasta into the cheese sauce.
Transfer to a baking dish and top with the remaining cheddar and breadcrumbs.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until bubbling and lightly golden.
Taylor’s Tip
Your sauce is ready when you can draw a line through it on the back of a spoon and the line holds. This stage is called nappé.
