Sometimes, I go all out and make a baked mac and cheese, with breadcrumbs and a cheese sauce, and sometimes with a protein to make it a complete meal. My friend/former coworker/podcast cohost (side note if your interests somehow also include cyber security: check out The Eff It Bucket wherever you get your podcasts) turned me onto a wonderful Horseradish Mac and Cheese that’s in the Centennial Celebrations Cookbook.
On the other hand, sometimes I want something fast, a side dish to go with chicken or beef, that not only has a simple creamy texture but also has a comforting neon orange color that I used to get out of a box as a child. This achieves both those things. And in my humble opinion, it tastes better than the congealed goo that comes out of the pouch by a country mile.
Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- Metal Spider
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 8 ounces shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup pasta water plus whatever comes into the skillet with the pasta
Instructions
- Bring a pan of water to boil and season heavily with salt. Add pasta and stir. Make sauce while pasta cooks.
- Melt butter in a wide skillet. Once it’s melted, whisk in flour and cook 30 seconds until golden.
- Add milk and whisk again until smooth, then add cheese in batches, stirring constantly until all the cheese is incorporated.
- Add seasonings, including the salted pasta water to both season and loosen.
- When pasta is ready, transfer to skillet with either a slotted spoon or a wire spider, and do not drain first. Whatever water is still in the pasta will also come along and help smooth out the sauce and achieve desired consistency. Thin with additional pasta water if necessary.
Make it? Love it?
