For a great macaroni and cheese recipe, start with the cheese
Let's face it – a macaroni and cheese recipe is really all about the cheese. Sure, you need macaroni for structure, texture, blah blah blah, but it's the cheese that makes this the world's favorite food. Cheese brings the flavor after all, not to mention the melty goodness. And you can't have mac and cheese without melty goodness, for Pete's sake.
So, here's tip #1 for your baked mac and cheese recipe: start with two cheeses. Or three. Or four. Heck, the more the merrier. You'll need some cheeses that melt well – anything from an alpine style, to monterey jack, and fontina – and some cheeses that pack a flavor punch – hello, havarti, cheddar, smoked gouda and gorgonzola.
Tip #2: slooooow down. We get it – you absolutely cannot wait to introduce your taste buds to your latest and greatest macaroni and cheese recipe. But if you try to melt the cheese too fast, it'll be lumpy, and you'll be grumpy. Melt it slowly over low heat – we promise it's worth the wait.
Tip #3: choose a pasta that's worthy of your cheese. Don't waste your cheese on some super skinny stringy noodles – you want pasta you can get your fork into. Something with curves, nooks, crannies, and tunnels that you can fill with melted cheese.
Tip #4: add accents. Once you've got the right cheese, everything else you add is just more flavor and texture. Bacon and broccoli? Sure. Pumpkin and breadcrumbs? If that's the way you roll, okay. Roasted garlic, crackers, and beer? Okay, now you're just toying with us.