Classic macaroni and cheese recipe

Classic macaroni and cheese

PREP TIME

15 min

TOTAL TIME

55 min

Serves

8 to 10

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

There's nothing Canadians love more than a classic macaroni and cheese recipe. The secret to this savoury wonder is in choosing 2- to 3-year-old cheese.

Ingredients

3 cups macaroni pasta
1/3 cup butter
1 small onion , diced
3 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic , minced
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
2 1/2 cups shredded old cheddar , divided
1 cup shredded gruyère
1 cup grated parmesan
2 tsp Dijon mustard

Instructions

PREHEAT oven to 425F.
COOK pasta following package directions less 2 min, until just tender. Drain and set aside.
MELT butter in a large pot over medium. Add onion and cook until softened, 3 min. Add thyme, garlic and salt and cook for 1 min. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon until golden, 1 min. Gradually add milk, 1/2 cup at a time, over 2 min, stirring constantly. Increase heat to medium-high and continue to stir until mixture has just come to a boil and is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 min. Remove from heat.
STIR in 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar and the gruyère, parmesan and Dijon until smooth. Stir in pasta, then scrape into a 9 × 13-in. casserole dish and top with remaining 1 cup cheddar.
PLACE on a baking sheet and bake until sauce is bubbly and topping is golden, 15 min. Let macaroni and cheese stand 10 min before serving.

Chatelaine Quickies: French Onion Macaroni and Cheese

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Nutrition (per serving)

Calories
438,
Protein
22 g,
Carbohydrates
33 g,
Fat
24 g,
Fibre
1 g,
Sodium
634 mg.
Excellent source of
vitamin B12

Kitchen Tip: The key to a good baked mac & cheese is using lots of sauce, so it absorbs into and thickens the noodles, and choosing 2- to 3-year-old cheddar for the best flavour. This macaroni and cheese recipe has both.