The Best Mac and Cheese
This is the best mac and cheese recipe I’ve ever made. I’ve spent time perfecting it to my tastes. It’s super creamy and ultra cheesy. I won’t lie to you, I’m a blue-box mac and cheese guy. Growing up, I always hated homemade mac and cheeses we’d have at holidays and potlucks, but this version blows it out of the park for me. In the photo, I used diced ham and bacon, but you can use whatever leftover meats you’d like to make this unique dish!
Now, there are a couple simple steps to this mac and cheese, so let me take a second and break it down for you:
Caramelized Onions
The little pops of sweetness from the onions are one component that make it so special. Start with butter in a pan over medium heat. Add your julienned onions and let them sweat down with a pinch of salt. When they’re fully translucent, add the garlic and saute until they just start to get a browning color. At this point, hit them with the smoked paprika and a splash of water. You’ll notice they get a little creamy looking after you stir the water in- this is what we want. The water will boil and steam the onions. Once the water’s boiled off, keep stirring them until they start to caramelize. Then hit them with the balsamic vinegar then reduce until the liquid has evaporated.
Cheese Sauce
The cheese sauce calls for Sodium Citrate – but don’t be afraid! It’s just a salt that’s derived from citric acid. It’s what makes Nacho Cheese that perfect consistency. It’s an antioxidant and shouldn’t be something to worry about. It prevents the proteins and the oils in cheese from separating, leaving a smooth and creamy result with a velvety mouthfeel. Fun fact, the scientific formula is NA2C6H6O7. The video below does a great job of explaining it!
I’ve added an Amazon affiliate link so you can buy the brand I use. It’s a cheap, safe, and easy way to make your own cheese sauces and gourmet American Cheeses at home!
Topping
One of the reasons I never liked homemade mac and cheese was the breadcrumb topping. That was really my first mission to solve, and I nailed it first try. I went to my pantry and saw Cheez-Its. Done. It adds a wonderful salty-cheesy flavor with just the right crispy crunch. All I do is crumble them up in a plastic bag, then drizzle about 1 Tbsp. of Olive Oil and mix it thoroughly. I’ve made a 50/50 blend of Cheez-Its and Pork Rinds before- that was totally worth it too!
Assembly
I assemble this dish kind of like a lasagna – half the al dente noodles, then half the onions, half the meat, then half the cheese sauce, and repeat. It’s going to look like there’s too much sauce – there isn’t! Top with the Cheez-Its and bake at 375ºF for 25 minutes before removing and letting cool for another 20 minutes. Then it’s time to dig in!
The Best Mac and Cheese
This is the best mac and cheese recipe I’ve ever made. You can leave out the onions, but I really hope you try it with them, because they add something really special to elevate this mac and cheese. If you want to make it vegetarian, omit the meat!
- Prep Time20 min
- Cook Time1 hr
- Resting Time20 min
- Total Time1 hr 40 min
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Elbow Macaroni
- 1-2 Cups Meat (pulled pork, bacon, ham, etc.), diced into small pieces
Cheese Sauce
- 12 oz. Sharp Cheddar, grated
- 12 oz. Mozzarella, grated
- 12 oz. Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, grated
- 32 oz. Whole Milk
- 1 stick Butter
- 28g (about 1 Tbsp.) Sodium Citrate
- 1 tsp. Dry Mustard Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- 1/8 tsp. White Pepper
- 1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp. Turmeric
- 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
- 1-2 tsp. Corn Starch slurry (if needed)
Caramelized Onions
- 2 Med. Onions, julienned
- 3-4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. Butter
- 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
- Water, as needed
Topping
- 1 Cup Cheez-Its, crumbled
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Method
Cheese Sauce
Add milk and butter to a large pot over medium heat.
Once butter is melted, stir in sodium citrate, smoked paprika, white pepper, nutmeg, turmeric, black pepper, and salt to taste. Let heat up until it just comes to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, add cheese, and stir until thoroughly combined. It should look like a thinner version of nacho cheese, but if it’s too thin, thicken with cornstarch slurry. Keep warm and set aside.
Caramelized Onions
In a frying pan, sauté onions in butter over medium high heat, stirring often.
Once onions become translucent, add garlic and smoked paprika.
Stirring often, caramelize onions until they’re a deep brown color. Use a splash of water as necessary to prevent burning.
Once all water is evaporated, add balsamic vinegar and continue to sauté until vinegar is evaporated. Set aside to cool.
Assembly
Boil elbow macaroni until slightly undercooked, and heat pulled pork.
In a 13×9 deep casserole dish, layer half the macaroni, cheese sauce, onions, meat, then repeat like a lasagna, finishing with cheese sauce.
Coat the top with crumbled Cheez-Its and drizzle olive oil.
Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.
This recipe calls for Sodium Citrate, which I’ve provided a link for on my website.
