Salt + Pepper + Garlic Powder – to season, we’ll use 1 teaspoon of salt and a ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.
Milk – you’ll also need 3 cups of milk – we used regular, whole cow’s milk, but feel free to use plain, unsweetened almond milk if you’d prefer.We use (and love) THIS gluten-free option, but know that regular macaroni will totally work too! Elbow Pasta – to start, you’ll need 12 ounces of dried elbow macaroni.This easy mac and cheese calls for just a few simple, everyday ingredients! Here’s what you’ll need to add to your next grocery list: THIS mac and cheese, though, is the total opposite of all of that: it’s super easy (really, anyone can do it!) thanks to our fail-proof dump-and-bake method, requires minimal ingredients (all of which you can pronounce!), and it is ultra-cheesy and creamy (like good mac and cheese should be!).
The cheese is “eh,” the creamy, gooey texture is lacking, and it’s chock full of mysterious ingredients that are likely to cause a stomachache in an hour or two.
I’m a sucker for mac and cheese, but let’s be honest, sometimes you take a bite of mac and cheese and it just does not hit the spot. Bottom line, it’s the perfect side dish for any and all occasions, the whole family will love it, and it takes minimal active kitchen time! Are you in? I’m in! What makes this the best mac and cheese? This real deal mac and cheese is spectacular enough for your holiday spread but easy enough to throw together any time that you’re feeling like you need to nosh on some true comfort food. It’s easy, it’s CHEESY, it’s oven-baked mac and cheese! That’s all you need to hear, right?! I mean, I was sold on this dish immediately after reading the title. And you can, of course, use regular pasta in place of gluten free pasta, too.This Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese is incredibly delicious, and because it’s made dump-and-bake style, it’s also super easy, making it perfect for the new cook and the experienced chef all at once! Let the mac and cheese thicken for a few minutes with the lid on the pan, then scoop and serve! Make this once and you’ll be whipping it up from memory at least once a week – it’s definitely a keeper. This is the fun part of the recipe because you can play around with the cheeses you like and/or have in the fridge – you really can’t go wrong! If you want to stick with a more classic sauce though, choose medium-hard cheeses like cheddar, gouda, and fontina. Once the pasta is tender add 1 cup freshly shredded cheese then stir until the sauce is smooth, adding in a splash of skim milk if you need it. See how thick the skim milk gets by stirring with the starches released from the pasta? Turn the heat to medium then stir constantly until the milk comes to a simmer (mine took about 12 minutes.) Turn the heat down to low then stir constantly until the pasta is tender, another 12 minutes or so.īe sure to stick to low heat because if the milk cooks off too quickly there won’t be enough left to cook the pasta. RELATED Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Ground Pork BowlsĪdd the rinsed and drained pasta to a saucepan with 2 cups skim milk, 1 teaspoon salt, and a dash of cayenne pepper.