Best mac and cheese recipe | Easy recipe guide | Jamie Oliver (2024)

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A killer mac 'n' cheese

With sweet tomatoes & a beautiful crunchy topping

  • Vegetarianv

Best mac and cheese recipe | Easy recipe guide | Jamie Oliver (2)

With sweet tomatoes & a beautiful crunchy topping

“Proper American-style mac and cheese – beautifully gooey and full-on, in-yer-face cheesy! Mac ’n’ cheese’ is a classic American pasta dish – everyone loves it. Sometimes it’s done so badly in the convenience area, it’s almost become famous for being horrible, but when you do it properly, trust me, it’s an absolute killer. Feel free to use any tubular pasta you want. I’ve made this dish my own by lightening it with sweet tomatoes and giving it some crunch with delicious breadcrumbs. Just you wait till you try it! This dish isn’t going to win any prizes in the nutrition department, but you can, and should, balance it with a nice salad. If you only have it once in a while as a special treat, it’ll do you no harm. ”

Serves 8

Cooks In1 hour

DifficultyNot too tricky

Jamie's AmericaAmericanMainsBaking

Nutrition per serving
  • Calories 581 29%

  • Fat 20.8g 30%

  • Saturates 11.2g 56%

  • Sugars 10.8g 12%

  • Salt 1.3g 22%

  • Protein 25.3g 51%

  • Carbs 78.5g 30%

  • Fibre 3.8g -

Of an adult's reference intake

Recipe From

Jamie's America

By Jamie Oliver

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Ingredients

  • Metric
  • Germany

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  • 10 cloves of garlic
  • 45 g butter
  • 3 heaped tablespoons plain flour
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 1 litre semi-skimmed milk
  • 600 g dried macaroni
  • 8 tomatoes
  • 150 g Cheddar cheese
  • 100 g Parmesan cheese
  • a few sprigs of fresh thyme
  • OPTIONAL
  • 2 splashes of Worcestershire sauce
  • OPTIONAL
  • 1 whole nutmeg , for grating
  • 3 big handfuls of fresh breadcrumbs
  • olive oil

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The cost per serving below is generated by Whisk.com and is based on costs in individual supermarkets. For more information about how we calculate costs per serving read our FAQS

Recipe From

Jamie's America

By Jamie Oliver

Tap For Ingredients

Method

  1. Peel and finely slice the garlic.
  2. Get a large pan of salted water on the boil. Melt the butter in a large ovenproof saucepan over a low heat, then add the flour and turn the heat up to medium, stirring all the time, until you get a paste – this is your roux.
  3. Add all the sliced garlic – don’t worry about the amount because each slice will caramelise like toffee in the roux. Keep cooking and stirring until golden and the garlic is nice and sticky.
  4. Add the bay leaves and slowly whisk in the milk a little at a time to ensure you get a nice smooth sauce. Bring the mixture to the boil, then leave it on a low heat to simmer and tick away, stirring occasionally.
  5. Preheat your oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7.
  6. Add the pasta to the pan of boiling salted water and cook according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, roughly chop the tomatoes on a board and season them well with sea salt and black pepper. Grate the Cheddar and Parmesan.
  7. Drain the pasta and add it immediately to the sauce. Give it a good stir and take the pan off the heat. Stir in your grated cheeses, chopped tomatoes and pick in half of the thyme leaves. A little Worcestershire sauce added now is nice, and so is a little grating or two of nutmeg. Now work on the flavour – taste it and season it until it’s hitting the right spot. You want it to be slightly too wet because it will thicken up again in the oven, so add a splash of water if needed.
  8. If you’ve made your sauce in an ovenproof casserole-type pan, leave everything in there; if not, transfer it to a deep earthenware dish. Bake it for 30 minutes in the oven, until golden, bubbling, crispy and delicious.
  9. While it’s cooking, put your breadcrumbs and the rest of the the thyme leaves into a pan with a few drizzles of olive oil over a medium heat. Stir and toss the crumbs around until crunchy and golden all over. Remove from the heat and tip into a nice bowl.
  10. Serve your macaroni cheese in the centre of the table, with your bowl of crispy breadcrumbs for sprinkling over, and a lovely green salad.

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Recipe From

Jamie's America

By Jamie Oliver

© 2024 Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited

© 2024 Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited

Best mac and cheese recipe | Easy recipe guide | Jamie Oliver (2024)

FAQs

How does Gordon Ramsay make the best mac and cheese? ›

Preparation
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
  2. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
  3. Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
  4. Enjoy!
  5. All your favorite recipes, stored in one place.
May 4, 2023

What are the 3 best cheeses for mac and cheese? ›

What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.

What not to do when making mac and cheese? ›

The 5 Biggest Mac & Cheese Mistakes
  1. Using Only Cheddar cheese. Because macaroni and cheese is English in origin, you might be tempted to make it with only cheddar cheese. ...
  2. Not Adding Spice and Seasoning with Salt. The flavor of the cheese is enhanced with spice. ...
  3. Choosing the Wrong Pasta. ...
  4. Overcooking. ...
  5. Skimping on the Toppings.
May 21, 2020

What does Gordon Ramsay put in his mac and cheese? ›

Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese is a simplified recipe. Just boil pasta in milk and then, add butter, cheese, salt, and pepper to it. Merge all the elements and Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese will be ready in no time.

What is the most flavorful cheese for mac and cheese? ›

Choosing the best cheese for your mac and cheese
  • Gouda - aged gouda can spike your mac and cheese with deeper, pungent flavors, while a smoked Gouda has a meatiness that never disappoints.
  • Blue cheese can add real zing to any mac and cheese.
  • Feta features a tart and salty Mediterranean taste.

What kind of milk is best for mac and cheese? ›

Milk: Keeps our cheese sauce super creamy. I use whole milk or reduced-fat milk. Mustard and spices: A combination of Dijon mustard, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt makes this macaroni and cheese extra delicious. Cheese: I use white cheddar and parmesan or pecorino cheese.

Why add cream cheese to mac and cheese? ›

It's extra saucy and very creamy.

Cream cheese is optional but adds tanginess and even more creaminess to the sauce. *In the video, we add the cream cheese after the cheddar, but since sharing and testing again, we now prefer to the cream cheese before the cheddar.

Can I use sour cream instead of milk for mac and cheese? ›

Sour Cream

There are a couple of reasons this is such a good substitute. For one thing, since sour cream is thicker than regular milk, it doesn't thin out the cheese sauce as much. That means that you can add more sour cream and still get a creamy finish.

What is the best cheese combination for homemade mac and cheese? ›

For a mac and cheese recipe, consider the combination of sharper cheddar cheeses and a flavorful Parmesan. This cheese adds a boost of fruity, nutty notes to your favorite macaroni recipes. Parmesan is also ideal for grating on top of mac and cheese before you bake it to add golden color.

How do you doctor up mac and cheese? ›

8 Ways to Elevate Your Macaroni and Cheese Dinners
  1. Add extra cheese to your dish.
  2. Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
  3. Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
  4. Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
  5. Add spices and fresh herbs to your dish.
May 21, 2022

What can I add to mac and cheese to make it taste better? ›

Spices: A little garlic powder and onion powder goes a long way in making this the best easy mac and cheese ever! Definitely don't skimp on these. You could also add a bit of paprika, black pepper, or even a splash of hot sauce if you want to amp up the flavor even more.

How to keep mac and cheese creamy? ›

You want equal amounts of butter and flour by weight. This is key. Throw in too much flour, and sure the sauce might get thick, but it also might taste floury and be lumpy. Even if you get the roux right, use too much or reduce your sauce down too far, and the macaroni and cheese will turn out dry.

Why does my homemade mac and cheese taste bland? ›

Try adding a little more salt first, because that might fix it. If the problem was the cheese you use doesn't have much flavor, then try adding some other flavors, such has mustard or hot sauce. The next time you make it, try to find some more strongly flavor cheese, or adding more cheese.

What makes mac and cheese taste so good? ›

Brown the Butter

Browned butter is the secret ingredient to multi-dimensional flavor in both baked goods and savory dishes. It adds richness and depth of flavor to boxed mac and cheese—and all it takes is a few extra minutes on the stovetop.

What are the top 7 cheeses to use in mac and cheese? ›

7 Best Cheeses for Macaroni and Cheese
  • Cheddar. Cheddar is a staple for countless recipes. ...
  • Parmesan. Parmesan is a salty cheese with complex flavors. ...
  • Gruyere. Update your mac and cheese recipes to something more mature with Gruyere. ...
  • Brie. ...
  • Smoked Gouda. ...
  • Monterey Jack. ...
  • Fontina. ...
  • Sausage Mac and Cheese.

How do you make mac and cheese taste better? ›

Here are five tips to elevate your next dinner to include extra flavor and texture.
  1. Add extra cheese to your dish.
  2. Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
  3. Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
  4. Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
May 21, 2022

What is the best cheese according to chefs? ›

A Cheese Expert's Guide to 10 Essential Cheeses to Know and Love
  • Brie de Meaux-Style Brie.
  • Pyrénées Sheep.
  • Comté
  • Clothbound Cheddar.
  • Aged (Goat) Gouda.
  • Bleu d'Auvergne AOC/PDO.
  • Époisses de Bourgogne PDO.
  • Le Chevrot.

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