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wooden spoon lifting out white cheddar mac and cheese from white baking dish
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White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Loaded with good white sharp cheddar cheese, this white cheddar mac and cheese recipe is rich and creamy, making it perfect for a side or main dish.
Course Pasta
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 545kcal
Author Ryan Beck

Ingredients

  • 1 lb macaroni
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 cups milk
  • 8 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook macaroni according to package and set aside.
  • In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter. Stir in flour, dry mustard and black pepper. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until well combined. Gradually add milk and cook until the mixture is smooth and bubbly, about 10 minutes. You'll want to stir constantly.
  • Remove sauce from heat and gradually add 4 cups of sharp cheddar cheese and whisk until cheese is melted and smooth.
  • Add pasta and mix until everything is coated. Pour half of the mac and cheese into a 9x13 greased baking dish or 12 inch cast iron skillet. Add 2 cups of cheese evenly throughout and then the remaining mac and cheese. Top with remaining 2 cups of cheese.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • No overcooked pasta – Cook the macaroni al dente according to the package instructions. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven while it’s in the sauce.
  • Freshly grated cheese – Don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has addition ingredients that you don’t need.
  • Stir constantly – Once the milk is added, you must stir constantly as it heats up and becomes thick. Otherwise you’ll have burnt milk on the bottom.
  • Lots of sauce – Who likes a dry macaroni and cheese? At first when making this, you’ll think it is too much sauce but believe me when that the macaroni soaks it up.
  • Create layers – You’ll notice only have of the cheese goes in the sauce. When preparing the macaroni and cheese, you add only half of the pasta to the baking dish then 2 cups of cheese. You then add the remaining half of the pasta before topping with the remaining cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 545kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 533mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 4g