Macaroni cheese
Creamy, properly cheesy macaroni in a mustard-spiked sauce with a crunchy golden top.
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 35 mins
- Total
- 50 mins
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Budget
Recipe: Macaroni cheese
Macaroni cheese
Ingredients
- 300g dried macaroni
- 50g butter
- 50g plain flour
- 700ml whole milk
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 200g mature cheddar, grated
- nutmeg, a grating
- 30g fresh breadcrumbs
- 20g parmesan, grated, or extra cheddar
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Kitchen kit
- Ovenproof dish, about 20 x 25cm Search Amazon for ovenproof baking dish
- Medium saucepan Search Amazon for saucepan
- Balloon whisk Search Amazon for balloon whisk
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Method
-
Step 1: Cook the pasta
Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6. Cook the macaroni in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the pack says. Drain.
-
Step 2: Make the sauce
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and keep stirring until the sauce thickens and bubbles. Simmer for 2 minutes.
-
Step 3: Add the cheese
Take off the heat and stir in the mustard, nutmeg and 150g of the cheddar until melted. Season, then stir in the macaroni.
-
Step 4: Bake
Tip into the dish. Mix the breadcrumbs with the remaining cheddar and the parmesan and scatter over. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Tips
- Undercooking the pasta slightly stops it going mushy in the oven.
- For a vegetarian version, check your cheeses are made with vegetarian rennet and swap parmesan for extra cheddar.
Storing & reheating
Cool, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking; eat within 2 days and reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through. Add a splash of milk when reheating.
Freezing
Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge and bake, covered, at 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4 for 30 minutes until steaming hot.
Variations
- Stir in crispy bacon lardons or ham.
- Add sliced tomatoes on top, or stir through steamed broccoli or cauliflower florets.
Allergies: Always check the labels of the ingredients you buy for allergens — our dietary tags are a guide, not a guarantee.
From feeed.co.uk/recipes/macaroni-cheese/ · Checked 17 October 2026
Questions people ask
Why is my cheese sauce grainy?
The sauce was too hot when the cheese went in. Take it off the heat first and stir until just melted.
Can I make it on the hob only?
Yes – skip the baking for a stovetop mac and cheese and serve straight from the pan.
Sources & inspiration
Checked 17 October 2026. Written in our own words; we checked proportions, technique and food safety against:
See other recipes that use the same kit on our kitchen kit pages.
