Main Dishesbonappetit4.2
No-Roux Mac and Cheese
This easy, no-roux mac and cheese recipe is made almost entirely on the stovetop and then gets transferred to the oven to melt the cheesy topping.
👥 8 Servings👤 Kendra Vaculin📖 bonappetit
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●pot
- ●oven
- ●dutch oven
- ●whisk
- ●grater
- ●baking dish
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425°. Cook 1 lb. medium shell pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, ⏱️ 5 minutes (about half the time indicated on the package directions; pasta will be quite firm, but it will continue to cook in the sauce). Drain pasta and rinse under cold running water; let cool.
. medium shell pasta1 lb
2
Melt 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Cook 1 small onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater, in melted butter, stirring often, until golden brown and liquid is evaporated, about ⏱️ 5 minutes. Pour in 2½ cups whole milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to simmer, about ⏱️ 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; add 12 oz. American cheese, coarsely grated (about 3 cups), and cook, whisking vigorously, until mostly melted, about ⏱️ 1 minute. Add pasta, 2 tsp. smoked paprika, ½ tsp. ground mustard, ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, ¼ tsp. ground turmeric (you won’t taste it, but it helps achieve that sunny orange color), 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, remaining 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, and all but 1 cup from 12 oz. sharp yellow cheddar, coarsely grated (about 3 cups). Cook, whisking constantly and vigorously (it’s important to stick with a whisk here), until butter is melted and pasta is coated in a smooth, homogeneous sauce, about ⏱️ 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
. unsalted butter, divided3 Tbsp½ cups whole milk2. American cheese, coarsely grated (about 3 cups)12 oz. smoked paprika2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more1 Tbsp. sharp yellow cheddar, coarsely grated (about 3 cups), divided12 oz
3
Mix 8 oz. Fontina cheese, coarsely grated (about 2½ cups), into pasta (no need to melt); season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to a 13x9" baking dish. Scatter remaining 1 cup coarsely grated sharp yellow cheddar over, concentrating around edges. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling around edges and starting to brown in spots, 10–⏱️ 15 minutes. Do Ahead: Pasta can be boiled and cheeses and onion can be grated ⏱️ 4 hours ahead. Store separately, covered, at room temperature.
. Fontina cheese, coarsely grated (about 2½ cups)8 ozFreshly ground black pepper
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