Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese
Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese made in one cast iron skillet with sharp cheddar and provolone. The sauce stays silky and the top goes deep golden under the broiler. Ready in under an hour and easy to assemble a day ahead.
Servings: 8
Calories: 614kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups milk warmed
- 2 cups provolone cheese shredded
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded and divided
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the upper third.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Cook the 12 ounces of macaroni 1 minute less than the package directs. Drain and set aside. Do not rinse.
- Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Whisk in 4 tablespoons flour and cook, whisking, 1 to 2 minutes until pale gold and nutty smelling. Whisk in 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Pour in the 3 cups of warmed milk in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat, whisking often, 4 to 5 minutes, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the 2 cups provolone and 2 cups of the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until smooth before adding more. Stir in 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Taste and adjust salt.
- Add the drained macaroni and fold until evenly coated.
- Scatter the remaining 2 cups cheddar over the top and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Set the skillet on a sheet pan and bake 20 minutes, until bubbling at the edges.
- Broil 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until the top is deep golden and spotty.
- Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Shred cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated to prevent clumping and that coating makes the sauce gritty.
- Take the pan off the heat before adding cheese. Cheese separates above roughly 170°F and cannot be brought back.
- Warm the milk before adding it to the roux to avoid lumps.
- To make ahead, assemble completely without baking, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Rest at room temperature 30 minutes, then bake 30 to 35 minutes and broil as directed.
- To freeze, assemble unbaked in a freezer safe dish and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
- Reheat with a splash of milk. Baked pasta absorbs sauce as it sits.
- No cast iron skillet? Make the sauce in a saucepan and transfer everything to a buttered 9x13 baking dish.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 614kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 973mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1185IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 769mg | Iron: 1mg
