So I made Mac & Cheese for two people… and somehow ended up with 6/8 of the dish left.
Can someone explain how Americans eat a full portion of this without immediately lying down on the floor??
It’s delicious, but holy cheese overload.
The good news: the leftovers are perfect for making Mac & Cheese fritters tomorrow!
INGREDIENTS
Pasta
150 g macaroni
½ tsp salt (for the cooking water)
Cheese mix (about 150 g total)
60 g cheddar (flavor!)
40–50 g mozzarella (stretch!)
40–50 g regular cheese (Gouda or similar, for body)
10–15 g extra cheddar for the topping
Cheese sauce
25 g butter
25 g flour
200 ml cooking cream (or milk)
½ tsp mustard
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp paprika
A pinch of cayenne
Salt & black pepper to taste
Crunchy topping
½ cup panko
½ tbsp melted butter
10–15 g cheddar
(Mix all together in a bowl)
🔪 INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cook your pasta
Boil macaroni in salted water
Cook it 1 minute less than the package says
Drain and set aside
Tip: slightly undercooked pasta stays perfect in the oven.
2. Make the roux
Melt 25 g butter in a pot
Add 25 g flour, whisk for 1 minute
Don’t let it brown — you just want it cooked
3. Build the cheese sauce
Add the 200 ml cream in 2–3 additions
Whisk until smooth and thick
Add all the seasonings
Lower heat
Stir in the 150 g cheese mix
Heat gently until melted and glossy
If the sauce is too thick → add a splash of water or milk.
If too thin → simmer 1 more minute.
4. Combine
Add the cooked macaroni to the sauce
Stir well
Taste (important!) — adjust salt/pepper
5. Bake
Pour into a greased baking dish
Add your cheddar‑panko topping
Bake at 200°C (392°F) for 20–25 minutes
The top should be golden, crunchy, and bubbling
6. Rest
Let it sit 5 minutes out of the oven before serving.
It sets beautifully and becomes extra creamy.
Fuzzy_Welcome8348 on
Looks great!
PlentyCow8258 on
Americans do not regularly eat whole pots of Mac and cheese. It’s a side dish, not a meal. But a recipe like this is not even what would be standard for a normal meal. This is an over the top recipe that would be saved for holidays like Christmas.
3 Comments
[RECIPE] Oven‑Baked Mac & Cheese
So I made Mac & Cheese for two people… and somehow ended up with 6/8 of the dish left.
Can someone explain how Americans eat a full portion of this without immediately lying down on the floor??
It’s delicious, but holy cheese overload.
The good news: the leftovers are perfect for making Mac & Cheese fritters tomorrow!
INGREDIENTS
Pasta
150 g macaroni
½ tsp salt (for the cooking water)
Cheese mix (about 150 g total)
60 g cheddar (flavor!)
40–50 g mozzarella (stretch!)
40–50 g regular cheese (Gouda or similar, for body)
10–15 g extra cheddar for the topping
Cheese sauce
25 g butter
25 g flour
200 ml cooking cream (or milk)
½ tsp mustard
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp paprika
A pinch of cayenne
Salt & black pepper to taste
Crunchy topping
½ cup panko
½ tbsp melted butter
10–15 g cheddar
(Mix all together in a bowl)
🔪 INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cook your pasta
Boil macaroni in salted water
Cook it 1 minute less than the package says
Drain and set aside
Tip: slightly undercooked pasta stays perfect in the oven.
2. Make the roux
Melt 25 g butter in a pot
Add 25 g flour, whisk for 1 minute
Don’t let it brown — you just want it cooked
3. Build the cheese sauce
Add the 200 ml cream in 2–3 additions
Whisk until smooth and thick
Add all the seasonings
Lower heat
Stir in the 150 g cheese mix
Heat gently until melted and glossy
If the sauce is too thick → add a splash of water or milk.
If too thin → simmer 1 more minute.
4. Combine
Add the cooked macaroni to the sauce
Stir well
Taste (important!) — adjust salt/pepper
5. Bake
Pour into a greased baking dish
Add your cheddar‑panko topping
Bake at 200°C (392°F) for 20–25 minutes
The top should be golden, crunchy, and bubbling
6. Rest
Let it sit 5 minutes out of the oven before serving.
It sets beautifully and becomes extra creamy.
Looks great!
Americans do not regularly eat whole pots of Mac and cheese. It’s a side dish, not a meal. But a recipe like this is not even what would be standard for a normal meal. This is an over the top recipe that would be saved for holidays like Christmas.