Sumptuous Oven-Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Oven-baked macaroni and cheese stands as a quintessential comfort dish, adored universally and available in countless renditions. Given the abundance of mac and cheese recipes, I hesitated to share mine, knowing many have their cherished method of crafting this delight.

There’s no definitive “correct” or “incorrect” approach, so I’m sharing my family’s preferred method for creating our cherished mac and cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. dried elbow macaroni pasta
• ½ cup salted butter
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk, at room temperature (I use 2%, but whole milk works equally well)
• 2 cups half-and-half, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 12 ounces cubed Velveeta cheese, at room temperature
• 3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided (at room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg

Instructions for Crafting Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
2. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the package suggests for al dente (approximately 8 minutes). Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
3. As the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large Dutch oven (about 6-7 quarts) over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking continuously, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and half-and-half. Bring to a boil over medium heat, continuing to whisk constantly. Remove from heat.
4. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce. Gradually add all of the Velveeta cheese and half of the cheddar cheese (1 ½ cups). Stir until the cheese is completely melted and smooth. Incorporate the salt, dry mustard, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked, drained pasta and stir to coat thoroughly.
5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups of grated cheddar on top. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted on top and the sauce is bubbly.
6. For a crisper, browner top, place the dish under the broiler for 2-5 minutes.