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Million-Dollar Mac & Cheese
By Taylor Ann Spencer
Approved by the Delish Test Kitchen
Approved by the Delish Test Kitchen
Yields:
8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
1 hr
What do you get when you take mac & cheese on a shopping spree to the fanciest cheese shop you know and shower it with gold leaf? Million-dollar mac. Showcasing a trifecta of bougie (and delicious) cheeses and a crispy crunchy panko topping, this irresistible comfort food in a casserole will take center stage on any table it hits.
The cheeses:
Most of the great mac & cheeses I’ve ever eaten contain three distinct cheeses: a base melting cheese, a tangy cheese with some character, and sharper accent cheese. For this million-dollar mac, I chose Pecorino Romano as my accent, but went slightly rogue with the other two and paired fontina and French raclette, which both melt well and have quite a bit of funk. French raclette is particularly great for a mac & cheese sauce since it becomes almost fondue-like when melted, giving you cheese pulls beyond your wildest dreams.
The combination of these three cheeses is worth that million-dollar label, so even if you don’t typically buy these cheeses, I urge you to seek them out for this mac. That said, if you absolutely can’t find them, you could try combining comté and Camembert or Gruyère and brie with the Pecorino to give you a similar result.
The crispy topping:
With a dish as rich and creamy as this mac & cheese, a crispy crunchy topping is key. Pre-toasting the panko in butter on the stove ensures a truly golden brown-delicious topping, without the nail-biting broiler-watching session. Using a higher butter-fat European-style butter here (as well as in the sauce) brings additional richness, ensuring this million-dollar mac is as decadent as it should be. In testing, I found that the bread crumbs on top of the mac didn’t brown much more when they were on top of the mac in the oven, but if you’re concerned about them getting too dark, you can always lightly tent the pan with foil.
The gold leaf topping is a fun way to cue the whole “million-dollar” thing, but it’s totally not necessary. Use it if you want, but don’t feel obligated!
Storage:
Any leftover mac & cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, covered, in 30-second bursts until warmed through or, if you have enough, in the oven in a covered ceramic dish.
Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!
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Ingredients
Cooking spray
Kosher salt
- 1 lb.
cavatappi
- 12 Tbsp.
unsalted butter (preferably at least 82% butterfat), divided
- 1/2 cup
(60 g.) all-purpose flour
- 4 cups
whole milk
- 1
(12-oz.) can evaporated milk
- 1 tsp.
Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 oz.
fontina, shredded
- 8 oz.
French Raclette, shredded
- 3 oz.
Pecorino Romano, finely shredded
- 1 cup
panko bread crumbs
Gold leaf, for serving (optional)
Directions
- Step 1Arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°. Grease a 13" x 9" baking dish with cooking spray.
- Step 2In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta, stirring occasionally and checking 2 minutes before recommended time on package directions, until just al dente. Drain.
- Step 3Meanwhile, in another large pot over medium heat, melt 8 Tbsp. butter. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until paste is bubbling across bottom of pot and just a shade darker in color, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Step 4Whisk in whole milk and evaporated milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in mustard; season with pepper.
- Step 5Remove pot from heat and add fontina, French Raclette, and Pecorino Romano. Using a rubber spatula, fold in cheese until melted and sauce is smooth. (Return pot to low heat if necessary to finish melting.) Season with salt, if needed. Fold in pasta.
- Step 6In a wide skillet over medium-low heat, melt remaining 4 Tbsp. butter. Add panko; season with 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until bread crumbs are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 7Pour pasta mixture into prepared dish. Top with crispy panko.
- Step 8Bake mac & cheese, uncovered, until warmed through and crispy on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Top with gold leaf (if using).
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