The many faces of macaroni and cheese can either be simple or complex, regardless, no one has this range and impact. An icon, if you ask me.
Macaroni and Cheese may just be the most versatile yet basic dish there is, and honestly, that’s a ‘good for her’ moment. Nothing can be as iconic as this cheesy dish. It can be had as a meal itself or a side to a heftier meal. Either way, the depth and the range this dish can do prove to be impactful to the universal culinary world. Don’t believe me? Below, I rounded up plenty of ways you can make macaroni and cheese (yes, that includes boxed mac and cheese. We don’t discriminate here).
The Basic
Before we spread our wings and explore the most innovative and adventurous ways to make mac and cheese, let’s start with the basics first. A basic mac and cheese is a stovetop mac and cheese. This Adult Mac and Cheese recipe from Bon Apetit starts by emulsifying milk and butter as the base of the sauce. In some recipes, however, it uses bechamel sauce as the base. This recipe from All Recipes is a good start. If you’re wondering which cheese is the best cheese to use, personally, I like a mix of sharp cheddar for flavour and gruyere for that gooey, melty texture. The addition of breadcrumbs is also essential to create a well-balanced texture for mac and cheese.
Photo Credit: Cafe Delites
Now, For The Wide Variety of Mac and Cheese
Now that you’ve nailed the basics, it’s time to meet the many faces of mac and cheese. The great thing about this dish is it can be made easily on a stovetop or have it baked in a skillet or sheet pan. One-pot dish or not, it will always be great no matter what. The level of difficulty is on the floor– it’s that good.
The great thing about it too is that you can pretty much make different kinds of mac and cheese. Want to add some veggies? Add peas or broccoli. Want to add extra proteins? Dice up some chicken or add ground meat. Ooh! Bacon sounds good too! Too creamy? Add spices! There’s paprika, black pepper, and cayenne for you. If you want to make it spicy, tabasco is your friend! Go crazy! Again, the level of difficulty is on the floor. It’s up to you how you want to level it up.
For inspirations, here are some note-worthy recipes from the net:
- Sheet Pan Mac and Cheese by Damn Delicious
- Meat Lover’s Mac and Cheese by This Is Not Diet Food
- Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese by Cafe Delites
- Cajun Mac and Cheese by Southern Living
Boxed Mac and Cheese But Better
There’s no shame in the boxed mac and cheese game! Grab a box of KD or–my personal favourite–Cheetos Mac and Cheese (yes, it exists!) and make it 10x better by adding extra flavourings like garlic, parsley, or dijon mustard. Don’t be shy and add extra cheese in there too! Remember how I said breadcrumbs are crucial to the texture of mac and cheese? You can do that here too by using salted crackers. Seriously, go crazy.
If you need guidance, this recipe from Slice of Jess can help you.
Published by HOLR Magazine.