Mac and Cheese — Macaroni in Cheese Sauce, Creamy from the Pan
Yvonne Ammann VegetarianMake a béchamel from butter, flour and milk, take it off the heat, stir in grated Gruyère and cheddar until smooth. Fold in cooked macaroni — done, or bake 10 minutes. Never add cheese to a boiling sauce, or it goes grainy and oily.
Mac and cheese is macaroni in cheese sauce, and Switzerland has known that for generations — just without the name. The American version has a real sauce rather than grated cheese on top, and that is what makes it so creamy. It works in 25 minutes in one pan if you observe one thing: the cheese goes into the sauce only once it has stopped boiling.
Ingredients
- 400 g Macaroni
- 50 g Butter
- 50 g Flour
- 7 dl Milk
- 200 g Gruyère (grated)
- 150 g Cheddar (grated)
- 1 tsp Mustard
- 1 tsp Salt
- Pepper
- Nutmeg
- 3 tbsp Breadcrumbs (optional)
Method
- 1
Cook the macaroni
Cook the macaroni in plenty of salted water 2 minutes less than the pack says — they finish in the sauce. Drain.
- 2
Béchamel
Melt the butter in a large pan, stir in the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk gradually, bring to the boil and simmer 3 minutes until thick. Add the mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- 3
Add the cheese
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the cheese in three batches, letting each melt until the sauce is smooth and glossy. A splash of milk if needed.
- 4
Combine
Add the macaroni to the sauce and stir over low heat for 2 minutes until coated and hot. The sauce should be looser than you think — it thickens as it stands.
- 5
Serve or bake
Serve straight from the pan. Or transfer to a gratin dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and a little cheese and bake under the grill for 10 minutes until the top is crisp.
Tips
- Grate the cheese yourself. Pre-grated is dusted with starch and makes the sauce grainy. Cheddar is in the cheese aisle at Coop and Migros — it brings the orange colour and the typical flavour.
- Vegetables in, no argument: 200 g peas or broccoli florets cooked with the macaroni for the last 3 minutes. Diced bacon or ham for the hearty eaters.
- Leftovers set firm. Reheat with a splash of milk over low heat, stirring — or fry in slices in a pan until crisp.
What can I substitute?
The Swiss version. Appenzeller is stronger, raclette creamier. The colour is paler, the flavour better.
Anything with ridges or holes that holds sauce. Spaghetti does not work.
Richer, for Sunday. Or the other way round, 5 dl milk plus 2 dl stock for the lighter version.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from the ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my cheese sauce turn grainy?
The cheese got too hot. Above 70 °C the fat separates from the protein and the sauce turns grainy and oily. Pan off the heat, stir in the cheese in batches, never boil again. Pre-grated cheese makes it worse.
What is the difference from Swiss Chäshörnli?
Chäshörnli are layered with grated cheese and served with fried onions — the cheese melts between the pasta. Mac and cheese has a béchamel cheese sauce that coats everything. Both good; mac and cheese is creamier, Chäshörnli stronger.
Can I make mac and cheese ahead?
Yes, in the gratin dish. Unbaked it keeps a day in the fridge; then bake at 180 °C for 25 minutes. Make the sauce a little looser, because the macaroni absorb liquid as they stand.
What goes with mac and cheese?
Something fresh and sharp: green salad with a vinegar dressing, tomato salad, cucumber salad. In Switzerland also apple sauce, as with Chäshörnli.
How you collect recipes
Paste a link
Copy the address of any recipe page — including this one. Ingredients, amounts and steps are recognised automatically.
Photograph a cookbook
Take a photo of a page from your cookbook. Even handwritten recipes from your grandmother get read.
Pull from Cookidoo
Got a Thermomix? Your Cookidoo recipes come into your collection with one click.
