Rating: 4.5 stars
35 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 19
  • 4 star values: 8
  • 3 star values: 7
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 0

There's something about the way plain old macaroni cooks to a soft, silky texture that enhances the creaminess of this dish. Each hollow noodle gets coated inside and out with luscious sauce. Although we rarely use processed cheese, here it's the key to a supercreamy texure that does not rely on heavy cream. We tested lots of mac and cheese recipes, and none was as velvety as this one. It has half the fat and calories of traditional versions with no loss of richness.

Recipe by Cooking Light November 2012

Gallery

Credit: Levi Brown; Styling: Tiziana Agnello

Recipe Summary

Yield:
8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
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Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

Directions

Instructions Checklist
  • Preheat oven to 375°.

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  • Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a large saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick (about 8 minutes), stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155°. Add cheeses, and stir until the cheeses melt. Stir in cooked macaroni, salt, and black pepper.

  • Spoon mixture into a 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine crushed toasts, oil, and garlic in small bowl; stir until well blended. Sprinkle over macaroni mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Chef's Notes

This recipe originally ran in Cooking Light September, 1996 and was updated for the November, 2012 25th anniversary issue.

MyRecipes is working with Let's Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.

Nutrition Facts

347 calories; fat 11.5g; saturated fat 5.9g; mono fat 3.4g; poly fat 1.4g; protein 17.4g; carbohydrates 43.8g; fiber 1.9g; cholesterol 29mg; iron 1.7mg; sodium 607mg; calcium 346mg.
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