No Roux Mac and Cheese
Skip the roux, not the richness! This no roux mac and cheese uses a simple egg custard and shredded cheeses for an ultra-creamy, deeply flavorful pasta bake with a perfect golden crust.TIP: To prevent a dense mac and cheese bake, don’t push down on the pasta when assembling the mac and cheese layers in the baking dish. Oven temps may vary, so keep an eye on it.
Ingredients
- 1 pound macaroni, elbow or penne
- 2 8 ounce blocks Sharp Cheddar Cheese, (4 cups grated)
- 4 oz Gruyère cheese, grated (1 cup)
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1 qt whole milk, 4 cups
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp ground mustard
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 8 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (divided)
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, minus 1 minute for al dente texture.
- Shred the cheeses in a large bowl and mix with your fingers to gently combine. Set it aside.
- Pour the milk into a bowl and whisk in the eggs until combined. Season the egg custard with mustard powder, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Spread 1/3 of the cooked pasta in the prepared dish.
- Sprinkle 1/3 of the grated cheese mixture over the pasta and dot with 1 Tbsp of butter.
- Repeat the process 2 more times, ending with pasta, cheese and butter.
- Pour the egg custard mixture over.
- Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
- Place the assembled mac and cheese in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or more, depending on how crunchy and brown you want the top to be. TIP: Be watching in the oven. Every oven is different!
- Serve immediately and enjoy the gooey, hot, and cheesy goodness!
Notes
Tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Store leftover no roux mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm it in a large skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of milk or water to loosen the pasta.
- Freezing: Once completely cooled, store leftover no flour mac and cheese in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat individual servings in the microwave or larger portions in the oven or on the stovetop.
- Al dente pasta: Only cook the macaroni pasta until al dente. Since it will continue to soften and cook in the oven, subtract about 1-2 minutes from the package’s suggested cook time to avoid mushiness.
- Oven temps may vary. Also, the better quality cheese you use, the better it will cook and come together.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 512kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 102mg, Sodium: 904mg, Potassium: 386mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 953IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 651mg, Iron: 1mg