This easy-to-make old-school macaroni and cheese has a perfectly crispy crust.
I made this for the boys before I went to work last night. I did not try this myself but based on the message I got at my break--they absolutely loved it. To be honest, there were no leftovers for me! They thought the crust was the best part. Note to self: double the crust ingredients next time.
Read MoreTried this recipe because I was starting to think my tried and true mac&cheese was a little bland. I was skeptical of the thyme so only filled the 1/4 tsp about 2/3 full. Followed everything else to a T. The thyme flavor was so overpowering, the dish was inedible.
Read MoreI made this for the boys before I went to work last night. I did not try this myself but based on the message I got at my break--they absolutely loved it. To be honest, there were no leftovers for me! They thought the crust was the best part. Note to self: double the crust ingredients next time.
Oh boy! I finally found the best macaroni and cheese I have ever had. I followed the recipe exactly, except I used only 12 oz. of macaroni, to make it more cheesy. It was a perfect ratio. I used 2% milk, and it worked great - creamy and satisfying. I don't know which I liked better, the crust or the filling, they were both delicious. You have to try this recipe! Thanks, Chef John!
Lordy, all anyone wanted was the crust. New rule, take what's UNDER the crust, too. This was the closest to my mom's, and all kidding aside, a terrific success.
My family really loved this dish. The only changes I made was 1/8 cayenne (because of kid), made only 12 oz. of macaroni and used black pepper. I didn't have panko crumbs so I made my own crumbs with leftover bread. To be honest, I can live without the topping so I'll leave it out next time. This will be my go-to mac and cheese recipe for now! UPDATE: This time I left out the thyme and worcestershire. I added 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder to the roux. I used 10 oz. of macaroni. I didn't add the breadcrumb topping. I covered the dish with foil and baked it at 375° for 30 minutes, then uncovered and baked for 15 minutes more. Nice and creamy and so delicious. But I'll have to leave out the cayenne next time due to picky kid (although I love the kick of the cayenne). How anyone can say this macaroni and cheese is bland is beyond me. Perhaps you used cheap cheese which tends to be oily and doesn't have the best flavor and texture. And BTW, if your dish turns out grainy, you probably didn't take the bechemel off the burner and SLOWLY (1/4 cup at a time) add cheese to it while mixing gently. Dumping all the cheese at once to simmering bechemel that is still on the burner will result in a grainy texture.
Very good. I am thinking that the people who commented that they were overpowered by the taste of thyme must have used ground thyme instead of dried thyme leaves. 1/4 tsp. of dried thyme leaves is not enough to overpower anything.
The best mac and cheese I have made in a long time. My family all stated the same. I followed the recipe with the exception of a couple of changes. After reading the reviews, I cut the pasta by a couple of oz and that worked out perfectly. I used fresh thyme, backed the ceyenne down to 1/8 teaspoon (my dad can't have spicey), and was out of dijon so I used about a 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard. We loved that it was baked but still creamy! Definitely reminds everyone of grandma's mac and cheese. I will use this recipe from this point. Thanks for sharing!
EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT! I don't review much recipes, and this is one worth to review! Please read! :) I wanted to use the 16 oz. of elbow macaroni, but also wanted it cheesy as well. So I "almost" doubled the wet ingredients (for the sauce). I found this to be a PERFECT RATIO for the 16 oz. macaroni. I used 3/4 cup butter, about 3/4 cup flour , 5 cups cheese total (I use half sharp cheddar grated myself and half regular cheddar) (reserving 1.5 cups of cheese for the top) and 5 cups of milk. I adjust the seasonings as accordingly as well! **I never add the nutmeg. I'm a bit scared putting nutmeg in this dish, even if it's just a pinch! LOL **Instead of the dijon mustard I use the mustard powder, and only use half the amount it states (only because I don't know how much of a mustard flavor it will pick up) **I up the panko bread crumbs to 1 cup, and the melted butter to 2 TBs. The crust from that is amazing. **I'm not a big fan of too much thyme, so I used italian seasonings instead. ** The cayenne pepper is great in this, but I usually half it if kids are eating it in case they're fussy. I have also sprinkled on crushed red pepper flakes instead. **I do not use ALL sharp cheddar cheese. I use half sharp (freshly grated myself), and half regular cheddar!!! **DO add the worsherchire sauce! This is soooooo good! I will never want to try another type of mac n' cheese recipe ever. Thank you for reading! :) ** I included a photo and it's photo #2.
Tweaker alert. I used the basic recipe but changed the seasonings due to my "NON-Gourmet" children who will never eat Thyme flavored anything. The sauce recipe works fantastic & I was quite proud of myself for pulling this off. You should not leave the stove during the sauce whisking portion. The reviews talked a lot about sauce vs. pasta amounts. My men like sauce. I used a 16 oz large elbow macaroni package. I "sort of" doubled the sauce. It was perfect. I am writing this up because I use other people's suggestions all the time. Hope this helps someone! I used: 1/2 c. butter, 1/2 cup flour, 1 T. Chili Powder (think chili), 1/4 + teaspoon of Red Chili Flakes, 5 cups of 2% milk, 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce, 3 tsp. Kosher Salt, 5 good handfuls of already grated Cheddar/Jack Mix (Costco), 1 good squirt of Dijon. Followed the sequence of directions, but changed the seasoning & amounts. For the crust - I discovered I DID NOT have the Panko Break Crumbs I thought I had. I used 2 T. Butter with 1/2 cup Italian Bread Crumbs + 1/4 c. Crunchy Onions (think green bean casserole), mixed well, sprinkled on top & baked in a 10 X 15 - greased. Wonderful - my men ate 1/2 of the tray last night & I am sure the rest will be gone today! Thanks Chef John for the basic recipe! Update: I still do what I wrote in my original "tweak" of this recipe, but if this is for an adult buffet, I have added jarred Jalapeno slices at the very last stage of putting it in the pan. It gets rave reviews!
I have tried this recipe and it was good. For those who thought it was a little dry, I have found over the years that mixing hot pasta with hot sauce only ends up with a very dry pasta after baking in the oven. So to fix this I always cool my pasta on the counter before I add it to any sauce. It stops the pasta from absorbing too much of the sauce and ending up dry. You can always make additional sauce, but that means extra calories. So I just cool the pasta while I am making the cheese sauce. I made a very small dish with the thyme but did not put it in the main recipe. Glad I did, the addition of thyme was terrible in my opinion.
Tried this recipe because I was starting to think my tried and true mac&cheese was a little bland. I was skeptical of the thyme so only filled the 1/4 tsp about 2/3 full. Followed everything else to a T. The thyme flavor was so overpowering, the dish was inedible.
Delicious! Very easy and kid-friendly. Use a little less pasta if you like your mac and cheese very saucy -- this wasn't overly saucy, but had great flavor. It's easy to make changes according to your likes.
I've tried a few mac and cheese recipes on this site and this is by far my favorite. It was easy to make. I read the reviews first, and learned that if I want a creamier mac and cheese to reduce the noodles, so I used 12oz instead of 16oz, which I think worked out perfectly. That's the only change I made. It had a nice combo of flavors, none being overpowering. I was slightly nervous that the cayenne pepper would be a little too spicy for my mom who hates anything spicy, but I didn't tell her that any pepper was in there and she didn't complain. :)
My family and I loved this! However, I tasted while cooking and intensified the seasonings, probably close to doubling the thyme, cayenne pepper and nutmeg. Also, for those who might not have the suggested cheese on-hand (like me), I used half gruyere and half colby jack and it worked out fine. I didn't like it when cooks rated a recipe high and then changed it, but it seems everyone does it and the "here's what I dids" are helpful.
I love this dish. I love this dish so much that when I make it, I force myself to cut the recipe down so that I don't end up eating a pound of mac & cheese in two days. The first time I made it, I followed the measurements exact and while amazing, I thought it could be improved. The second time, I doubled the spices and added some parsley, basil, and oregano and IT ROCKED! Like other reviewers suggest, I double the breadcrumbs for the topping. If I ever meet Chef John, I'm going to do a back flip just to show my appreciation for this recipe.
The texture of the crust was amazing and the mac and cheese was creamy just how I like it. I think using only sharp cheddar made it a little too sharp for me. Next time I might substitute a cup or so of mild cheddar. But will definitely make again. Thanks for the great recipe!
I've been looking for a good mac and cheese recipe for a long time, and watched the accompanying video. I followed his advice and used 1 cup smoked gouda cheese to replace 1 cup of the shredded cheddar. I also added 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese. Wow! It is wonderful! My family ate it up. I have a new favorite! I also only used 12 oz. of macaroni, to make the finished product a little looser. Watch the video!! It has some great tips in it.
Run, don't walk, to your local grocery and find the "cheese remnants" bin, purchase several that sound interesting....gruyere is a good one with white cheddar. Then go home and go to foodwishes.com and watch the tutorial by Chef John on this recipe. He makes it so easy! This is an excellent recipe-our whole family of 5 loves it!
This was very good and the topping really added a punch to it. However, next time, I think I will omit the thyme. Even though it was only 1/4 tsp, I could still taste it and I don't think this dish needed it. I prefer thyme in my poultry dishes, not my mac-n-cheese.
I tried this recipe on my daughter son-in-law and granddaughter. it was a HUGE success. My granddaughter is 10 years old, had 3 helpings. Needless to say, there were no left-overs. thanks.
YUM!!! I made this 3x in 2 days. The first time I left the thyme out on purpose, due to other reviews. But then I accidentally left the nutmeg out. It was still fantastic! The next day I made it for my boyfriend and his two teenage sons. They like spicy so I increased the cayenne pepper, but then accidentally left out the Dijon. It was still awesome! But I wanted them to have it with the Dijon so I made it again. I just got the confirmation - they love it!! This recipe is very forgiving. I've tried many others and nobody liked any of them. Until now. This is the best! (I will add that I made it two days ago but didn't bake it. They put it in fridge and then baked it tonight. So it does do well with premaking).
This was really great, I doubled the recipe since it said it only served 6. I brought this to a wing-night party and everybody loved it. The nutmeg gives it an interesting flavor from left field that's really quite satisfying. I also doubled the topping and used about 125% of the cheese required. Excellent! BTW - doubling the recipe (2x boxes of elbows) yielded 2 very full 9x11's.
I am sorry but this was not good at all. Followed the recipe exactly, it came out too dry and too bland. Will not try this Mac and Cheese again.
This was so blah. I'm not sure if I did something wrong because of all the high reviews. I won't be making again.
This was wonderful! Quick and easy, I added brocoli and doubled the Panko-delicous thank you!
Really good. Next time I will make more sauce. It was a little dry for us. I also used more thyme.
4.5 stars. I did everything to the tee except I used pipettes instead of elbow macaroni. I found the flavor all there and there was a nice kick, but I wish it were a little creamier. I'm going to redo this recipe with less pasta next time. This is the best mac n cheese recipe I've found so far --it actually has minutes listed on cooking the roux; I'm surprised recipes don't typically have that. I mean, mac n cheese *only* depends on 2 things-- good roux and excellent cheese. I used freshly grated, New York extra sharp cheddar and it was superb. Thanks, Chef John!!
I did not like this recipe at all.. the dried thyme put everything off... good basic white sauce .. but not at all like I thought it would turn out like. Big waste of cheese.. :(
Thanks i also love a crispy crust on top. My husband and Son will only eat the boxed stuff and i won't touch it. So thanks for recipe, i did leave out Worcestershire because i didn't have any
We didn't like the taste of this very much. I used the whole lb. of macaroni and mild cheddar but stuck to recipe...don't know what is was specifically but won't make again. The crust was tasty but didn't like the filling.
This was disappointing. I followed the recipe exactly, but it was really spicy hot and the dried thyme didn't seem to go with the cheese or the spicy hot. There should be a WARNING. I'm new to cooking and I thought the ingredients would all blend and add a subtle flavor. Live and learn. I will fear thyme and cayanne pepper from now on. Going back to the simple Velveeta recipe.
I made this as a covered dish I took to visit friends from out-of-town who were visiting a campground near my home. I had ingredients to make my "own" version but wanted to make something a little more impressive, and this sure did the trick! I don't like spicy stuff so I eliminated the cayenne pepper and had to make my own breadcrumbs (baked 3 big slices of italian bread in the oven then crumbled them up in a Ziploc baggie) for the crumbly top. The thyme and pinch of nutmeg as well as the Dijon mustard was so subtle but really made the dish a gourmet version of what I usually make. Also used small shells since I was out of elbow mac and didn't have time to go to the store; still came out GREAT! Thanks, John. This is my new go-to Mac-n-Cheese recipe from now on. Bravo!
Wow! Absolutely wonderful. Very time intensive for a mac and cheese recipe but the results were great. MUCH better straight out of the oven than the next day though (although that is true with all mac and cheese I think). I could have skipped the bread crumbs and still liked it.
Made this for a barbecue and got rave reviews on it. It was relatively easy for a more intense mac and cheese. Used fresh thyme from my garden. (Update: I made this a second time with fat free milk. Tasted just as delicious.)
Didn’t have any bread crumbs on hand, but followed the rest of the recipe exactly. Texture was grainy and there was hardly any cheese flavor. The thyme and mustered were so over powering we just dumped it out. I will not be making this one again.
Very good, used 14 ounces of macaroni, omitted the thyme, and half the cayenne pepper. Next time I will use only 12 oz. of macaroni. I like creamier mac & cheese
I think this serves as a good base recipe, but I made several adjustments. Firstly I only used 12 oz of pasta. I omitted the cayenne, white pepper and nutmeg. The seasonings I used were a pinch of thyme, 1 T of chili powder, 1 T of garlic powder, dash of oregeno, 1 1/2 t of salt, a pinch of black pepper, and 1 t of red pepper flakes. I also used 4 c of milk, 1/2 c butter, and 4 c of cheese. With the breadcrumbs at the end, I used 1 c of breadcrumbs and 3 T of butter. I also added 2 pieces of crumbled bacon to the mix at the end before baking. The finished product came out well, but I think if I had not added the extra milk, cheese, and butter it would have been very dry. I may even add a little more next time. Hope this helps!
In the video, he put the panko on top of the cheese at the end, in the written version, it says to put remaining cheese on top of panko, I'm going with video version.
I dare say this is on par, if not better, than my mother's recipe that I have been using for decades. My husband tried to say mine was just as good, but I think he's being polite. Definitely worth making. (Oh, I cooked less macaroni as others have noted).
Incredibly bland. I know it like a good kick in the mouth, so I try to take that into account. But this was awful.
Great recipe. Its important to watch.the video in addition to reading the recipe since the chef gives you modification options. For example I made 50% more sauce and follows the video where we layer the panko after the cheese at the end and not as per the written recipe. Also I didn't have thyme so I used sage and I doubled the panko as I wanted it extra crunchy. It was a big hit with my 5 year old!
Haven't made this yet, but thought I'd share the video link which Allrecipes was highlighting one day and that's how I found the recipe. I'm an experienced cook but did learn a few tidbits from watching. http://allrecipes.com/video/314/tjs-mac-cheese/detail.aspx Am rating 5 stars as I can tell I'll love it as it's similar to mine, but with the added crust.
This was delicious! Next time I will use less pasta and only cook it 6-7 minutes.
VERY good Mac-n-Cheese! Family loved it, great taste. Will be making again soon. Thanks Chef John!
We really enjoyed this. The little bit of heat from the pepper was a nice touch. I made a half recipe and followed the chef's advice to use less pasta (6 oz)since we wanted it a little creamier. I ended up with enough for 5 1C ramekins so as a side I'd say there'd be more like 10 servings as written. I used 1% milk and forgot to melt butter so I sprayed the panko with olive oil for the topping and that worked fine. fyi- with those changes I est. 1/2 the calories and 2/3 the fat listed per serving as a side. We baked them off on the grill over indirect heat while grilling steaks and broccoli.
So tasty! I swapped out 2 cups of cooked pasta with 2 cooks of cooked cauliflower. It turned out creamy, cheesy and less guilty. The crust is perfect! Excellent recipe. Will make again for sure!
VERY good Mac-n-Cheese! Family loved it, great taste. Will be making again soon. Thanks Chef John!
This was awful. If it weren't for that single pinch of nutmeg, I wouldn't be able to taste it at all (and maybe it's because it's still in my kitchen, and I can simply smell it). Even my pastaholic teenage daughter didn't like it. I only used 12oz of pasta because I wasn't paying attention at the size when I purchased it, and it was still dry. I had to peel the cheddar topping off because it was a solid, dried clump. I don't cook bad meals, and this was an embarrassment. At least I was able to say it wasn't my recipe.
We loved this mac and cheese! The only thing I changed was I grated a small shallot and added it in with the melting butter. Great side dish and we will make this one again!
Amazing! This is my first swing at Mac and cheese and I think I started in the right place. It was soooo yummy. Only thing I would change is a bit more cheese in the sauce instead if on top, and not as much bread crumb topping.
I made this as written, even going out and buying whole nutmeg. This turned out creamy and quite tasty, everyone liked it. Used just the sharp cheddar as Chef John suggested, but next time I might try out some different cheeses, just for fun. Thanks Chef for an another winner!
I just used a bit of Italian seasonings in place of thyme, no cayenne pepper b/c I didn't have any. Used a blend of cheeses. Used powdered mustard b/c I didn't have dijon. It was REALLY good. Note to self: Don't need the bread crumbs next time.
This mac and cheese was so good and so creamy!! A big hit - even my kids liked it and generally they don't eat my homemade mac - they prefer the powder and box variety! I did do more sauce as others recommended - so good!!
I just made this Macaroni and Cheese and it was awesome....I had the kids and hubby rate it and I got the thumbs up. This will be my new Mac and Cheese recipe. I used 4 cups of macaroni and it was perfect for the amount of sauce. I did not have thyme but used a pinch of lemon pepper. YUMMY!
I must have done something wrong because it had a grainy feel/taste. Think I'll stick to the box. :(
We are mac & cheese connoisseurs at our house, and this was very good but did not top our favorite. My husband instantly noted that 'although good, the usual is better.' I lessened the thyme because I'm not a huge fan of it without other herbs used together. Also lessened the amount of pasta as we like a creamier mac & chz. Either we mis-measured or the cayenne does give it a slight kick. I think the crust would have been better had we skipped the cheese on top, which baked up to a crispy waffle-cut type layer; DH and I would have preferred just the crumb topping.
Honestly, I do not get the high ratings for this Mac and Cheese. The only thing I changed was using about 12 oz macaroni noodles as other reviews suggested. The bottom line is that this dish was dry, bland and tasteless. I have tried some other recipes that are much creamier and tastier - definitely would not make this again.
This is so good! I haven't made this in a very long time and it came out perfect. I didn't have any thyme, but that's the only change I made. Perfection! My neighbor said it was the best she's ever had and that I should open a restaurant.
I just made this for dinner. It was delicious. The only change I made was to use Italian flavour bread crumbs since that was all I had. My husband who has NEVER liked home made mac and cheese LOVED this. Thanks Chef John for this wonderful recipe.
This is about the best macaroni and cheese recipe I have ever tried! I, along with Chef John, prefer my macaroni and cheese a little less creamy, so this recipe was perfect! My family must have agreed because there was nothing left! I love the cayenne pepper..a little spice is always nice! It does have a kick, so if you don't like spicy, I recommend leaving it out. Otherwise, I will make this again and again exactly as is!
My teenage son decided to make homemade macaroni and cheese, googled it and found this recipe. I typically don't eat mac however, since my son made it, I had to give it a try. It is absolutely delicious, I had a hard time walking away from it. He followed the recipe to a t, it does not need any tweeking!! Thanks for putting this online for all to enjoy!
I wish I could give this 10 stars. It's perfect. Chef John, every one of your recipes has been a hit. Thank you so much!
Mac and Cheese is my ultimate fave comfort food, and this recipe hit the spot! The panko breadcrumbs are a secret I'm glad I learned. Thanks, Chef John! My only variance from the recipe was using a touch of ground mustard in place of Dijon, as I had none on hand. I added approx. 1/2 tsp. of the powdered mustard to the roux right before the addition of milk. This will be my go-to mac and cheese recipe from now on! The reviewer who found the thyme overpowering must have a hyper-sensitive palette, because I found the seasonings to be perfect.
This is a great recipe. I like my mac and cheese with a lot of sauce, so I make about 1/2 cup more than the recipe calls for. I also don't add the breadcrumbs because I didn't grow up eating it that way. This is a great dish to make for potlucks and parties. I sometimes double it for a big crowd, and everyone raves about it. It's hard to go wrong with this one.
Not tasty at all...followed to the tee...don't like that kick of spice and super bland...thyme over powers whole dish
Very Good, Doubled as I was feeding a crowd, added 8 oz smoked gouda, and used Kraft three cheddar shred combo (vermont, sharp, and white). Yummy
This was just okay to us. It seemed dry, and not very creamy or cheesy. Felt like I should have put a can of cheddar cheese condensed soup in it. We actually didn't even finish it, and several days later after no one ate any more of it, I threw it out. I was disappointed, as I expected it to be better since all of the other "Chef John" recipes we have tried have been awesome!! I only gave it two stars because I will not be making this again, but it was still edible.
We had a TON of it left over at a pot luck. It just was not our cup of tea at all. I would not make this again, for sure.
One of our favorite dishes... Try adding bacon crumble on top of the panko and shredded cheese... adds a great smokey taste. My sister is a chef and when I made her a dish, she claimed its the best mac and cheese she's ever had. Thanks Chef John
Delicious! It's much smoother than what I did before. The white sauce is an excellent idea to melt the cheese in.
OH SO GOOD! i didnt add thyme because i didnt have any but i will next time. really really good! Also i used a 1lb pound bag of pasta and i thought it was pretty cheesy!
Made it as stated. It didn't taste cheesy at all. Tasted like noodles and white gravy.
It wasn't terrible, but it was really bland. I followed the recipe exactly. I did like the consistency and texture, and the crust, but next time it will get some healthy hits of garlic and onion powder, black pepper and cayenne. Since it may just be that my family likes very seasoned food, I am still giving this 5-stars, but if your family likes flavor, prepare to add a bunch!
This was rather blah. It was not creamy or cheesy at all. As a matter of fact it was pasty.
I will tell you this is the BEST mac and cheese i have ever had! my husband and kids are so picky with this kind of thing and they had a third helping. the only modification i made was decreasing the pasta by about 2 oz as someone suggested to have a creamier sauce-i will be making this one again for sure-i have allready given it to two people to try!
Chef John I give you 5 stars for this one. The only ingredient I changed was to american cheese (more kid friendly)and I left out the salt because there was enough in the cheese. My kids could not get enough of it and it reheats very good. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Updated review: I have used this recipe for several years now and its the most requested by my kids and their friends. So easy to make and just so darn good.
It was not very flavorful. I used mostly sharp cheddar and a little bit of mild cheddar, and also a little bit of Colby cheese. Also, I would suggest mixing the panko and the topping cheese, together. I put the suggested amount of cheese in it and almost all of it absorbed into the macaroni noodles. But, with a little bit of tweaking, this recipe, could be very good! Also, try seasoning the panko, this would help!
The BEST mac 'n cheese recipe out there - and I've tried many! As suggested by other reviewers, I substituted sage for the thyme, doubled the breadcrumbs, and added a cup of shredded gruyere. My husband and father-in-law both say this is the best mac 'n cheese they're ever had!
the topping was *spot* on! really very good, i just personally would like 2 large eggs mixed in before baking. very good.
this was my first go for making mac & cheese from scratch.. cut the recipe in half since it's just the two of us.. had to use a blend of soy milk and coconut milk in place of the regular (lactose intolerant).. omitted the thyme all together (got scared off bc of the reviews).. forgot the mustard.. DOH! .. i used a mild cheddar and really feel that the sharp is necessary.. sprinkled a blend of parm/romano/asiago and jack cheese for the topping in addition to the crumb topping.. would really like to try this again with a sharper cheddar and maybe a smidgen of thyme and definitely add the mustard to be able to adequately rate this recipe.. either way it still came out tasty.. ty for the recipe
Delicious - LOVED the bread crumb topping. For my own personal tastes, I think I will omit the thyme next time I make this. Thanks for the great recipe, Chef John!
Hooray for no processed cheese! I used mild and medium cheddar, but I did wish I had sharp on hand. I left out the nutmeg, since I don't like it in anything, except a dash in pumpkin pie. I used vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, cut down the cayenne a tad, used a little black pepper and Italian bread crumbs instead of panko (omitted the butter in that, just sprayed the top with oil). Next time I will use a little less salt and make more sauce. It does soak in when you bake it. I also think it would benefit from some sauteed onion. Love the additions of white pepper and thyme. I used a heaping 1/4 tsp of thyme and it was perfect! Yum!
I was running out of lunch food and looking for a mac 'n cheese recipe with ingredients I had on hand. This was excellent! I didn't have any Panko bread crumbs or even saltines to put on top so didn't even make the topping. I didn't have cheddar cheese so had to use a mixture of Colby and Swiss. I didn't have white pepper so used black pepper instead. It was still good! I am excited to try it next time with all the correct ingredients and I think the topping will make it even better!
I made the recipe exactly as described. It was ok, nothing special. Rather flat tasting. The cheese sauce did taste quite good on it's own but once it was mixed in with the macaroni and baked, the flavor got lost.
Just amazing however I did add a about 1 tablespoon of queso from Tostitos brand also same amount for parmesan and did about half regular milk and other half with cooking cream!! So good... like heaven lol
This was just awful! Had no flavor, very bland, like eating cardboard. I make a much better one, will stick to an old classic.
Creaminess was nice, but was somehow still weird in texture. It tasted more like unflavored, boxed mac & cheese! I omitted the topping and did some ritz crackers. I also omitted the thyme & Cayenne, but I'm pretty sure those 2 spices wouldn't have saved the dinner!
Finally found a Mac & cheese recipe that my hubby liked. He actually preferred that Blue box stuff till this! Highly recommend this.
I followed this recipe exactly, but I didn't care much for it. Nothing really stood out, and the mustard gave it a funky taste.
Let me start by saying I'm a HUGE fan of Chef John. This being said, I'm disappointed with this recipe. It tastes too strange; the kids won't touch it. My suggestion - leave out the thyme, worcestershire sauce mustard, and cayenne... then maybe you'll have something that the whole family will enjoy.
This macaroni and cheese was wonderful and cheesy and very easy to make. The whole family loved it!
