Cheddar-Colby Macaroni and Cheese
Updated Nov. 13, 2023
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2½cups whole milk
- ½medium onion, minced
- 1bay leaf
- ¼teaspoon sweet paprika
- ⅛teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Freshly ground white pepper to taste
- 1¼cups Colby cheese, grated
- 1cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½pound elbow macaroni, cooked until soft and drained
- 1tablespoon salted butter
- ½cup toasted bread crumbs
For the Macaroni
For the Topping
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
503 calories; 26 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 508 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 1½ quart casserole dish.
- Step 2
To make the macaroni, melt the unsalted butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk. Stir in the minced onion, bay leaf, paprika, and the cayenne and white peppers. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is thick and smooth. Take out the bay leaf.
- Step 3
Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in ⅔ of both cheeses. Taste and season with salt and black pepper if necessary. Stir the cooked macaroni into the milk mixture and pour into the casserole. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Step 4
To make the topping, melt the salted butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and toss to coat. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni. Bake until the topping is lightly browned and the whole thing is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Private Notes
Comments
I first fried, cut-up and added streaky bacon to the cheese sauce, mixed in some oil from the fried bacon and tossed in then tossed in the macaroni. Cooking the bacon beforehand and adding some of the fat took this sauce to the next level.
Nice and simple. I used a single 12 oz bar of good cheddar. I reduced the onion amount. Also used a fun kids pasta: brown rice in lots of shapes - rabbits, wheels, boats, etc.
This was creamy and delicious! I used Havarti in place of Colby because I had a chunk to use up. Will try with Colby next time. It did take a longer than 15 minutes until the milk mixture got to "thick and smooth" for me, but worth the extra 5 - 7 minutes.
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