Something I love about mac n cheese is how similar it is to pizza, you can make it however you want with whatever you want! It’s also just a great default comfort meal since you’ll usually have all the ingredients you need in your house on a day-to-day basis. I’ve done different variations over the years, had recipe issues to iron out, and… But I think I’ve come close to mastering a simple, easy, and iconic recipe. This recipe includes the option of broccoli, I do this cause I go off the diet “have what you want add what you need” so it’s just an easy way to include a vegetable. If you’ve ever had broccoli cheddar soup, it’s essentially the same thing.

So if you don’t know, mac n cheese has quite a silly story to it. Many date the recipe origins to Thomas Jefferson and, who was enslaved at the time, James Hemmings. Hemmings was the first American to be taught the arts of culinary in France back in 1784. Who would then soon bring the recipe back to America. Now I read that Jefferson wanted to bring this dish back to America for the Southern Elite but I can’t find any other source stating that. But the history of mac n cheese actually goes back further than that, possibly to the Roman ages (around 160 BCE). Now obviously it wasn’t the recipe we know today but this source focused on the idea of the “pasta and cheese” combination.

Cut to today, the recipe is a very basic but intricate meal where you can put whatever cheeses with whatever preferred toppings. And of course the debate of pre-shredded vs. self shredded cheese (along with the past issue of metal being found in pre-shredded cheese) I’ve found myself on the self shredded side, a new phobia of buying pre-shredded. But honestly once you’ve had freshly grated, you can’t really go back.

Steps

1. Fill saucepan with water and follow respected instructions on pasta box.
   • When boiling water, I was always taught to salt the water like the ocean! Then, don’t forget to save 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining!
2. If using broccoli (frozen or fresh), this is where I usually prepare them as well. I kind of like the brocoli to be hidden so I cut it into quarters and then steam them for 4 minutes Whole broccoli cooks pull out the cheddar cheese to allow to reach around a room temperature. If not using pre shredded cheese, this is where you can shred the cheese as well.
   • I found that by allowing cheese to reach closer to a room temperature (not exact) it doesn’t shock the roux and keeps the creamy texture. Usually let it sit out for 10-15 minutes.
   • Don’t let the broccoli steam too long! It will have to cook a bit more later so you don’t want a mushy texture.
3. In another saucepan, melt 1 TBS of butter over a low-medium heat. Once fully melted, sprinkle in 1 TBS of flour and slowly whisk for one minute to fully combine. If lots of bubbling occurs lower heat.
   • Roux’s are very finicky and can be a pain without the right measurements and patience. So it’s always important to keep an eye on it and continuing whisking to keep a creamery texture.
   • Also make sure to be using a silicone whisk, you don’t want to scratching the bottom of your saucepan with a metal one!
4. After butter and flour are fully combined, slowly whisk in 1 cup of milk allowing the milk to thicken and combine with butter mixture. Don’t pour in milk all at once, I’ve noticed that as I add little by little I get that iconic thick gooey mac n cheese texture. Patience is major in this recipe!
5. Once all of the milk and butter mixture are fully combined, you can measure with your heart the different seasonings in the ingredient list. For the basic seasonings (salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder), I make sure to get a good layer across the top and then taste as I go.
6. After whisking to ensure seasonings are fully combined with mixture, sprinkle in pinches of cheddar cheese. Whisk and wait until cheese is completely melted before adding more. Again, adding cheese slowly to not overwhelm the roux and keep in eye on texture.
7. Once you have the texture you want, add pasta back (and, if you’re including, broccoli) mix well. I always cover, take off heat, and let it sit for a bit just to warm the pasta and broccoli up.
8. Serve!

I’ll have more mac n cheese recipes down the line since I always love to make different variations. But if you need a comfort meal with some good veggie, this one is always my go-to!

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