Mac & Cheese

Dietary Needs:

Recipe Author:

From our What’s for Lunch? Cookbook

Servings

4-6 bowls

Total Time to Make

30 minutes

Ingredients

For the sauce

2 cups (225 g) grated Cheddar cheese

¼ cup (60 ml) margarine

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups (500 ml) milk

2 Tbsp (30 ml) Parmesan cheese

½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt

½ tsp (2.5 ml) dry mustard, optional

1 cup (250 ml) mashed sweet potato or squash, optional

For the pasta

1 (340-454 g) pkg macaroni or other pasta, whole wheat if you like

- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) salt

Toppings of your choice: cooked lean ground beef, leftover chili, flaked tuna, diced chicken, roasted sweet potato cubes, chopped tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, cooked broccoli or cauliflower, peas, cooked spinach or kale, sliced green onions, crispy breadcrumbs, hot sauce, ketchup

Directions

To make the sauce, grate the cheese if needed. Melt the margarine over medium-low heat in a medium sized pot, preferably with a heavy bottom. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Continue to whisk frequently as the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Sprinkle in the Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, salt, optional mustard powder and optional mashed sweet potato or squash. Whisk well to combine. Taste and add a pinch more salt if necessary.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and salt and boil until the macaroni is tender, about 10 minutes. Carefully drain the macaroni, then return it to the cooking pot. Pour in the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Serve with toppings of your choice.
Leftover mac and cheese can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Bring the recipe into your home, classroom, or community

Hungry for something fun? Get cooking with our cookbook What’s for Lunch? Nova Scotia Recipes to Cook and Enjoy Together. Explore the recipes with your family at home! If you’re an educator, check out our Recipes for Learning resources that bring food literacy to life through engaging cooking videos and hands-on classroom activities.

Notes

James Hemings, the first African-American chef trained in France, is credited with introducing macaroni and cheese to the United States in the late 18th century. Chef Hemings likely thickened the sauce with a mix of butter and flour known as a roux, just like in this recipe. You can make your Mac and Cheese extra special by setting out a few fun toppings so that everyone can make it their way.