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Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese

Red bowl with handles filled with baked macaroni and cheese.
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5 from 1 review

Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese is an ultra-creamy, made-from-scratch, one-pot dish. This Dutch Oven macaroni recipe uses a combination of cheeses, whole milk, and dijon mustard. It starts on the stovetop and finishes off in the oven, resulting in a no-fuss, comfort food recipe that your whole family will love!    

Ingredients

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  • 1 pound medium macaroni shells (shellbows)
  • 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk - brought up to room temp
  • 6-ounce block sharp cheddar cheese - shredded (about 2 cups shredded)
  • 6-ounce block gruyere cheese - shredded (about 2 cups shredded)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard - grainy

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Fill your Dutch Oven with spring water and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, salt the pasta water and cook your pasta according to package instructions, until al dente.  Once cooked, drain the pasta and set it aside.
  2. Return the Dutch Oven to the stove.  Add the butter to the Dutch Oven and melt over low to medium-low heat.
  3. Add the all-purpose flour to the melted butter and mix until smooth and fully incorporated together.  This is your roux.  It is the base for the cheese sauce and is what will make your cheese sauce thick and creamy.    
  4. Increase your heat to medium.  Add the milk to the roux.  Continuously stir the milk, flour, and butter mixture until the mixture has thickened.  This will take about 5 minutes.  Do not let the mixture burn or come to a boil.  Reduce the heat if needed.  A gentle simmer is okay.  You'll know when your sauce has thickened when it starts to coat the sides of the Dutch Oven. 
  5. When the milk, flour, and butter sauce has thickened, reduce the heat to low and stir in the shredded cheddar and shredded gruyere.  Stir until the cheese is smooth and creamy. 
  6. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and Dijon mustard to the cheese sauce.  Mix until combined.  Taste your sauce and adjust your seasonings if needed. 
  7. Pour the cooked macaroni shells into the cheese sauce and mix until combined.  Cover with your tight-fitting Dutch Oven lid and transfer your Dutch Oven into your preheated oven.  Cook the Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese for 20 minutes covered, and 15 minutes uncovered. 
  8. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, serve, and enjoy! 

Notes

  • Bring your milk up to room temperature, or microwave it for 2 minutes, before adding it to the butter and flour. This will speed up the amount of time it takes to thicken the sauce.  
  • Taste your cheese sauce before adding your pasta.  You might want to increase the salt, pepper, garlic, or Dijon mustard.  Since this recipe calls for salted butter and I recommend salting your pasta water, I don't have you add too much additional salt to the cheese sauce.  You might find you want more though!
  • If you need to cut down on the cooking time, you can skip the baking step!  This recipe is delicious even when it's served straight from the stovetop. 
  • The nutrition information shown below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.  It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice. 

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sugarandsnappeas.com/dutch-oven-mac-and-cheese/