Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese
This Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese is an ultra-creamy, made-from-scratch recipe cooked entirely in one pot. It's made with a blend of cheeses, whole milk, and a touch of Dijon mustard, then cooked on the stovetop and finished in the oven. It's simple comfort food your whole family will love!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium macaroni shells shellbows
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk brought up to room temp
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard grainy
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Fill your Dutch Oven with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, salt the pasta water and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Return the Dutch Oven to the stove. Add the butter and melt over low to medium-low heat.
- Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk until smooth.
- Increase your heat to medium and slowly pour in the milk. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens. 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 your sauce has thickened when it starts to coat the sides of the pan.
- When the sauce has thickened, reduce the heat to low and slowly stir in the shredded cheddar and gruyere until smooth and creamy.
- Add the garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and Dijon mustard and mix until combined. Taste your sauce and adjust your seasonings if needed.
- Stir in the cooked pasta. Cover and bake for 20 minutes, uncover and bake for another 5 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
- 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 recommend adding 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 is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice.
Nutrition
Calories: 667kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 714mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1149IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 701mg | Iron: 1mg
Find it online at sugarandsnappeas.com!