Beecher's Mac and Cheese
This Beecher's Mac and Cheese is a copycat recipe of the cafe's famous dish using it's flagship cheese. It's easy to make this macaroni and cheese at home to feed a crowd as a main course or side dish for a weeknight meal or special occasion!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 417kcal
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried elbow macaroni
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cups shredded Beecher's Flagship Cheese or sharp white cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2.5 quart or 9x9-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni just until al dente, according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, whisking constantly, until smooth and lightly golden.
- Slowly whisk in the evaporated milk and half-and-half. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken, about 3–5 minutes.
- Stir in salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne.
- Reduce heat to low and gradually add the shredded cheese, stirring until fully melted and smooth. Remove from heat once the sauce is creamy and thick.
- Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir until evenly coated. Pour and spread evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake uncovered for 22-26 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and lightly golden on top. Broil 1 minute if desired. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Storage:
Store any leftover Beecher's macaroni and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. Add a splash of milk if needed to loosen the sauce. If you want to make this Beecher's macaroni and cheese in advance, you can make the mac and cheese and assemble it into the baking dish prior to baking. Store the mac and cheese in the fridge. When ready to serve, pop it into the oven to reheat and bake through. If you want to prep even further in advance, make the cheese sauce the day before, then rewarm and boil the noodles the next day. Bake until bubbling and golden on top. Expert Tips:
Store any leftover Beecher's macaroni and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. Add a splash of milk if needed to loosen the sauce. If you want to make this Beecher's macaroni and cheese in advance, you can make the mac and cheese and assemble it into the baking dish prior to baking. Store the mac and cheese in the fridge. When ready to serve, pop it into the oven to reheat and bake through. If you want to prep even further in advance, make the cheese sauce the day before, then rewarm and boil the noodles the next day. Bake until bubbling and golden on top. Expert Tips:
- Make sure you cook the elbows to al dente. They will continue to cook in the cheese sauce, so you don't want to overcook or they could become mushy.
- Grate the cheese from scratch. This helps it to melt evenly into the sauce without grit. Pre-shredded cheese can be gritty from it's anti-caking agent.
- Swap the half and half for whole milk. If you want a lighter mac and cheese, this is an easy switch for a cheese sauce that's a bit lighter in fat.
- Allow the roux to thicken before adding the cheese. An essential step to thicken the cheese sauce correctly for even melting.
- If you can't find Beecher's cheese, a sharp white cheddar works great.
- Bake the macaroni and cheese uncovered. This helps to thicken the sauce on the noodles correctly for the creamiest texture and browns the top of the macaroni which is so delicious.
Nutrition
Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 660mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 906IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 413mg | Iron: 1mg
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