Make-ahead creamy mac and cheese casserole
Makes: 6 to 8 servings as a main dish; 10 to 12 as a side dish
1 pound dry elbow macaroni or small shell pasta
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) 5 cups whole or 2% milk
8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 cups)
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
1 cup crushed round butter crackers, such as Ritz (about 25 crackers)
1. Make the macaroni and cheese: Bring a large pot or Dutch oven of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water until cool to the touch, and set aside to drain thoroughly.
2. In now-empty pot, heat 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the flour, salt, mustard and cayenne if using and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until the mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. 3. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, whisking frequently, until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add both cheeses and whisk until smooth and fully melted. Set aside until cooled to just warm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and place in a medium bowl. Add the cracker crumbs and stir to combine; set aside.
5. When the sauce is cooled, add the pasta and stir to combine. Transfer to a 9-by-13inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the cracker crumbs evenly over the macaroni and cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to two days.
6. When ready to bake: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating, let the baking dish sit out at room temperature.
7. Bake covered until heated through and bubbling around the edges, about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is golden-brown, about 15 minutes more. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe notes: If you’d like to make and eat the mac and cheese right away, skip cooling the sauce and mix the pasta right in. Assemble in the baking dish and bake uncovered until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden-brown, 20 to 30 minutes.