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White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

White Cheddar Mac and Cheese: The Ultimate Comfort Food

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Elevate your comfort food experience with this sophisticated White Cheddar Mac and Cheese. By combining a velvety homemade béchamel sauce with the sharp, complex flavor of freshly grated aged white cheddar, this dish achieves a restaurant-quality, silky texture. Perfect for home cooks seeking a luxurious meal, this recipe avoids pre-shredded cheeses and processed additives to ensure a perfectly smooth and creamy finish that clings beautifully to your favorite pasta shapes.

Ingredients

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1 lb Cavatappi or fusilli pasta
4 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup unsalted European-style butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, room temperature
Sea salt to taste
White pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente; drain and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour until the mixture is smooth and bubbly.
Cook the roux for two minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
Slowly pour in the room-temperature milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
Continue cooking and whisking until the sauce thickens to a velvet consistency.
Remove from heat and stir in the freshly grated white cheddar until fully melted and smooth.
Season the cheese sauce with sea salt and white pepper to taste.
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until evenly coated.
Serve immediately while warm and creamy.

Notes

Always use block cheese and grate it yourself; pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that cause a grainy sauce. Keep the milk at room temperature to help it incorporate into the roux smoothly without clumping.

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