School Cafeteria Mac and Cheese (A Lunch Lady Throwback)
This cafeteria mac and cheese is great as a main dish or as a side. What begins of this classic dish on the stove top, finishes in a casserole dish in the oven, creamy ribbons of savory sauce blanketing every al dente noodle and bubbling up into deliciously seasoned bread crumbs.
Servings: 6 servings
Cost: $0.98 per serving
Equipment
- 1-quart casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry elbow noodles
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter divided; softened to room temperature
- 1 (12-ounce can) evaporated milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ tablespoons corn starch pressed through a fine mesh sieve to eliminate lumps
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar freshly shredded from a large block
- ½ cup deli American freshly shredded from a large block; not processed, pre-wrapped slices
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
optional
- ¼ cup Parmesan freshly grated from a large block and combined with breadcrumb mixture before baking
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and butter a 1-quart casserole dish with one tablespoon of the butter. Set aside.
- Melt 3 more tablespoons of the butter together with 1/4-teaspoon of Kosher salt. Once foamy, remove from the heat and stir. Allow to cool slightly. Toss with 1/2-cup of Italian breadcrumbs. Allow to cool completely. If using Parmesan in the topping, toss with breadcrumbs once cooled. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and to it the remaining teaspoon of Kosher salt and the olive oil. Add the pasta. Cook according to the package directions LESS 2 minutes. Drain the noodles, return them to the pot along with another tablespoon of butter, toss, and set aside.
- To a cold Dutch oven, whisk together the cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Add a full can of evaporated milk, the water, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stirring constantly, turn the heat on medium-high and heat until the mixture comes to a boil. When the mixture just begins to thicken, remove the Dutch oven from the heat.
- Sprinkle in the shredded cheeses and stir until both are mostly melted. Season to taste before adding in the cooked macaroni. Stir the slightly undercooked noodles into the sauce to ensure each piece is well coated
- Pour the macaroni into the prepared baking dish and use a rubber spatula to scrape any remaining sauce atop the macaroni. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the breadcrumb mixture and place into the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until just bubbling. If you want the top golden brown and the bake time has not achieved the color you desire, broil the bake for 1 to 2 minutes. Monitor it so it does not burn because it will burn quite quickly due to the use of butter in the breadcrumb mixture.
Notes
Please Note that table salt and iodized salt are NOT substitutions for Kosher salt. Do not use table salt or iodized salt in any of the recipes you find on Not Entirely Average UNLESS specified otherwise.
Make Ahead up to two days. Assemble the casserole as specified but do not add the breadcrumb mixture and do not bake. Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. Continue with the recipe as indicated, stirring in a couple of tablespoons whole milk if the noodles seem too dry. ProTip: remove the casserole from refrigeration 30 minutes prior to baking.
Store Leftovers up to 3 days by loading into an airtight container and refrigerating. To Reheat stir in a tablespoon or two of whole milk and microwave, stirring every 20 seconds until warmed through. To Freeze load into a freezer-safe container and freeze up to 3 months. To Thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.
Substitutions and Modifications:
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- Substitute crushed corn flakes for the breadcrumb topping in equal measure for a super crunchy top layer.
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- Shave some parmesan (about a quarter cup) into the topping mixture before sprinkling it over the casserole for extra cheesy goodness!
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- Change up your dairy game and think Monterey Jack, Gouda, or Havarti in lieu of cheddar or American.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 938mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 839IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 351mg | Iron: 1mg