Freezer-friendly mac and cheese
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main
This creamy macaroni cheese is ideal for batch cooking and freezing. The sauce may seem thin, but it thickens perfectly when baked from frozen.
For this recipe you will need a 1.5–1.7 litre/2.5–3 pint ovenproof dish.
Ingredients
For the macaroni cheese
- 150g/5½oz macaroni pasta
- 55g/2oz unsalted butter
- 55g/2oz plain flour
- 900ml/1½ pints hot milk
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 55g/2oz Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), coarsely grated
- 100g/3½oz mature cheddar, coarsely grated
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the topping
- 100g/3½oz mature cheddar, coarsely grated
Method
Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, until just al dente. Drain and run under cold water, then drain again.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for a few seconds. Reduce the heat and gradually whisk in the hot milk until smooth.
Bring to the boil, whisking continuously, until the sauce is smooth and has a thin coating consistency.
Stir in the mustard, Parmesan and cheddar. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the drained pasta and mix well.
Pour into a shallow 1.5–1.7 litre/2.5–3 pint ovenproof dish. Scatter over the cheddar topping.
To freeze, leave to cool completely, then cover with cling film and freeze for up to 3 months.
To cook from frozen, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Remove the cling film and bake for 45–50 minutes, or until piping hot throughout. If the centre is still cold, cover with foil and return to the oven for 5–10 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Recipe tips
If using a deep dish, check the centre is piping hot before serving – you may need to cover with foil and return to the oven for 5–10 minutes.
This dish is best cooked from frozen. Defrosting before baking can result in the pasta absorbing too much sauce and becoming soft.
