Mac and Cheese

From three-ingredient stovetop to a gilded gratin.

Serves

Active45 min

Total1 hr 35

VesselsLARGE POT + SAUCEPAN + SKILLET + BAKING DISH

Units

Sodium citrate makes a glass-smooth sauce from any cheese, no roux, finished with brown-butter garlic panko under the broiler.

Adapted from Silky Smooth Macaroni and Cheese (sodium citrate sauce) by Nathan Myhrvold and Maxime Bilet · Modernist Cuisine, Modern Baked Mac and Cheese with Cheddar and Gruyère (baked panko finish) by Daniel Gritzer · Serious Eats.

+ sodium citrate sauce: any cheese blend melts glass-smooth, no roux, never breaks
+ parmesan joins the blend: savory backbone
+ cavatappi: ridges and curves hold more sauce than macaroni
+ brown-butter garlic panko with thyme: a crust worth broiling for
+ chives: fresh cut through the richness

set a large pot of salted water over high heat

4 quarts water

1 tbsp kosher salt

8 oz cavatappi

boil cavatappi

9 min · al dente

2 tsp sodium citrate

· available online or from a lab supply shop

2 1/2 cups whole milk

dissolve sodium citrate

2 min · gentle simmer, whisk smooth

12 oz aged cheddar

· shredded

4 oz gruyere

· shredded

2 oz parmesan

· grated

blend in cheese

1 min · immersion blend until glass-smooth

toss pasta + sauce

until glossy and fully coated

2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

brown butter

3 min · until nutty and amber

2 cloves garlic

· minced

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 tsp fresh thyme

· leaves, chopped

toast garlic panko

3 min · golden, stir in thyme off heat

fill dish + top

transfer to baking dish, scatter panko

BAKING DISH · UNDER THE BROILER

broil

2-3 min · spotty brown, watch closely

2 tbsp chives

· thinly sliced

sprinkle chives + serve

right before serving

SAUCEPAN · LOW HEAT

SKILLET · MEDIUM

LARGE POT

set a large pot of salted water over high heat. Ingredients are rows; steps merge columns left to right.
1 tbsp kosher salt
4 quarts water	boil cavatappi, 9 min · al dente		toss pasta + sauce, until glossy and fully coated	fill dish + top, transfer to baking dish, scatter panko	baking dish · under the broiler: broil, 2-3 min · spotty brown, watch closely	sprinkle chives + serve, right before serving
8 oz cavatappi
2 tsp sodium citrate, available online or from a lab supply shop	dissolve sodium citrate, 2 min · gentle simmer, whisk smooth	blend in cheese, 1 min · immersion blend until glass-smooth
2 1/2 cups whole milk
12 oz aged cheddar, shredded
4 oz gruyere, shredded
2 oz parmesan, grated
2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter	brown butter, 3 min · until nutty and amber	toast garlic panko, 3 min · golden, stir in thyme off heat
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp fresh thyme, leaves, chopped
2 tbsp chives, thinly sliced