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Jana’s Homemade Mac and Cheese is a American main course recipe that takes about 45 min from start to finish and serves 8. It calls for 8 ingredients across 6 steps, and is rated easy. A serving works out at around 579 kcal with roughly 27 g of protein. Filed under lacto ovo vegetarian, vegetarian, family gatherings and comfort food.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large pot, cook the 4 cups of elbow pasta as directed until it’s just al dente. Drain, rinse, and set it aside.
While the pasta cooks, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan. As the butter melts, add the 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk until a roux forms. Slowly stir in the 4 cups of skim milk. (You can use any milk here, but a higher fat content will yield a richer, thicker sauce.)
Stir in the 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 tablespoon of onion flakes. Bring the sauce to a slight boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. You’ll notice the sauce thickening as it cooks.
Turn off the heat and stir in 3 cups of the sharp cheddar cheese until it’s just melted and incorporated into the sauce.
Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce, stirring until every elbow is coated. You might even hear the pasta filling with the creamy sauce as you stir. If you’re not using an oven-safe saucepan, now is the time to transfer the pasta and sauce mix to an oven-safe baking dish.
Once the pasta and sauce are mixed, add the remaining 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese and gently fold it in.
| Nutrient | Amount per serving | Share of reference intake |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 579kcal | 29% |
| Fat | 25g | 36% |
| Carbohydrate | 62g | 24% |
| of which sugars | 9g | 10% |
| Fibre | 3g | 10% |
| Protein | 27g | 54% |
| Sodium | 458mg | 19% |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal). Fibre is measured against the 30g daily recommendation, which has no statutory reference intake. Figures are an estimate calculated from the ingredient list.
| Allergen | Status |
|---|---|
| Gluten | Contains |
| Milk | Contains |
| Eggs | May contain |
| Soya | May contain |
| Sulphites | May contain |
| Crustaceans | Free from |
| Fish | Free from |
| Peanuts | Free from |
| Tree nuts | Free from |
| Celery | Free from |
| Mustard | Free from |
| Sesame | Free from |
| Lupin | Free from |
| Molluscs | Free from |
May contain means it depends on the brand you buy — check the label on the product itself.
Allergen information is derived automatically from the ingredient list and is a guide, not a guarantee. Always check the packaging of the products you cook with.
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