Description
Ina Garten’s overnight mac and cheese delivers comfort in a creamy, cheesy casserole perfect for make-ahead meals. Rich cheddar and gruyère create a luxurious base that melds flavors while resting overnight, promising delicious results for hungry diners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (240 grams / 8.5 oz) grated Gruyère cheese
- 1 ½ cups (120 grams / 4.2 oz) grated sharp white Cheddar cheese
- 12 ounces (340 grams) cavatappi pasta
- 4 ½ cups (1080 milliliters / 36.5 fl oz) heavy cream
- 2 ½ cups (100 grams) fresh white breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsps (45 milliliters / 1.5 fl oz) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Cook pasta in salted water for 4 minutes until slightly undercooked, then drain thoroughly without rinsing.
- Cream Mixture Creation: Whisk heavy cream, Gruyère, Cheddar, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl until fully integrated.
- Overnight Infusion: Fold hot pasta into cream mixture, ensuring complete coating. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours to allow flavor absorption and pasta expansion.
- Temperature Adjustment: Remove pasta mixture from refrigerator, letting it rest at room temperature for 1 hour or gently warm in microwave for 4 minutes to restore optimal consistency.
- Baking Setup: Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 9 × 13 × 2-inch baking dish and transfer pasta mixture, spreading evenly to ensure uniform cooking.
- Cheese and Crumb Topping: Sprinkle remaining Gruyère and Cheddar over pasta. Toss breadcrumbs with melted butter and distribute evenly across the cheese layer.
- Final Baking: Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating midway to achieve golden, crispy crust. Remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving hot, showcasing creamy interior and crunchy topping.
Notes
- Pasta Pre-Cooking Trick: Slightly undercook pasta to prevent mushiness during overnight absorption, ensuring perfect texture when baked.
- Cheese Melting Magic: Use room temperature cheeses for smoother blending and more even distribution throughout the cream mixture.
- Overnight Infusion Technique: Refrigerating for 24 hours allows pasta to absorb cream, intensifying flavor and creating ultra-creamy consistency.
- Breadcrumb Crisping Secret: Toss breadcrumbs in melted butter before topping to guarantee a golden, crunchy exterior that elevates the dish’s texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 660
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 25 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg