Deliciously Gouda Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 2 (3/4 inch thick) slices sourdough bread, or more to taste
• 1 serving cooking spray
• 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 4 cups freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 cups freshly grated smoked Gouda cheese
• 1 ½ cups whole milk, divided
• 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 ½ cups half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika

Step 1

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add your bread slices and toast them for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side until golden and crispy. Once toasted, set them aside to cool. While that’s happening, preheat your oven to 350°F and give a 9x13-inch baking dish a quick spray with cooking spray.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni until it’s tender but still has a bit of bite, around 8 minutes. Drain it well and transfer it to a big mixing bowl. Once your toast has cooled, pop the slices into a resealable bag and crush them up using a rolling pin or the bottom of a saucepan until you have some nice breadcrumbs.

Step 3

Now, mix your Cheddar and Gouda cheeses together and divide them into four equal piles. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt half a cup of butter. While that’s melting, whisk together a cup of milk and the cornstarch in a small bowl until the cornstarch dissolves. Slowly add this mixture to the melted butter, then gradually whisk in the remaining half cup of milk and the half-and-half. Keep whisking and cooking until the sauce thickens up to a creamy, milkshake-like consistency, about 3 to 5 minutes. Then, add two of the cheese piles, one at a time, stirring until each is fully melted.

Step 4

Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked macaroni and stir everything together so it’s well coated. Spread half of the mac and cheese into your prepared baking dish, sprinkle one pile of cheese on top, then add the rest of the mac and cheese. Top it with the remaining cheese and finish off with those crunchy breadcrumbs you made earlier.

Step 5

Pop it into the oven and bake until it’s bubbly and golden on top, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let it cool just a bit before digging in!