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A wooden spoon lifting a scoop of Ina Garten mac and cheese from a baking dish.
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3 from 1 vote

Ina Garten Mac and Cheese Recipe

This Ina Garten inspired creamy mac and cheese recipe combines Gruyere and Cheddar cheese and topped with fresh tomatoes, it's a delicious twist of the Barefoot Contessa classic!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: ina garten mac and cheese
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 715kcal
Author: Kasey Schwartz

Equipment

  • 9x13 baking dish
  • Large pot
  • Strainer or colander
  • medium sized pot
  • Small bowl
  • whisk
  • Measuring cup
  • measuring spoons

Ingredients

  • 1 pound elbow pasta
  • ½ cup butter divided
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk warmed
  • 4 cups grated Gruyere cheese
  • 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 4 small tomatoes sliced
  • 1 ½ cups bread crumbs

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375℉. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the elbow pasta according to the package directions. Strain and set aside.
    1 pound elbow pasta
  • While the pasta is cooking, add 6 tablespoons of butter and flour to a medium sized pot and heat over medium heat. Whisk the melted butter and flour together then whisk in the warm milk. Whisk over the heat for about 1-2 minutes so the mixture gets a little bit thick.
    ½ cup butter, ½ cup all purpose flour, 4 cups whole milk
  • Remove the pot from the stovetop and add both grated cheeses, the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Whisk together so the cheese melts into the hot milk.
    4 cups grated Gruyere cheese, 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Add the cooked, drained pasta to the pot of cheese sauce and stir.
  • Pour the mac and cheese into a 9x13 baking dish and spread it across the pan so it is flat.
  • Slice the tomatoes and lay them on top of the mac and cheese, covering the top of the dish.
    4 small tomatoes
  • In a small bowl, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and then stir in the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the mix over the top of the mac and cheese.
    1 ½ cups bread crumbs
  • Bake the mac and cheese for 30 minutes. The edges should be bubbling and the topping should be golden brown.
  • Scoop and serve while hot!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 715kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 991mg | Potassium: 467mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1579IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 862mg | Iron: 2mg