This recipe for Easy Peasy Macaroni Cheese (-y, as we call it in our house) is adapted from Lisa Faulkner’s recipe in her cookbook “From My Mother to my Daughter“. It includes leek and Worcestershire sauce for extra flavour, and breadcrumbs for a crunchy topping.
Macaroni cheese is one of life’s great comfort foods. It’s also a brilliant standby family dinner — you can prep it in advance, then simply pop it in the oven around 30 minutes before you need to eat.
Easy Peasy Macaroni Cheese (y)
This recipe serves 4-6.
Ingredients
- 300g macaroni
- 75g pancetta, cubed (or bacon)
- 2 leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 50g butter
- 50g plain flour
- 600ml milk
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- a dash of Worcestershire sauce (like Lea & Perrins)
- 225g cheddar cheese, grated
- 75g parmesan cheese, grated
- 65g breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5/190°C. Cook the macaroni for 10 minutes in salted water, then drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a small frying pan, brown the pancetta over a medium heat, add the leeks and fry until softened. Set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour, beating with a wooden spoon to form a roux. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add the milk gradually, stirring all the time until the sauce has thickened. Add the mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce and salt & pepper. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cheeses, saving a little to sprinkle on top.
5. Mix the leeks and pancetta into the macaroni, then spoon into an ovenproof dish. Pour over the cheese sauce and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs. (If your sauce is on the thicker side, you can mix it directly with the macaroni, leeks and pancetta before spooning into the dish — both ways work well.)
6. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until bubbling and crisp on top.
This macaroni cheese also freezes well. A handy tip: wrap any portions in greaseproof or baking paper rather than tin foil before freezing, as tin foil can leave odd little flecks behind once it defrosts.
Over to you now! Have you got a go-to macaroni cheese recipe of your own? Share it with us in the comments below.
FAQs
Can I make this macaroni cheese ahead of time?
Yes — assemble the dish up to the point of baking, cover and keep it in the fridge, then bake straight from cold, allowing a little extra time if needed until it’s bubbling and golden.
Can I leave out the pancetta or bacon?
Absolutely. Simply fry the leeks in a little butter on their own for a vegetarian version, and the dish will still have plenty of flavour from the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and cheeses.
What’s the best way to freeze leftovers?
Let the macaroni cheese cool fully, then wrap individual portions in greaseproof or baking paper rather than tin foil, and freeze. Defrost thoroughly before reheating until piping hot throughout.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes, any short pasta shape like penne or fusilli will work well in place of macaroni.
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