Macaroni Cheese
Prepare carefully. Work safely. Evaluate honestly.
- Serves / makes
- 6 servings
- Preparation
- 15 minutes
- Cooking
- 30 minutes
- Total time
- 45 minutes
Heat / oven setting200°C conventional / 180°C fan
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 450g | |
| 60g | |
| 60g | |
| 900ml | |
| 270g | |
| 0.75 tsp | |
| A small pinch |
Tick ingredients as you prepare them. Ticks reset when you reload.
Equipment
- Digital scales and measuring jug
- Pasta saucepan and colander
- Saucepan for sauce
- Whisk and wooden spoon
- Cheese grater
- Large baking dish
- Oven gloves and heatproof mat
- Extra baking tray or larger pan/dish if needed for six servings
Method
Prepare
Wash hands and clean the workstation. Preheat the oven and grease a large baking dish. Weigh the butter and flour, measure milk and grate cheese. Use pans and trays large enough for six servings. Cook in batches if needed; keep pieces the same size and allow extra time for batches. For baked dishes, use a wider dish to keep the original depth.
Boil macaroni
Cook macaroni for 2 minutes less than its packet instructions. Drain carefully and keep to one side while making the sauce.
Make a roux
Melt butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir in flour and mustard powder and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously without browning.
Add milk
Gradually add milk, whisking until smooth after each addition. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 minutes, stirring so the sauce does not stick. Remove from heat and stir in 210g cheese and pepper.
Bake
Mix pasta and sauce in the baking dish and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbling throughout.
Serve
Stand for 3 minutes before dividing into six portions. Evaluate the sauce for lumps and the macaroni for tenderness.
Portion for six
Divide the finished dish evenly between six people.
Food safety
- Wash hands, clean surfaces, tie back hair and use clean equipment. Check use-by dates and ingredient labels before starting.
- Take care with boiling water, steam and hot pans. Use oven gloves for hot dishes and keep pan handles away from the worktop edge. Heat the finished dish until steaming throughout.
- Cool perishable leftovers and refrigerate within 1–2 hours. Keep the fridge at 5°C or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 48 hours and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Rice has a shorter storage limit.
Guidance: Food Standards Agency cooking advice ↗
Nutritional considerations
Macaroni provides carbohydrate, while milk and cheese provide protein and calcium. Cheese and butter add saturated fat; serve with vegetables to add fibre.
Practical skills
Roux making, gradual milk incorporation, boiling, combining and baking.
Presentation
Use clean serving equipment, divide evenly and wipe the plate or dish edges. Check the finished food against your planned colour, texture and appearance.
Evaluate your practical
Describe the appearance, flavour, texture and a skill you used successfully.
Explain one improvement to the recipe, your timings or your technique.
Plain macaroni cheese, kept as a separate recipe from Macaroni Cheese with Tomato. Newly written classroom adaptation from your filename list.
Times are approximate. Quantities are for the stated yield; accompanying foods are included only when listed. This learning sheet does not itself award a qualification.