Roasting garlic at 400°F for 45 minutes transforms sharp allicin into sweet, caramelized paste—that's the mac and cheese secret.
Garlic Mac and Cheese
Get ready to elevate your mac and cheese game with this mouthwatering Garlic Mac and Cheese! We’re blending rich Gruyere, tangy sharp cheddar, and nutty Parmesan into a velvety sauce, all infused with aromatic thyme and roasted garlic for an unforgettable flavor explosion. This creamy, cheesy delight is sure to become your new comfort food obsession!
Prep
15
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 4 garlic cloves
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 4 tbsp butter (56 g)
- 2.5-3 cups cheese (gruyere, sharp cheddar, parm) (600-720 ml)
- 3 cups of milk (I used whole) (720 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 4 tbsp flour (60 ml)
- ½ lb macaroni or small pasta of your choice (227 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- Salt
- Fresh thyme
📦Other(1)
- 1 tbsp dijon (15 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. While you’re waiting on this, heat up 3 cups of milk in a separate pot with some fresh thyme over low-medium heat. Do not bring to a bubble, just lightly heat this up. Remove thyme and set to the side for later. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- 2
Add macaroni (or small pasta) to salted boiling water and cook until 1 minute before al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water for later. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and place into a large bowl. Add a knob of butter, stir, and keep on the side for later.
- 3
In the same pot that you cooked your macaroni, add 4 knobs of butter over medium heat. Once melted, add chopped garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Add flour and keep stirring for 2-3 min. Add warm thyme-infused milk and whisk for a few minutes until it gradually thickens.
- 4
Remove from heat, add in your cheeses, whisk until smooth and then finish with dijon and reserved pasta water until you have desired consistency (not too thick, not too thin).
- 5
Add macaroni into your sauce, season with salt, and then pour into oven-safe bowls (or an oven-safe casserole dish). Into a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes and then finish for 3-5 min under the broiler until nice and golden.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook your pasta exactly 1 minute before al dente (typically 6-7 minutes for elbow macaroni) because it will continue cooking in the oven and absorb sauce without becoming mushy.timing1 minute before al dente
- ✓Heat milk to 140-160°F with thyme to extract maximum flavor compounds without scalding proteins that could curdle your cheese sauce.technique140-160°F
- ✓Cook your garlic-flour roux for exactly 2-3 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste while developing nutty aromatics through the Maillard reaction.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Add cheese off heat and whisk immediately because temperatures above 180°F cause proteins to seize and create a grainy texture instead of smooth emulsion.techniqueBelow 180°F
- ✓Use pasta water at 10-15% of total sauce volume to adjust consistency because its starch content helps bind the sauce to pasta better than plain water.ingredient10-15% sauce volume
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Roasting garlic at 400°F for 45 minutes transforms sharp allicin into sweet, caramelized paste—that's the mac and cheese secret.
Garlic Mac and Cheese
Get ready to elevate your mac and cheese game with this mouthwatering Garlic Mac and Cheese! We’re blending rich Gruyere, tangy sharp cheddar, and nutty Parmesan into a velvety sauce, all infused with aromatic thyme and roasted garlic for an unforgettable flavor explosion. This creamy, cheesy delight is sure to become your new comfort food obsession!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 4 garlic cloves
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 4 tbsp butter (56 g)
- 2.5-3 cups cheese (gruyere, sharp cheddar, parm) (600-720 ml)
- 3 cups of milk (I used whole) (720 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 4 tbsp flour (60 ml)
- ½ lb macaroni or small pasta of your choice (227 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- Salt
- Fresh thyme
📦Other(1)
- 1 tbsp dijon (15 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. While you’re waiting on this, heat up 3 cups of milk in a separate pot with some fresh thyme over low-medium heat. Do not bring to a bubble, just lightly heat this up. Remove thyme and set to the side for later. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- 2
Add macaroni (or small pasta) to salted boiling water and cook until 1 minute before al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water for later. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and place into a large bowl. Add a knob of butter, stir, and keep on the side for later.
- 3
In the same pot that you cooked your macaroni, add 4 knobs of butter over medium heat. Once melted, add chopped garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Add flour and keep stirring for 2-3 min. Add warm thyme-infused milk and whisk for a few minutes until it gradually thickens.
- 4
Remove from heat, add in your cheeses, whisk until smooth and then finish with dijon and reserved pasta water until you have desired consistency (not too thick, not too thin).
- 5
Add macaroni into your sauce, season with salt, and then pour into oven-safe bowls (or an oven-safe casserole dish). Into a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes and then finish for 3-5 min under the broiler until nice and golden.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook your pasta exactly 1 minute before al dente (typically 6-7 minutes for elbow macaroni) because it will continue cooking in the oven and absorb sauce without becoming mushy.timing1 minute before al dente
- ✓Heat milk to 140-160°F with thyme to extract maximum flavor compounds without scalding proteins that could curdle your cheese sauce.technique140-160°F
- ✓Cook your garlic-flour roux for exactly 2-3 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste while developing nutty aromatics through the Maillard reaction.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Add cheese off heat and whisk immediately because temperatures above 180°F cause proteins to seize and create a grainy texture instead of smooth emulsion.techniqueBelow 180°F
- ✓Use pasta water at 10-15% of total sauce volume to adjust consistency because its starch content helps bind the sauce to pasta better than plain water.ingredient10-15% sauce volume