One-Pot Stovetop Mac and Cheese

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Elbow macaroni simmers right in its own milk-and-butter roux, so the starch stays in the pot and the sauce turns glossy without a separate colander or casserole dish. Freshly grated sharp cheddar and a little American cheese keep it smooth instead of grainy, and a 3-minute broiled panko lid gives the crunch-loving kids at the table something to argue over.

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 12 oz elbow macaroni (about 3 cups dry)
• 8 oz sharp yellow cheddar, freshly grated (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 4 oz Monterey Jack or Gruyère, freshly grated (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2 slices deli American cheese, torn
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Freshly ground black pepper

• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Grate all the cheese on the large holes of a box grater and pile it on a plate or in a bowl; let it sit at room temperature while you cook. Freshly grated cheese melts smooth — bagged shreds are coated with starch and can turn the sauce chalky.
2. In a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or other broiler-safe heavy pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly for 60 to 90 seconds, until the roux smells faintly nutty and looks like wet sand. Do not let it brown.
3. Whisk in the Dijon, onion powder, smoked paprika, and nutmeg, then pour in the milk and water in a slow stream, whisking hard to keep it lump-free. Add 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt and raise the heat to medium-high.
4. When the liquid is steaming and just starting to bubble at the edges, stir in the dry macaroni. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low so it burbles lazily.
5. Cook 10 to 13 minutes, stirring every 60 to 90 seconds and scraping the bottom corners of the pot, until the pasta is tender with just a hint of bite and the liquid has thickened into a loose, creamy sauce that coats a spoon. If it tightens up before the pasta is done, splash in 1/4 cup more milk.
6. Pull the pot off the heat completely and wait 1 minute — sauce added to boiling liquid will break. Add the cheddar, Monterey Jack, American cheese, and sour cream in three additions, stirring after each until fully melted before adding the next.
7. Taste and season with more salt and plenty of black pepper. The sauce should look slightly looser than you want it; it thickens as it sits. Serve straight from the pot if you're skipping the crumbs.
8. For the crumb top, toss the panko with the melted butter, Parmesan, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until every crumb is damp. Set an oven rack 6 inches below the broiler and heat the broiler to high.
9. Smooth the mac into an even layer in the pot (or scrape it into a 9x13-inch baking dish), scatter the crumbs over the top, and broil 2 to 4 minutes, rotating once and watching constantly, until deep golden. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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