4oz extra sharp cheddar 4oz deli white american 8oz Barilla elbow noodles (or what you got) Some Dijon mustard A pinch of cayene 1.5 cup of water 1 cup milk

Thank you! Cannot wait to try this recipe tomorrow! Here's the recipe for everyone. MAC 'N CHEESE (ATK) MAC 'N CHEESE: 1 1/2 c. water 1 c. whole milk 8 oz. Barilla elbow macaroni, weighed 1/8 t. Cayenne Pepper 1/2 t. Dijon Mustard 1 c. Deli American Cheese 1 c. Extra Sharp Cheddar BREAD CRUMBS: 1/3 c. Panko Crumbs 1 T. olive oil Salt & Pepper (little) 2 T. Parmesan Cheese DIRECTIONS: Bring water and milk to boil on high. Add macaroni and lower heat to med-low and simmer uncovered. Cook just past al dente, 6-8 min. Add while still on heat: cayenne pepper, mustard, and American cheese. Mix together for a minute. Take off heat and gently mix in Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese for 10 sec. Put on lid to slowly melt cheese. Make bread crumbs: Toast crumbs, olive oil, and salt & pepper in skillet. Stir and watch carefully 3-4 minutes. Once bread crumbs are done, place in bowl and add 2 T. of Parmesan cheese. Take off pan lid and taste to see if you need to add more salt or pepper. Stir mac 'n cheese and enjoy. Serve with bread crumbs.

There is a major problem with this recipe: it is addictive!!!! I love it.

Y’all are one of my favorite tv cooking show! I eat vegan/gluten free due to health issues but I love watching still! Learning various tips and tricks to be safe and efficient in kitchen is fun interesting!

Thank you for this recipe. My nieces love ❤️ it so much since I added ham on one casserole dish of mac & cheese and added garlic shrimp 🍤 on another casserole. They think it’s cool 😎 cuz it’s not plain. You are both Goddesses of culinary expertise to share this wonderful recipe. BTW grownups love 💕 it too, if not more.

Man, that looked so delicious! I'm going have to give that recipe a try real soon!

I independently arrived at this same recipe about five years ago and made it one time all in the pot and then couldn't remember how I did it so wasn't able to repeat the process. I'm glad America's Test Kitchen figured it out. It really was the best mac and cheese I'd (accidentally) made. Usually I go the béchamel route.

Just made this for the first time last night, and it resulted in the best mac and cheese I've ever had. Such a quick and easy recipe too.

The best and easy Mac n' Cheese ever! Cooking directions are straightforward. Thank you! 😊

OMG this mac and cheese tasted amazing. Even my very picky son ate it and got filled right up. It was the perfectly creamy. This will be my go to mac and cheese for now. Thanks for the recipe.

I made this today.. I used the cheeses I had on hand which were a thin slice of gouda, 18 month Welsh cheddar and mozzarella. For our liking, the noodles needed more time to become softer which meant less liquid when the cheeses were added. The mozzarella made it creamer but also very stringy. When I make it again, I will increase the water and/or milk by 1/4 maybe 1/2 cup, I think that will give it more liquid to make it creamer. I will also buy the cheeses they used. Overall, it was easy to make and not having to use 2 pots made it even better. This is one of those basics that you can elevate and change up the flavors to your tastes.

It's only four ingredients! Water, pasta, milk, american cheese, cheddar cheese, cayenne pepper, dijon mustard, panko breadcrumbs, and olive oil. Four simple ingredients! Oh, and parmesan!

I made this the other day and it was really, really good. I did substitute half the cheddar for pepper jack, though, because we like it spicy! Anyhow, it's my daughter's and my favorite new Mac n cheese recipe.

That Macaroni and cheese is looking great and I have to try make that version myself.

I'm hooked. I made this, and it is amazing. The bread crumbs are so easy and a must on top. Thank you, America's test kitchen. 😊

Just made this tonight and it was so yummy. The best by far. Adding this as a keeper! Thx u!!

Hi there! Big long time fan of America's Test Kitchen. I used to look forward to it on the weekends on PBS. I was thrilled to see all this content on KZfaq. I've been "eating up" lots of your vids during quarantine. The Mac and Cheese one really stuck out for it's simplicity. Just made it. I tweaked the recipe just a little. I added a couple pinches of salt for the pasta. I added a dusting of nutmeg to the water and milk as well to give it a hint of that traditional "bechamel" flavor. I switched out the elbow macaroni for small shells. ( Talk about hanging onto sauce!) I also added a little Gruyere cheese with the cheddar. It's phenomenal! Thanks so much for all your great content!

Love this method that makes it easy to keep it homemade, cost efficient (versus the boxes) and the cleanup is the easiest. A lot of ways to have fun with this method...

Leave it ATK !! Love them !! This always comes out perfect !! I use land o lakes American cheese and Sargento Cracker Barrel cheddar cheese blend with smoking cheddar so good never had a problem

Love this recipes. Love you two!! Have a wonderful New Year!

I'm watching this at 5:32am I want Mac n Cheese so bad now! I love you ATK!

This was straight up simple and very good…. Before I added cheeses I was craving a type of mac n cheese my grandma used to make with some tomato sauce, so before i added the cheeses I added one can (or way less) tomato sauce, allowed it to come to simmer then added all ingredients, gave a gentle stir, removed from heat and added last cup of cheese and it was perfectly tangy and cheesy, super comforting and the breadcrumbs are a must!!! 😮🥹🫶🏽

I’ve made this easy recipe several times, and I’m still impressed with how creamy and how wonderful it comes together. I made it this time with triple cream Gouda from Trader Joe’s and it was divine probably the best yet. Thank you for such a fabulous recipe

I made a batch of this exactly as instructed, tasted it, and quickly made a second batch. Fabulous and easy! Thank you!

Can’t wait to try this one!!!

Have been doing that way for years. I'll also use different pastas like bowties and add just a touch of nutmeg once in a while. Ranch and or blue cheese dressing works good too.

Beautiful! Thanks!!

Did this just now. Forgot to season the breadcrumbs and did let it get burn a little too easily. Also had to use mozzarella since that's all I had on hand. Yet still worked out pretty well cannot complain

Excellent and simple recipe, thank God!

Excellent as always.

Outstanding! We loved every morsel!

Awesome snd quick!

Love watching you two 👍🏽

This recipe is awesome

Just made it. FANTASTIC!!!

I can't bring myself to use processed cheese for my family, but I'll try this with cream cheese and cheddar. Very similar to my simple Alfredo and we love the tang of cream cheese. Thanks for the ideas!

You girls never fail to impress. Got your HUGE cookbook for Christmas which I adore. I record your show weekly and love how you explain exactly how your methodology works.

Hello from Australia. Love watching American M&C videos 😁

Hands down, the BEST Mac and Cheese I have ever had. YES!!!!!!!!!

Looks delicious! Much easier than the oven baked receipe.

Love you guys!

I just tried this; however, I didn't have deli american cheese. But I learned one can make an aqueous sodium citrate using dissolved citric acid and baking soda. I used lemon juice...let the foaming stop from the baking soda, and then only added around 3 tablespoons to the pot. It foamed up a lot, but the resulting sauce did not break. No off flavor from the lemon, especially when I added the dijon mustard. This is my go to bachelor's mac and cheese now. NO more boxed stuff. I used french fried onions for the topping, too.

So what can you use instead of deli american cheese since i don't live in the usa

Great recipe - thanks!

looks awesome.

This is delicious!

I am so happy that you posted this. I've recently become disabled, and I don't have as much money anymore. A box mix costs too much, so I need to learn how to make it from scratch.

wow nice one great dish

Making this recipe for a family gathering but I need to double it as this won’t be enough. Do I merely just double the amounts of each ingredient? Just wondering what others have done. Many thanks and can’t wait to make this

Who can beat a one pan wonder? Looks good, will try soon !

Great for my grandkids thank you😊

You are the best!

Love minced onions in my mac and cheese.

love this ❤

I add salt, pepper, garlic powder, nutmeg, and paprika to the liquid before boiling it. I rarely do the crumb topping though.

YES. Framing this one. Can't wait to try this recipe.

So simple. So effective. So flexible.

this recipe is so addictive

I might try this recipe, swapping out the american for Smoked Gouda and a couple teaspoons of sodium citrate.

I thought it needed quite a bit more salt. Also, I recommend a bit of Truff hot sauce. Other than that so damn good for how easy it is to make. bravo ATK!!!

Thank you, this will save millions of man hours for Moms. And Dads and kids who like it.

I made this and fed it to my family, no one died. So that’s a thing 👍

Yum!

If you have others she was laying around could you add them? I’m thinking pepper jack, smoked Gouda, pecorino Romano etc.

I missed when did you add the Dijon mustard? Love these videos. Thanks

Can I buy a similar cheese in the uk to replace the American cheese?

Tall pot 1.5 cup water 1 cup milk 4 oz Macaroni (weigh!) 4 oz deli American cheese 1 cup extra-sharp cheddar spirnkle cayenne 1/2 tsp Dijon 1/3 cup panko 1 Tblspn olive oil, salt, pecker, parmesan Bring water/milk to high simmer, add macaroni cook 7 minutes grate American cheese, stir in Off the heat, stir in cheddar, cayenne, Dijon Toast panko in separate pan w/EVOO, salt, pecker, parm Serve in separate portions, sprinkle w/ toasted panko

I use this recipe as a base for my baked mac and cheese. I use 1 cup milk, 1 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup water to cook the macaroni. I use the called for American cheese and spices, along with 1 tsp of seasoned salt. Then I add add 8 oz cottage cheese and 2 oz smoked gouda and mix well. I then throw in the sharp cheddar and mix per the instructions. I dump everything into a butter rubbed 9x13 dish, top it off with provolone cheese and bake it in the oven @ 350 F for 20 - 30 mins to melt the cheese and brown it. This is soooo good.

Please clarify, 4oz Am cheese and 8oz X sharp cheddar..... But is that weight or volume? 8 oz cheese after shredding yields just over 2 cups, but said during the VID "add one cup cheddar" --- confused here!

Please tell me what is American deli cheese? Is there a Canadian equivalent?

Don't have a scale Any way I can use a measuring cup for the noodles? Amount please? Thank you!

Trying this and adding some truffle oil 😍

I love recipes like this that give you the bare bones method that allows you to pimp the flavors by adding other flavorings as you see fit.

Made this recipe because Babish made a version of it in one his videos, simple and delicious. Great camping recipe too as it's a one pot version.

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾Yes😋please!!!

Just made this. Almost really good. Maybe it was the kind of cheeses I used (extra sharp cheddar and land o’lakes yellow American) but it turned out almost gritty. Not super creamy. I will try again using a mild cheddar instead. Any suggestions?

How do you measure cheese in cups? Is it before or after grating?

Just curious, but with all the different stove top and homemade mac-n-cheese recipes is there a 'cook-off' kind of event, like chili cook-offs. Maybe one with both?

Could you use half and half?

Need tryyhis

I love this recipe! I discovered that Land O’ Lakes deli American Cheese is perfect but that Boar’s Head deli American Cheese has too much whey and the cheese sauce gets clumpy.

I loooooooooooooooooved this recipe.

Can it be doubled?

This recipe really works. I tried it about a month ago and it's awesome. Follow it exactly as they describe! Thanks ladies!!

I love Test kitchen!

Yum, that's how I make my Mac and cheese!, will addd the mustard next time!

"It has FOUR ingredients!" *proceeds to use nine ingredients*

Im in the UK and can’t find American cheese what can I use instead. Thanks

How critical is the Dijon here?

I don’t like cheese but this looks good 😌😍💯

I put my panko in a microwave oven safe dish with some Land O Lakes butter and cook it for probably a total of a minute. You must keep an eye on it and probably stir every 10 to 15 seconds or it will burn. 😊

I’m gonna make this the night before my dinner and then put it in a buttered casserole dish and in the oven with breadcrumbs on top.

I have found the mild cheddar melts really well. That's probably easier to find than American cheese that's not horrible.

I like sour cream and mustard in my mac and cheese, for the sauce.

Thanks. Very good recipe. I’ve made it a few times now. Delicious. However, if you want to make it more kid friendly, leave out the Dijon.

I don't add bread crumbs.. I add crushed Ritz Crackers, to which I added melted salted butter...YUMMY!

Hello ladies, I'm making this tonight

I dot believe I have ever seen processed cheese at the deli counter in Canada. What would be some optional substitutions?

I felt it was too dry (lacking in sufficient cheese sauce), and not quite rich enough. So on my 2nd try, I used half and half instead of milk, added 1/5 stick of salted butter. I also reduced the amount of Macaroni to 7 ounces. I used deli American, and I use the ATK recommended best Cracker Barrel extra sharp Cheddar. Used their amount of mustard and cayenne. Perfect!

Why does ATK keep using panko breadcrumbs, known primarily for being dryer than conventional crumbs, and dousing them in butter or oil?