Macaroni and cheese
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses US words and measures (stove, cups, °F); the UK version uses hob, grams and gas marks. · UK version of this page
Real macaroni and cheese with a homemade white sauce – the way to make it smooth, without lumps.
- Serves 4
- About 45 min
- Stove
- Best for: Grades 6–8 (ages 11–14)
- Vegetarian if you check the labels
Ingredients
- 250 g (about 2½ cups) dry elbow macaroni – contains wheat or gluten
- 40 g (about 3 tbsp) butter – contains milk
- 40 g (about ¼ cup) all-purpose flour – contains wheat or gluten
- 500 ml (about 2 cups) milk – contains milk
- 150 g (about 1¼ cups) cheddar cheese, shredded – contains milk
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 1 tomato, sliced, for the top (optional)
Cup measures are approximate – weighing is more accurate. Need a different amount? Use the recipe finder to change the servings.
Equipment
- large saucepan
- medium saucepan
- colander
- balloon whisk
- wooden spoon
- box grater
- liquid measuring cup
- ovenproof dish
- oven mitts
Safety first
- Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, tie back long hair and put on a clean apron.
- Ask about allergies before anyone cooks or tastes. This recipe contains: wheat or gluten, milk.
- Turn pan handles inwards and keep the area around the stove clear.
- Use dry oven mitts for anything that has been in the oven or under the broiler.
Allergens: Wheat (and other grains with gluten), Milk. Some brands may also contain eggs. Always read every label and ask about allergies before anyone cooks or tastes.
Method
- Grate the cheese on the large holes of the grater, keeping your fingers away from the blades.
- Teacher-led: Cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package says, stirring now and then. (8 min)
- Teacher-led: Drain the pasta in a colander in the sink, pouring away from your body.
- Teacher-led: Melt the butter in the medium pan over low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring – this is the roux. (1 min)
- Teacher-led: Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the milk a little at a time. Put it back on medium heat and keep whisking until the sauce boils and thickens. (5 min)
- Take it off the heat, stir in most of the cheese and the pepper, then stir in the pasta.
- Teacher-led: Tip into the dish, top with the rest of the cheese and the tomato slices, and put under a hot broiler until bubbling and golden. Watch it the whole time. (4 min)
What this recipe teaches
Grating safely, Boiling and simmering, Making a sauce (roux), Mixing, Using an oven safely. Steps marked “Adult” are always done by an adult; steps marked “Teacher-led” are done by an adult for primary-age children and closely supervised for older students.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 555 |
|---|---|
| Total fat | 24.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 14 g |
| Sodium | 373 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 61.6 g |
| Dietary fiber | 2.3 g |
| Total sugars | 8.3 g |
| Protein | 22 g |
Worked out from the raw ingredients (optional ones and pinches not counted) using USDA FoodData Central – SR Legacy (SR28, 2018). Brands vary – check labels. Figures for 2% milk (the recipe finder shows the other choices).
MyPlate food groups in this recipe: Grains; Dairy. Learn about MyPlate.
Added sugars and saturated fat are best kept low – enjoy treats less often and in small amounts.
Curriculum links
- FCS 8.2: “Demonstrate food safety and sanitation procedures.”
- FCS 14.3: “Demonstrate ability to acquire, handle, and use foods to meet nutrition and wellness needs of individuals and families across the life span.”
Try the interactive lesson
Step by step: a quick safety check, questions graded by Classfern, timers for each cooking step, then an honest look at how it went – a teacher or parent judges the cooking, and learners rate their own work. Photos of the finished dish stay at home.
Use the code your teacher gave you – never your name. Progress is kept on this device.