Additional Coverage:
- I tried Ina Garten’s easy overnight mac and cheese. It’s one of the best dishes I’ve ever made for Thanksgiving. (businessinsider.com)
Local Foodie Discovers the Secret to Stress-Free, Crowd-Pleasing Mac and Cheese
Our resident culinary enthusiast recently put Ina Garten’s “overnight” mac and cheese recipe to the test, and the results are in: it’s a game-changer for holiday entertaining and beyond.
Inspired by the “Barefoot Contessa” star’s reputation for comforting and foolproof dishes, our reporter embarked on a Friendsgiving culinary adventure, aiming to create a pasta dish that would stand out among a festive spread. And stand out it did!
Garten’s overnight mac and cheese, featured in her latest cookbook “Go-To Dinners,” promises to be “the creamiest, crustiest, most delicious mac and cheese” she’s ever made, and it lives up to the hype. The true genius of this recipe lies in its make-ahead nature, allowing for minimal fuss on the day of your gathering.
The Simple Ingredients You’ll Need (for four servings):
- 8 ounces cavatappi or elbow macaroni
- 3 cups heavy cream (though our reporter found 4 cups worked just as well for a double batch!)
- 2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
- 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups fine fresh white breadcrumbs (store-bought is perfectly fine, according to Ina herself!)
- Salt and pepper to taste
The Overnight Advantage:
The beauty of this dish is its simplicity and the ability to prepare the bulk of it a day in advance. The process involves a brief boil of the pasta, grating the cheeses, and then combining the partially cooked pasta with a luxurious sauce made from heavy cream, Gruyère, white cheddar, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. This mixture then chills overnight, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully.
On the day of the event, it’s just a quick assembly: butter a baking dish, add the cheesy pasta mixture, top with more cheese and breadcrumbs (tossed with melted butter if you’re feeling extra fancy), and bake for a mere 25 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
A Friendsgiving Favorite:
At our reporter’s Friendsgiving celebration, where the table groaned under the weight of corn bread, mashed potatoes, brisket, roast chicken, and even a “wild” Thanksgiving cake, the overnight mac and cheese reigned supreme. Guests raved about its “exceptionally creamy” texture and the delightful crunch of the breadcrumb crust. One friend even described it as “a hug in your mouth.”
This recipe is not just for holidays. Its convenient make-ahead nature makes it ideal for dinner parties, potlucks, or even a comforting weeknight meal when you’re short on time but craving something truly satisfying. Our reporter confesses to enjoying the leftovers cold the next day – a testament to its undeniable deliciousness.
So, if you’re looking for a cheesy, comforting pasta dish that delivers big on flavor with minimal last-minute stress, Ina Garten’s overnight mac and cheese is definitely worth adding to your culinary repertoire.