Macaroni & cheese is a staple for so many holiday tables. This uses my favorite gluten-free pasta so everyone around the table can enjoy (and people who can eat gluten will love it, too). I used a mix of cheddar and gruyère for it, and my youngest said it was too sharp. If you want a more kid-friendly blend, feel free to add in some American instead. No matter what kind of cheese you use, it’s important to grate it by hand (and not buy pre-shredded cheese). It melts so much better.
Ingredients
16 ounces gluten-free brown rice elbow pasta
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup corn starch
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 - 8 oz. blocks sharp cheddar cheese
2 - 8 oz. blocks Gruyère cheese
½ teaspoon salt
A few turns black pepper
2 oz. bag potato chips
A handful corn chips
½ cup freshly gratedParmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Boil a large pot of water and season with salt. Cook the macaroni until al dente, 12-14 minutes. Drain and transfer to a 9 x 9 square baking dish with a glug of olive oil so it doesn’t stick.
Place the pot back on the stove over medium heat and melt the butter. Stir in the cornstarch and whisk to combine. Continue whisking until the mixture bubbles. Let bubble for 1 minute over medium heat, then stir in the milk and heavy cream and bring to a boil.
While the milk cooks, shred the cheddar and Gruyère.
Season the milk with ½ teaspoon salt and a few turns of black pepper. Add half of the shredded cheese and stir so it starts to melt.
Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir so everything gets coated. Tuck the rest of the cheese into the pasta so all the nooks and crannies are filled.
Crush the potato chips and corn chips and top the macaroni with the crunchy mixture. Add the parmesan cheese on top.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Serve immediately or cover and freeze. If you freeze it, defrost it overnight and bake before serving to warm it up.
