I wouldn’t recommend making this ahead of time, as the pasta absorbs the sauce when left to sit, meaning it would be dry rather than the sauce laden macaroni cheese you want!
However, you can cook the pasta up to 2 days ahead and then store, covered, in the fridge. You can also make the sweetcorn and cheese sauce up to 2 days ahead and keep, covered, in the fridge. When ready to make the macaroni and cheese, heat the sauce over a gentle heat thinning with a splash of milk if it seems too thick, then stir into the macaroni pasta, top with grated cheese and cook as per the recipe.
Baked Macaroni Cheese
This baked mac and cheese with corn is made with a handful of fridge and pantry staples. This easy family friendly budget dinner is on the table in 30 minutes - and is loved by picky eaters too!
Equipment
- You will need a lightly greased ovenproof dish with a 2-2.5 litre / 8-10 cup capacity.
Ingredients
- 200g (7 oz) macaroni pasta ($0.40 /£0.34p)
- 45g (3 tablespoons) butter ($0.59 /£0.32p)
- 45g (¼ c) plain flour ($0.06 /£0.03p)
- 750ml (3⅛ c ) milk ($1.09 /£0.48p)
- 240g (8½ oz) sweetcorn, tinned or frozen, defrosted ($0.68 /£0.33p)
- 150g (5oz) cheddar / tasty cheese, grated ($1.95 /£0.77p)
- 50g (1½ oz) cheddar / tasty cheese, grated, for the top ($0.65 /£0.26p)
- freshly ground black pepper ($0.02 / £0.01)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan / 200˚C / 360 ˚F convection / 392˚F.
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil then add the pasta. Cook according to the packet instructions, minus 1 minute.
Meanwhile, Make the Cheese Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan melt the butter over a medium heat and then stir in the flour.
- Cook for 1 minute over a medium heat, then add a little of the milk.
- Stir vigorously to combine, and when the milk is incorporated, add a little more milk.
- When you have added half the milk, use a balloon whisk to whisk in the rest of the milk.
- Turn the heat down to low and let the sauce cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time to prevent it from catching on the bottom of the saucepan. This is to take the raw taste out of the flour.
- Take the sauce off the heat and add 150g (5 oz) grated cheddar cheese. Season with black pepper.
- Using a stick blender, blend the sweetcorn to a smooth puree. It can take a few minutes to get it silky smooth. (This is optional - if you prefer whole corn kernels in your pasta bake and are not making it for baby led weaning you can leave out this step.)
- Fold the sweetcorn puree / corn kernels into the cheese sauce. If the sauce is too thick then add 1-2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water.
- Drain the pasta and pour the cheese and corn sauce over and mix well to combine.
- Pour into a 2-2.5 litre / 8-10 cup capacity oven proof baking dish.
- Sprinkle over the remaining 50g (1.5 oz) grated cheese and place in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
- It will thicken as it cools. I don't recommend freezing this mac and cheese.
Notes
Estimated costs: Australia $5.44. Per serve = $1.36
UK £2.54. Per serve = £0.64p
America - I am yet to calculate the estimated ingredients costs to make this recipe in the US. If you would find it useful please let me know and I'll get calculating :)
Tips for reducing costs further:
Use margarine instead of butter. Pasta - If you don't have macaroni pasta, use the same weight of whatever pasta shapes you have to hand. I often make this pasta bake with penne and pasta spirals. Plain flour – all purpose flour. Butter – or you can also substitute butter for margarine. Milk – I like to use full fat or full cream milk as I think it makes for a richer mac n cheese, however if you have half fat milk that will be fine to use. Cheese – block cheddar cheese or tasty cheese. I prefer to grate it myself, but you can also use ready grated cheese if you prefer. Sweetcorn – tinned / canned sweetcorn or frozen corn. If the sauce is too thick then add 1-2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Make Ahead:
Use margarine instead of butter. Pasta - If you don't have macaroni pasta, use the same weight of whatever pasta shapes you have to hand. I often make this pasta bake with penne and pasta spirals. Plain flour – all purpose flour. Butter – or you can also substitute butter for margarine. Milk – I like to use full fat or full cream milk as I think it makes for a richer mac n cheese, however if you have half fat milk that will be fine to use. Cheese – block cheddar cheese or tasty cheese. I prefer to grate it myself, but you can also use ready grated cheese if you prefer. Sweetcorn – tinned / canned sweetcorn or frozen corn. If the sauce is too thick then add 1-2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Make Ahead:
Nutrition
Calories: 679kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 28gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 485mgPotassium: 617mgFiber: 3gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 1208IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 607mgIron: 2mg
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