How to make mac & cheese

Comfort food doesn’t get any better than creamy mac & cheese! Try our take on the classic (RECIPE BELOW) or give it a mouth-watering twist with caramelised onions, meatballs, pulled beef and more.

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Basic mac & cheese
Serves 4 Prep 10 mins Cooking 25 mins

375g macaroni
60g butter
⅓ cup (50g) plain flour
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2½ cups (625g) milk
1 cup (120g) coarsely grated cheddar
½ cup (35g) panko breadcrumbs
½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan
Thyme sprigs, to serve

1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Cook the macaroni in a large saucepan of boiling water following packet directions or until al dente. Drain well.

2 Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mustard. Cook, stirring, for 2 mins or until the mixture bubbles and is grainy. Reduce heat to low. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring, for 5 mins or until the sauce boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Add cheddar. Stir to combine. Season.

3 Stir the macaroni into the sauce. Spoon into a 10-cup (2.5L) ovenproof dish. Combine the breadcrumbs and parmesan in a small bowl. 4 Sprinkle evenly over the macaroni mixture in the dish. Spray with olive oil spray. Bake for 15 mins or until golden. Serve with thyme sprigs.

Pulled beef mac & cheese
Prepare the basic mac & cheese (above), adding ½ x 800g pkt Coles Australian Beef Slow Cooked Brisket with American Style BBQ Sauce, prepared following packet directions, a 400g can kidney beans, rinsed, drained, ½ cup (80g) frozen corn kernels and 1 tbs taco seasoning to macaroni mixture. Omit breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 180°C for 15 mins or until golden. Serve topped with sour cream, drained pickled jalapeños, chopped cherry tomatoes and coriander sprigs.

Cheesy salmon & leek mac & cheese
Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook 1 thinly sliced leek for 5 mins or until soft. Stir in 1 cup (120g) frozen peas. Remove from heat. Prepare basic mac & cheese (above), swapping macaroni for farfalle, reducing cheddar to ½ cup (60g) and adding leek mixture to pasta mixture with a coarsely flaked 185g pkt Coles Tasmanian Hot Smoked Salmon and 150g chopped Coles Deli Castello White Cheese. Omit breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 180°C for 15 mins or until golden.

Meatball mac & cheese
Cook a 560g pkt Coles Australian Beef & Pork Meatballs following packet directions or until browned all over. Add a 400g jar tomato pasta sauce with basil. Cook for 5 mins or until sauce thickens. Prepare basic mac & cheese (above) in a 12-cup (3L) ovenproof dish, layering meatball mixture with macaroni mixture before topping with breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 180°C for 15 mins or until golden. Serve sprinkled with basil leaves.

Bacon mac & cheese
Cook 4 finely chopped streaky bacon rashers in a frying pan over medium heat for 5 mins or until golden brown. Prepare the Basic Mac & Cheese (above), adding the bacon to the macaroni mixture with 2 thinly sliced spring onions. Bake at 180°C for 15 mins or until golden.

Balsamic onion mac & cheese
Melt 20g butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook 2 thinly sliced brown onions, 4 finely chopped bacon rashers and 1 crushed garlic clove, stirring, for 15 mins or until onion softens. Add 1 tbs brown sugar and 1 tbs balsamic vinegar. Cook, stirring, for 5 mins or until mixture caramelises. Season. Make Basic Mac & Cheese (above), folding onion mixture into macaroni mixture. Omit breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 180°C for 15 mins or until golden. Serve sprinkled with flat-leaf parsley leaves.

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