Gluten Free Mac and Cheese is just the comfort casserole you’re craving. This gluten free version will really make you smile.
Comfort food is called comfort food for a reason. For me gluten free mac and cheese is one of my favorites. I have a recipe that I absolutely love for gluten free one-pot, no-drain macaroni and cheese, but sometimes I just really want creamy cheesy noodles with crispy buttered breadcrumbs on top.
When I was about 8, I had an auto-immune illness that had me sick for several months. I still remember that moment when I finally felt good enough to eat. Of course I went right to my favorite comfort foods!
One of the first things that sounded good to me was macaroni with my mom’s homemade cheese sauce. I remember eating those "cheesy noodles", as we call them in our home now. Nothing beat finally feeling like a kid again! I remember I was running around and playing with my siblings as I left the dinner table after finishing a plate of homemade mac and cheese. One of my favorite memories!
My mom’s homemade cheese sauce is super easy to make, and it is even better when you load the sauce and noodles into a casserole dish and top them with toasted breadcrumbs, butter, and of course MORE cheese.
Something else that I love about this gluten free baked macaroni and cheese is that you can really add whatever cheese is your favorite. Usually I use straight up cheddar, with maybe a little Monterrey Jack to make it a bit more gooey. You can even add a bit of cream cheese!
Just make sure whatever cheese you add is grated (or cut into small cubes if it is too soft to grate) and turn off the stove before you add it. Just let the residual heat in the sauce gently melt the cheese. Adding the cheese this way helps to prevent it from curdling, separating, or doing any manner of funky stuff. The cheese also melts better if you grate it yourself, then it isn’t covered in that anti-caking powdery stuff which can cause aforementioned funky stuff to happen.
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Gluten Free Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Gluten Free Elbow Macaroni
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 3/8 cup Gluten Free Rice Flour Or gluten free rice based AP blend without xanthan gum
- 4 cups Milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- Salt and Pepper To taste
- 3 cups Grated Cheese About 9 ounces
- 3/4 cup Gluten Free Breadcrumbs Homemade or store-bought
- 3 tablespoons Butter
Instructions
- Cook the gluten-free elbow macaroni according to the package directions, to al dente.
- In a heavy bottomed saucepan melt the 1/2 cup butter and whisk in the flour. Continue to cook, while stirring, until the flour turns a nice golden brown. About 8-10 minutes.
- While whisking, stir in the milk. Add the mustard and season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to heat stir until the sauce is thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups of cheese. Stir until melted.
- Lightly grease a casserole dish and spoon the noodles and cheese into it.
- Sprinkle the top with the seasoned breadcrumbs, drizzle with the melted butter, and top with the remaining 1 cup of grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crumbs are crispy.