Description
Creamy mac and cheese from TikTok’s viral Tinis recipe promises comfort in every bite. Cheesy pasta layers combine classic ingredients with unexpected twists, delivering a crowd-pleasing dish you’ll crave repeatedly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups (total) cheese mixture:
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 2 cups whole milk (or 475 ml; substitute with heavy cream for extra creaminess)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tsp garlic powder (optional, for added flavor)
- ½ tsp mustard powder (optional, for a hint of tang)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Milk Infusion: Submerge macaroni in milk within a medium saucepan over medium heat, gently stirring to prevent pasta from sticking and allowing the liquid to simmer and pasta to soften progressively.
- Sauce Foundation: Continue cooking until pasta reaches optimal tenderness and milk reduces substantially, creating a thickened base where liquid nearly absorbs completely into the pasta.
- Cheese Integration: Lower heat and introduce cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses directly into the milky pasta mixture, simultaneously adding butter, garlic, and mustard powders to enhance flavor complexity.
- Sauce Refinement: Vigorously whisk ingredients to ensure complete cheese dissolution, developing a velvety, uniform sauce while continuously stirring to prevent scorching and promote even melting.
- Flavor Calibration: Assess the mixture’s seasoning, incorporating salt and pepper to elevate the overall flavor profile and maintain a luxurious, smooth consistency without becoming thick or stringy.
- Presentation: Transfer the creamy mac and cheese into serving bowls, garnishing with fresh chopped parsley to add visual appeal and subtle herbaceous notes.
- Serving: Consume immediately while cheese remains molten and pasta retains optimal temperature and texture, ensuring a delectable culinary experience.
Notes
- Prevent Pasta Sticking: Continuously stir macaroni during milk cooking to avoid bottom adhesion and ensure even heat distribution.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Reduce heat to low when adding cheese, whisking vigorously to create smooth, lump-free sauce without burning.
- Consistency Control: Monitor milk reduction carefully – aim for almost complete absorption to create rich, creamy base without excess liquid.
- Flavor Enhancement: Balance seasoning with salt, pepper, and optional garlic powder to elevate overall taste without overwhelming cheese profile.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 70mg