Vintage Cheddar and Gruyere Mac and Cheese with Polish Kielbasa

5 from 9 votes

Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Cheddar, Gruyere and Polish Kielbasa.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: mac and cheese

Servings:

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.
Cook pasta in a large pot filled with salted water 3-4 minutes less than the package directs.
While pasta is cooking make the cheese sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, blend in flour with a wire whisk. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes while stirring the entire time, then add milk and stir.
Cook the sauce for 5 minutes, it will gradually thicken, continue stirring with a wire whisk to avoid lumps. When the sauce is the desired consistency take it off the heat and stir in both cheeses, reserve a combined 1/4 cup of cheese.
The cheese should melt and completely incorporate into the sauce. Use your wire whisk to ensure the sauce is smooth and lump-free. (Don't walk away from the stove the entire time the cheese sauce is cooking as it can burn quickly and/or will go lumpy if left unattended.)
When your pasta is cooked drain but reserve 1/4 cup of starchy water the pasta was cooking in. Return the drained pasta into the same pot and add pasta water and cheese sauce, gently toss to coat the pasta. It should be quite runny. Mix in sliced kielbasa and transfer to a deep baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. The top should be golden by the end of the cooking time. If the pasta still looks pale at the end of the cooking time set your oven to broil and let the top crisp up for 2-3 minutes.

Almost any short pasta can be used for this recipe, although macaroni is definitely classic.
Do not cook the pasta until it is fully done before combining it with the cheese sauce. It will finish cooking while it bakes.
You will need to pay attention to the cheese sauce while it is on the stove, and stir constantly. Otherwise it can burn or become lumpy.
Grate your own cheese rather than using pre-grated supermarket cheese. Pre-grated cheese is covered in an anti-caking agent which will make your sauce grainy. You will get a smoother sauce by grating your own cheese.
Reserving pasta water is important to add creaminess to pasta recipes. Put a portion aside before draining the pasta to add along with the cream sauce before baking.