Ina Garten's Overnight Mac and Cheese Recipe

Step 1

A day before you plan to serve, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and the pasta and cook for 4 minutes (it will be undercooked). Drain (don’t rinse) and set aside.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a medium (10-inch) bowl, combine the cream, 1½ cups of the Gruyère, 3/4 cup of the cheddar, the nutmeg, 1 tablespoon salt and 1½ teaspoons pepper. Stir the hot pasta into the cream mixture, cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate for 24 hours. The pasta will absorb the cream and expand.

Step 3

When ready to bake, allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for about one hour. (You can also microwave it for 4 minutes.) Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Step 4

Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Stir the pasta mixture well, transfer it to the dish, and spread it evenly. Combine the remaining 1½ cups Gruyère and 3/4 cup cheddar and sprinkle evenly on top. Combine the breadcrumbs and the 3 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle evenly over the cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown. Serve hot.

Step 5

Reprinted with permission from " Go-To Dinners." Copyright © 2022 by Ina Garten. Photographs copyright © 2022 by Quentin Bacon. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House.