This gluten-free mac and cheese recipe is super easy to make and kid approved. Cheesy gluten-free deliciousness!
Prep Time::15 mins
Cook Time::45 mins
Total Time:: 1 hr
Servings::8
Ingredients
10 ounces gluten-free elbow pasta
¼ cup butter
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon mustard powder
4 cups milk
¼ cup cornstarch
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
Topping:
2 gluten-free bread slices, toasted and broken into crumbs (Optional)
1 teaspoon butter, softened (Optional)
½ teaspoon paprika (Optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir salt and mustard powder into melted butter; remove from heat and set aside.
Whisk milk and cornstarch together in a bowl until smooth; stir into butter mixture until well blended. Return saucepan to stove; cook milk mixture, stirring constantly, over medium heat until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.
Stir 3 cups Cheddar cheese into sauce until the heat from sauce melts cheese. Add pasta to cheese sauce and stir well; pour into the prepared baking dish.
Combine remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese, gluten-free bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon butter, and paprika in a bowl; sprinkle over pasta mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven until top is crunchy, about 30 minutes.
Recipe Tips
Gluten-free penne pasta can be used in place of elbow pasta. Any variety of cheese can be used in place of Cheddar cheese, if desired.
You can use your hands or a food processor to break the toast into crumbs for the topping.
If you don't want a crunchy topping, sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese on top of the pasta mixture and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.