Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Cavatappi or Large Elbow Macaroni
  • 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter
  • 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
  • 3 cups Whole Milk, room temperature
  • 3 cups Extra Sharp White Cheddar, freshly grated
  • 1 cup Gruyère, freshly grated
  • 3 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 tsp Dry Mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp Melted Butter
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tbsp Salt for pasta water
  • Fine Sea Salt to taste
  • Cracked Black Pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Boil the pasta in heavily salted water, cooking it 2 minutes less than the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside without rinsing.
  2. In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes until it smells nutty and reaches a pale sand color.
  3. Slowly pour in the room temperature milk while whisking constantly. Continue to cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  4. Remove the pot from the heat. Whisk in the nutritional yeast, dry mustard, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper.
  5. Gradually add the freshly grated cheddar and Gruyère to the sauce, whisking until the cheese is completely melted and the emulsion is smooth.
  6. Fold the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce until every piece is coated. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  7. In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, and garlic powder. Sprinkle evenly over the mac and cheese.
  8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.