Macaroni and cheese began as a Renaissance comfort food—baked pasta layered with butter and Parmesan served in the courts of northern Italy, eventually travelling to England, where it became a sturdy domestic staple. America adopted it with gusto, transforming it into the creamy, homely icon we know today. The dish is now beloved everywhere simply as mac and cheese.
But in the last two decades, mac and cheese has had something of a glow-up. Contemporary menus in London, New York, and Melbourne now treat it as both nostalgia and indulgence: a side dish that swans into main-course territory with aged cheeses, sourdough crumbs, slow-cooked aromatics, and—occasionally—the luxurious drift of truffle.
This version sits squarely in that modern camp. It’s creamy, grown-up, and faintly theatrical. The Gruyère adds depth, the sharp cheddar gives it backbone, and the truffle oil threads through the sauce like a low, perfumed note. The breadcrumb topping brings crunch, contrast, and a bit of swagger.
A dish that started in medieval banquets now appears everywhere—wine bars, gastropubs, steakhouse sides, and winter tasting menus—proof that comfort food, when handled with care, can be both familiar and quietly extravagant.
Ingredients
Pasta & Sauce
- 500 g macaroni
- 62 g butter
- 34 g all-purpose flour
- 6 g salt
- 1 g freshly ground black pepper
- 1 g garlic powder
- 850 ml whole milk
- 535 ml half and half
- 375 g extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
- 290 g Gruyère, shredded
- 15 g white truffle oil
- 55 g freshly shredded Parmesan, divided
Breadcrumb Topping
- 120 g breadcrumbs or panko
- 30 g butter, melted
- 15 g white truffle oil
Method
1. Cook the pasta
Preheat oven to 165°C (325°F).
Cook macaroni to al dente according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. Make the cheese sauce
Melt 62 g butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk in flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour flavour.
Slowly pour in the milk and half and half, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 minute until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat. Stir in the truffle oil, then add the cheddar and Gruyère, folding gently until melted but not overmixed.
3. Combine pasta and sauce
Toss the cooked macaroni with the sauce.
Pour half into a greased 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish.
Sprinkle half the Parmesan on top, add the remaining pasta, and finish with the remaining Parmesan.
4. Prepare the topping
In a skillet, combine panko, melted butter, and truffle oil.
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the crumbs turn golden and fragrant.
Scatter evenly over the pasta.
5. Bake
Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until bubbling around the edges.
Serve warm, preferably with something crisp and green.
Notes
Make Ahead:
Cook pasta and prepare the sauce up to 48 hours ahead. Store separately in the fridge; combine and bake when ready.
Freeze:
Assemble completely (without baking). Cool, wrap well, and freeze for 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
