Ina Garten's overnight mac and cheese is perfect for a ‘bubbly and delicious’ cheesy meal

There is nothing better than mac and cheese for dinner, especially during the colder seasons when you are looking for a cheap and cheerful recipe to warm yourself up after a long day. 

The only thing better than homemade mac and cheese is a quick yet delicious recipe which is prepared the night before. 

Not only will this save you time the next day, but it means you have something cheesy and comforting to look forward to later on in the day. 

This recipe was developed by Food Network cook Ina Garten, who said this” bubbly and delicious” mac-in-cheese is best made 24 hours before eating. 

In a video online, Ina said: “It’s mac and cheese but better." 

READ MORE: Guy Fieri's 'absolutely delicious' fried chicken with dill salt recipe

How to make Ina Garten’s overnight mac and cheese

Ingredients

• Eight ounces of elbow macaroni pasta
• Three cups of heavy cream
• Two cups of grated Gruyere cheese
• One cup of grated white cheddar cheese 
• One and a half cups of white bread crumbs (around five pieces of white bread) 
• Two tablespoons of melted butter plus extra for greasing
• Quarter tablespoon of ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

Kitchen equipment

• Large pot
• 10-inch medium bowl 
• Two-quart gratin dish
• Plastic wrap

Instructions

To begin, make your pasta. Bring a large pot of water to the stove and bring to a boil. Add two tablespoons of salt as well as your pasta. Let it cook for around four minutes and then drain the pasta and set it aside. 

Then combine one cup of Gruyere cheese, half a cup of cheddar cheese, cream, two tablespoons of salt, one tablespoon of pepper, and nutmeg into a medium bowl. 

Stir the ingredients together until you have a creamy mixture. Once the pasta is cooked, combine it with the sauce and stir it in. 

Once ready, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate your mac and cheese for 24 hours. According to Ina Garden, the pasta will absorb the creamy sauce and expand, giving you pasta full of flavour. 

The next day when you are ready to cook, take the bowl out of the fridge. Leave it on a countertop for one hour to allow it to rest and get to room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 400F.  Grease your gratin dish with butter and then pour your mixture into it, and use a spoon to spread it evenly. 

Combine your remaining one cup of Gruyere cheese, half a cup of cheddar cheese and sprinkle it on top of the mac and cheese. 

Now it is time to add your breadcrumbs. Combine two tablespoons of butter with the breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top. 

In order to make fresh breadcrumbs, remove the crusts from five slices of white bread and place them in a food processor. Let them be sliced in the food processor until you have fine breadcrumbs. 

Bake your mac in cheese for around 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden brown. 

Your cheesy and comforting mac and cheese is then ready to take out of the oven and serve.