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18th century American macaroni and cheese

05.28.2021 (Updated: 04.08.2022) in Side Dishes, Snacks

When macaroni and cheese landed in America, Bechamel sauce wasn’t part of it. The dish consisted of layers of butter, pasta and cheese, and nothing more. Simple. Pure.

Scooping baked mac and cheese from baking bowl

This was how mac ‘n’ cheese was cooked in America in the 18th century, as relived in Netflix’s High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America and, later, as documented in the 1824 cookbook The Virginia Housewife.

Cooking macaroni in milk

The noodles are cooked in a mixture of milk and water with salt added.

Layering butter, macaroni in baking bowl

The baking dish is lined with shaved butter and a third of the cooked macaroni is spread on top of the butter.

Layering butter, macaroni and shredded cheese in baking bowl

More butter is dropped on top of the noodles before the first layer of cheese goes in.

Mac and cheese before baking

Then, the process is repeated. Butter, noodles, butter, cheese. And repeated one last time.

Butter melting on top of newly baked mac and cheese

The baking dish goes into the oven just long enough to melt the butter and cheese, and the top is lightly browned. Dollops of butter are dropped on the hot noodles before serving.

Mac and cheese on black plate
18th century American macaroni and cheese
Connie Veneracion
Butter, macaroni (cooked in milk) and shredded cheese are arranged in layers multiple times in an oven-safe bowl before baking in a preheated oven. As the butter melts, it moistens and flavors the noodles. As the cheese melts, the top layer brows and forms a light crust. Oh, it's lovely!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups full-fat milk
  • 150 grams macaroni
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 7 tablespoons salted butter chilled (plus more to garnish)
  • 150 grams shredded cheese (cheddar is used here)

Instructions
 

  • In a pot, heat the milk with three cups of water and about a teaspoon of salt.
  • When boiling, stir in the macaroni and cook until fully done, about 15 minutes.
  • Drain the macaroni and set aside (see notes after the recipe).
  • Preheat the oven (top and botton heat) to 375F.
  • Shave the butter and spread a tablespoon on the bottom of an oven-safe bowl.
  • Pile a third of the cooked macaroni on top of the butter.
  • Spread two tablespoons of shaved butter on top of the macaroni followed by a third of the shredded cheese.
  • Repeat the layering until all the butter, macaroni and cheese are in the bowl.
  • Bake in a preheated 375F oven until the cheese melts and the top is lightly browned.
  • Take the mac and cheese out of the oven and drop dollops of butter on top. Let the butter melt before serving.

Notes

You don’t need to throw away the milk-water mixture in which the macaroni was cooked. You may add it to soup.
 
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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, the blog owner earns commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

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Connie Veneracion, 2020

Hi, I’m Connie!

Home cook and writer by passion, photographer by necessity, and good food, coffee and wine lover forever. I write recipes, cooking tips and food stories. No AI is used in creating content for this blog.

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