Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

If you want completely smooth, pourable cheese sauce that resembles the texture of the boxed stuff, give this “modern” mac and cheese recipe a try. (But this classic version, with lots of stretch and extra cheese, is delicious, too.)

This version calls for sodium citrate, an ingredient that's been in the modernist pantry for many years now, but has yet to break into the mainstream home cook's arsenal. There's nothing new about this particular salt—you can find it in many foods and drinks you already eat. Not only is it a common ingredient in club soda, but, more importantly for us, it's how processed American cheese, with its superior melting abilities, is made.

We've long avoided using sodium citrate in our recipes here at Serious Eats, because it's not readily available at most food stores. But now, thanks to the ease of ordering online, a supply of food-grade sodium citrate is only a mouse click away. I really don't see any reason not to recommend it now.

The great thing about sodium citrate is that you can turn any cheese into a gooey, Velveeta-like melter. Gouda, Gruyère, Fontina, extra-sharp cheddar, you name it: Grate those cheeses and whisk them into a solution of sodium citrate and water (you could also use milk, but I used water because it's always available, and the sauce comes out just fine), and they transform into a perfectly pourable, totally smooth cheese sauce. It couldn't be easier.

Start by heating water in a saucepan, then whisk in sodium citrate until it's fully dissolved.

Next, blend in the grated cheese—I used sharp cheddar here—with a whisk or immersion blender, allowing it to melt into the solution as you go. If you have any trouble with it breaking, an immersion blender is your best bet for pulling it back together.

The result is a totally smooth, totally pourable cheese sauce made from your cheese of choice. I season the sauce with classic baked mac and cheese flavorings, like hot sauce and mustard powder, but I also add some powdered garlic, which gives it more depth and, dare I say, sophistication. (I add these flavorings to my béchamel version as well.)

After folding this sauce with the pasta, I fold in an additional half pound of grated Gruyère, for those tiny bits of stretchy melted cheese.

The result is an even gooier, creamier sauce that's more in line with the texture of the boxed stuff, but it still has those elastic strands that pull and stretch when you lift a scoop. If I had to pick a favorite, it might still be the béchamel version, because that's the one that speaks to my childhood memories the most. If you're unsure which one is right for you...well, then I guess you'll just have to make the tremendous sacrifice of trying both.