Mac & Cheese Redditors say it’s “the best I’ve ever had”

Over the course of my life, I went from the boxed macaroni and cheese of my childhood to trying all kinds of homemade macaroni and cheese recipes. Most sauces included béchamel sauce and varying levels of sharp cheddar cheese, but we also tried some fancy versions with additions like truffles and lobster.

So when I heard that Reddit macaroni and cheese recipes It’s been upvoted nearly 3,000 times, so I thought I had to give it a try.

The “secret” ingredient in Reddit’s famous mac & cheese

The recipe, found in an unnamed cookbook, is suspiciously simple. Just boil some elbow pasta, mix in some seasonings, layer the pasta in a baking dish with the seasonings and cheese, and then bake.

However, there’s one “secret” ingredient you’ve never seen in a macaroni and cheese recipe. Mushroom condensed cream soup. The moment I saw it, I was sucked in. Here in Minnesota, we have a noodle casserole with cream of mushroom soup called “Hot Dish.” In short, this macaroni and cheese has taken over the hot dish page with its magical ingredients.

Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup is a miracle of engineering, a rich, creamy, unbreakable sauce that magically melds together when baked with other ingredients. It’s also full of flavor from the meat, or in this case from the mushrooms. For non-mushroom lovers, Reddit users recommend drinking cheddar cheese soup.

This mac has another notable ingredient that the cookbook’s original owner scrawled next to the recipe. It’s “pickoning” cheese. Pinconning is a city in Michigan where a variety of Colbys are made that the cookbook owner must have loved. I used medium Colby as recommended by many Reddit users. I deviated a bit from the recipe and instead of dicing the cheese, I cut it into strips.

How to make macaroni and cheese on Reddit

• 1 package (6 oz) of 7-minute macaroni
• 1 can (10.5 or 11 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon grated onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash of ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound American cheese, cubed (or use Pickoning cheese or Mild Colby)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Boil the macaroni in boiling salted water. Drain and rinse. Combine mushroom soup, milk, onion, salt, and pepper.

Alternate layers of macaroni, soup mixture, and cheese in a greased 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes. Makes 6 servings. It couldn’t be simpler.

verdict

This mac and cheese is delicious. The soup and cheese are salty enough, so I recommend skipping the salt, but the mushroom soup makes this mac more flavorful than those made with milk-based sauces.

My husband doesn’t like mushrooms, but he enjoyed this dish as there were only a few mushrooms and the sauce was very cheesy. The chef in me wants to add breadcrumb toppings and veggies, but the point of this recipe is to have the most cost-effective, minimal ingredient list. It will be a success and will rock your next potluck.