French-Style Mac ‘n Cheese with Peas

Who doesn’t love a creamy, melty and comforting mac n’ cheese? But have you ever had a French-Style Mac n’ Cheese before? If not, you’re in for a treat! 

The foundation of this creamy casserole is a velvety white Béchamel sauce spiked with nutmeg to which we add a hefty amount of crème fraiche for richness and tang, and then Gruyère cheese for sweet, nutty flavors and great cheesy strings. This is a luscious and comforting recipe that’s a staple of French Mountain cooking. 

So what make its “French-Style”?

In comparison to the American version, there are three main components that makes this recipe a French-Style Mac’n Cheese. They are particular to how the sauce is created and you will find these three components in most “French-Style” mac n’ cheeses. 

• Step 1: The Béchamel Sauce. First, the base sauce is a Béchamel sauce – one of the classic French “mother sauces”. Béchamel is a white sauce that begins with a roux (butter and flour), to which warm milk in whisked in, to create a thicker sauce. It’s incredibly creamy and acts as a great base sauce in most French-Style mac n’ cheeses. 
• Step 2: The Crème fraiche. Secondly, crème fraiche is whisked into the Béchamel Sauce. This typical French thickened cream brings a nice tanginess to the sauce while making it even more rich and velvety. 
• Step 3: Gruyère Cheese. Lastly, grated Gruyère cheese is added for finishing the sauce. This Swiss cheese is the perfect mix of sweet and salty, with lovely nutty notes. It melts beautifully and creates a perfectly melty and stringy textured mac n’ cheese. In France, Gruyère cheese is very easy to find in all grocery stores, already pre-grated into small packages. In Canada/US, I like to a buy a block of it and grate it myself. I understand Gruyère cheese is more expensive than a common block of cheddar, but it really makes a big difference to buy a good-quality block of Gruyere for this recipe. Choose a young Gruyère for a mild flavor and an older one for a bolder taste. 

Once this sauce is built, the macaroni is folded in. You can also add your own personal twists like I do, with green peas for pops of sweetness. Other great add-ins to a Mac n’ Cheese are corn, spinach, diced ham, cooked broccoli bites or cooked cauliflower bites. 

To finish, the Mac n’ Cheese is topped with extra cheese and bread crumbs, before baking in the oven until crunchy and golden. 

Cooking notes: 

• Macaroni pasta are naturally recommended for making this Mac N’ Cheese. However, you can substitue for other shapes if you would like. Prefer short-shaped pasta, such as Penne, Rigatoni or Fusili. 
• Using a good-quality Gruyère really makes a big difference. It is a little bit pricey in US/Canada but well worth it! Choose a young Gruyère for a mild flavor and an older one for a bolder taste. 
• Although it wasn’t easy to find up until a few years ago, Crème fraiche has now become common in grocery stores in Canada and the US. You can usually find it next to sour creams. Two of my favorite brands I recommend are Liberte and Maison Riviera.

I hope you’ll love this French-Style Mac N’ Cheese with peas as much as I do! 

You may also like:

• Pork Chops in Grainy Mustard and Mushroom Sauce
• Poitou-Style Braised Beets with Kale
• French Pistou Sauce Pasta

French-Style Mac ‘n Cheese with Peas

Print Recipe

Serves: 6 people Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.2/5

( 10 voted )

Ingredients

250g elbow macaroni pasta
3 cups (750ml) milk (2% or whole)
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp (45g) butter (salted or unsalted)
1/3 cup (40g) all-purpose flour
1 cup ( about 200g) Crème fraiche
2/3 cup (75g) grated Gruyère Cheese
1 cup (150g) frozen peas
2-3 tbsp bread crumbs

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven at 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle. 

Step 1 - Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add the macaroni and cook to al dente (about 2 minutes less than the box indicates the cooking time to be).

Step 2 - While the pasta cooks, pour the milk in a saucepan with salt, grated nutmeg and black pepper. Heat up the saucepan over medium heat to bring to a slow simmer. Watch it closely – milk can boil up quickly. 

As soon as the milk simmers, drain the pasta and add them to the boiling milk along with the frozen peas. Cook for 2 minutes, and drain the pasta and peas over a bowl to reserve the milk. 

Step 3 - Melt butter in an oven-safe pan over medium heat. When the butter is sizzling, mix in the flour with a wooden spoon. Cook for 2-3 minutes, mixing continuously until you get a dry paste (roux). Pour in the warm milk slowly and mix with a whisk until reaching a creamy consistency. Whisk in the crème fraiche and about 2/3 of the grated cheese. Gently fold in the pasta and peas until evenly coated. Cover with the rest of the grated cheese and the breadcrumbs. 

Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden on top. Serve hot. 

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench  and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench.  Bon Appetit! 

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Privacy Policy & Disclosure page for more details.