What makes this recipe a “French Style” Macaroni Gratin?

Known in French as “Gratin de Macaronis”, this staple French dish is a winter favorite amongst most families. And like virtually all popular French recipes, many home cooks have their own twists on it – adding vegetables, herbs, and spices. But the most popular version of this recipe is this one, made with a Béchamel sauce, bacon bits (known as “lardons”), Gruyère cheese and topped with breadcrumbs. 

The Béchamel Sauce

The most French detail of this dish is the making of the sauce, consisting of a quick Béchamel – one of the classic French “mother sauces”. Béchamel is a white sauce that begins with a roux (butter and flour), to which milk in whisked in, to create a thicker sauce. It’s incredibly creamy and acts as a great base sauce in many French gratins (ie. Cauliflower Gratin) or to top off Croque-Monsieurs.  

For making a béchamel, I usually use a ratio of 2 cups (500ml) 2% or whole milk for about 50g of butter and about 50g of flour. I sometimes use a little less or a little more flour and butter, if I want the sauce to be lighter or thicker. For this recipe, I choose to use less butter and flour to create a lighter bechamel – since it will then be combined with pasta, bacon and breadcrumbs.

The quick Béchamel is then spiked with nutmeg, Dijon mustard and Gruyère cheese to create a rich sauce with typical French flavor. 

If you’ve never made Béchamel sauce before, don’t fret. It is a simple process. Simply follow the instructions and step-by-step photos for assistance. 

The Pasta: Macaroni

This dish is typically made with macaroni pasta, but you can of course opt for another type of short pasta if you want: penne, rigatoni, fusilli, elbow pasta, etc. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box. And make sure you salt the pasta water generously before adding the pasta in.

You can cook the pasta up to 3 days ahead and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. This is also a great recipe to use up leftover pasta. 

“Lardons” or Bacon Sticks

In France, home-cooks commonly use “lardons” for this recipe. Lardons are pieces of thick, smoked bacon sliced into matchsticks. They can be found in any grocery store in France but are much harder to find in North America. So, to make your own, cut bacon strips into ¼” (0.65cm) thick sticks and cook them slowly over medium heat until they have rendered out most of their fat. But don’t go overboard. You want the “lardons” to be cooked but with a tender bite – not as crisp as store-bought bacon bits.

The Cheese: Gruyère or Emmental

Be sure to use a hard Swiss-made cheese such as Gruyère or Emmental – both of which should bear an AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) seal. This sign on the label shows the cheese was made according to strict government mandated rules and quality standards. In France, Gruyère cheese is very easy to find in all grocery stores, already pre-grated into small packages. In Canada/US, I liked to buy a block of it and grate it myself.

Gruyère and Emmental cheeses are subtly salty with lovely nutty notes. They both melt beautifully and create a rich, creamy sauce for this recipe. They are pricier than cheddar, but really make a big difference for this recipe.

The Breadcrumbs

For the breadcrumbs, I highly recommend you make your own, if you have stale bread on hand. You can simply grate it by hand with a cheese grater or by pulsing it in a food processor. Otherwise, you can opt for store-bought breadcrumbs. Just make sure they are salt-free and with no seasoning. We will be stirring the breadcrumbs with parmesan, so they don’t need extra flavoring, or the dish may end up too salty.

Can I prepare this dish in advance?

Yes. You can cook the pasta up to 3 days ahead and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. You can make the Béchamel sauce in advance, up to 1 day ahead before using it. After making the sauce, transfer it into a bowl and cover it with a plastic film that touches the surface of the sauce, so no skin forms on top. Let it cool completely to room temperature and keep in the fridge until ready to be used. Before using it, re-heat the sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk vigorously until it becomes smooth again.

You can also make the whole dish in advance – a few hours up to the day before. Prepare the dish up until it goes in the oven. Let the dish cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate. Then, preheat your oven to 395°F (200°C) and bake as directed. You will need to bake it a little longer (about 10 minutes additional) since the dish is going cold into the oven. 

How to store this Macaroni Gratin

• In the refrigerator: store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can then reheat it in the microwave or in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350F (180C). 
• I don’t recommend freezing this gratin. 

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French Style Macaroni Gratin

Print Recipe

Serves: 6 people Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 35 Minutes 35 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

250g cooked macaroni pasta
1 ½ tbsp (20g) unsalted butter
2 tbsp (16g) flour 
2 cups (500ml) 2% mf milk
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 cup (100g) grated Gruyère cheese (or Emmental)
5 ounces bacon (5 strips/about 145g), sliced into ¼” (0.65cm) thick matchsticks
2 tbsp (30g) grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp (20g) breadcrumbs
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 395°F (200°C) with a rack in the middle.

Step 1 – Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until a thick paste forms that leaves the edges of the pan clean.

Step 2 - Switch to a whisk, and add the milk slowly, stirring constantly. Bring to a slow boil and keep stirring until the sauce thickens, for about 8-10 minutes. When dunking a large spoon into the sauce and running a finger over the back of the spoon, the streak should remain clean. Turn the heat to low and stir in the black pepper, nutmeg, Dijon mustard and grated Gruyère. Adjust seasoning if needed (salt) and set aside. Turn the heat off.

Step 3 - Add the cooked macaroni, stir to coat evenly and transfer into a large baking dish.

Step 4 - Line a small plate with paper towel. In a frying pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon strips stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Scoop bacon pieces into the prepared plate, lined with paper towel (to absorb excess fat).

Step 5 - In a small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, parmesan and black pepper.

Step 6 - Sprinkle the bacon evenly onto the macaroni dish. Top with the breadcrumb and parmesan mix. 

Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the top looks golden and crispy. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

The post French Style Macaroni Gratin appeared first on Pardon Your French.

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! 

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The post French-Style Mac ‘n Cheese with Peas appeared first on Pardon Your French.