Creamy Air Fryer Mac and Cheese
A quick and creamy mac and cheese recipe cooked in the air fryer, perfect for a comforting dinner.
Steps
- 1
In a bowl, mix the dry macaroni with water, heavy cream, shredded cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- 2
Grease the inside of an air fryer-safe dish (about 7 inches in diameter) with nonstick spray. Pour the macaroni mixture into the dish.
- 3
Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F). Place the dish in the basket and cook for 22–25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
- 4
Optional: for a crispy top, sprinkle extra shredded cheese and cook for another 2–4 minutes at 193°C (380°F).
- 5
Serve hot, optionally topped with grated Parmesan.
Shopping list
165g elbow macaroni, 240 ml water, 120 ml heavy cream, 225g shredded Gouda/Colby/cheddar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
Recipe story
The origins of mac and cheese can be traced back to 14th-century Italy, where pasta with cheese was already popular. The recipe was refined in 18th-century France as 'macaroni au gratin', and then brought to America by Thomas Jefferson, who served it at the White House. Since then, it has become a classic American comfort food.
Ingredient Secrets
Black pepper
Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
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