For The Best Mac And Cheese Never Skip This Step After Cooking

Macaroni and cheese is often hailed as one of America's favorite comfort foods, and this applies even if you stick with Kraft Mac & Cheese prepared according to the box. Many people, however, like to up the ante by baking the dish (if you don't, you'll miss out on the crispy, crunchy top crust) or by mixing it with other ingredients such as meats, vegetables, and condiments. However you prepare your macaroni and cheese, though, food blogger Yasmin Henley of By The Forkful suggests one additional step: letting it sit for a few minutes before you dig in.

"Resting mac and cheese after cooking makes a real difference to the overall texture of the dish," she said. "That short pause before cutting and serving the mac and cheese lets the starches in the pasta and the proteins in the cheese settle in, so the sauce thickens slightly and clings better instead of feeling overly 'soupy.'" Letting your mac and cheese take a quick rest can also help the flavors meld better, she says, creating a more satisfying dish.

If you're eager to eat your bowl of steaming mac and cheese, Yasmin Henley says resting your dish just five to 10 minutes is enough to let the texture improve. "This will also let it cool down enough to be edible when served, as opposed to dishing up molten hot cheese," she said. If you're making the dish for later, Henley suggests letting it sit a while longer — anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes, or until it stops steaming — before wrapping it up and sticking it in the fridge. "This helps prevent condensation when you cover the dish, which can lead to grainy sauce or ice crystals if freezing," she said.

A short rest may be beneficial, but you can have too much of a good thing. "Mac and cheese can tighten up if it rests too long, especially as it cools — making the mac and cheese a little stodgy," Henley said. If this happens, it's best to reheat it, but you may need to add some extra liquid to loosen it up first. (This will be easier with the stovetop kind than with macaroni and cheese baked casserole-style.) Don't forget the USDA's food safety rule that states all cooked food should be refrigerated within two hours. Mac and cheese can be safely refrigerated for up to four days, or as long as you'd like in the freezer at below-zero temps (though the quality may drop off a bit after three months).