Jasper Hill-Style Mac & Cheese

A Dig Inn-inspired baked mac & cheese built on a rosemary-nutmeg béchamel with a sharp cheddar and gruyère blend, finished with smoked paprika breadcrumbs. Creamy, savory, and a step above the box.

Why It Works

The béchamel here isn’t just a white sauce — it’s infused with rosemary, garlic, bay leaf, and nutmeg, which gives the whole dish an aromatic backbone that plain cheese sauce never has. This is what makes the Dig Inn version feel “different” without being complicated.

Sharp cheddar provides the bold, familiar mac & cheese flavor. Gruyère melts into a smooth, stretchy sauce and adds a nutty sweetness that rounds out the sharpness. Together at roughly 60/40, they cover both flavor and texture.

The roux is cooked just long enough to kill the raw flour taste (1-2 min) but not so long that it browns — you want a blonde roux that thickens without adding toasty flavor that would compete with the cheese. Adding the milk gradually and whisking constantly is non-negotiable for a lump-free sauce.

The seasoned panko topping — garlic oil, smoked paprika, onion powder — adds crunch and a faint smokiness that plays against the rich, creamy interior. That texture contrast is what separates baked mac from stovetop.

Ingredients

Scales linearly for sauce and pasta. Bake time stays roughly the same — use a larger dish.

• 1 lb (450 g) cavatappi pasta
• 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp (25 g) all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour for the Dig Inn touch)
• 2½ cups (600 ml) whole milk
• 8 oz (225 g) sharp cheddar, grated
• 5 oz (140 g) gruyère, grated
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ tsp nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Seasoned Breadcrumb Topping

• ¾ cup (45 g) panko breadcrumbs
• 1½ tbsp (20 g) butter (melted) or garlic oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced fine
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Infuse the milk. Warm the milk in a small saucepan with the rosemary sprig, smashed garlic, and bay leaf over medium-low heat. Bring to a bare simmer, then kill the heat and let it steep 10-15 minutes. Strain out the solids. This is the flavor base that sets this apart from ordinary mac — don’t skip it.

2. Cook the pasta. Boil the cavatappi in well-salted water until 2 minutes shy of al dente — it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside (a quick rinse with cool water is fine here to stop the cooking).

3. Make the roux. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt 3 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes until it smells faintly nutty but hasn’t browned — you want a blonde roux.

4. Build the béchamel. Slowly pour in the infused milk in three additions, whisking vigorously after each. Once all the milk is in, continue whisking over medium heat until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4-5 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.

5. Melt in the cheese. Remove from heat. Add the cheddar and gruyère in two batches, stirring gently until each addition is fully melted and smooth. Low/no heat is key — adding cheese over high heat makes it seize up and go greasy. The residual heat of the béchamel is enough.

6. Combine. Fold the pasta into the cheese sauce, mixing well so every piece is coated. Pour into a buttered 9x13 baking dish (or cast iron skillet).

7. Make the topping. Toss the panko with melted butter, minced garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, and a pinch of salt. Scatter evenly over the mac.

8. Bake. 375°F for 20-25 minutes covered with foil, then remove foil and broil for 2-3 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden and crispy. Watch it closely under the broil — it goes from golden to burnt fast.

9. Rest. Let it sit 10 minutes before serving. The sauce will thicken and set as it cools slightly, so it holds together on the plate instead of running everywhere.

Variations & Substitutions

• Whole wheat flour in the roux gives a slightly nuttier flavor — closer to Dig Inn’s version. Works 1:1.
• Fontina or low-moisture mozzarella can replace the gruyère if you can’t find it — you lose the nuttiness but keep the melt.
• Cream cheese (1-2 tbsp) stirred into the sauce adds extra silkiness if you want it richer.
• Dried rosemary works if you don’t have fresh — use ½ tsp, add it directly to the milk infusion.
• Dijon mustard (1 tsp) in the béchamel adds a subtle sharpness that amplifies the cheese flavor without tasting “mustardy.”
• The breadcrumb topping is load-bearing — don’t skip it. The smoked paprika crunch is what makes this version.

Notes from Testing

• Not yet tested — wip