It’s not easy for a recipe to take hold on TikTok these days. So rarely does another dalgona coffee or feta pasta come our way.
That changed when “Next Level Chef” star Tineke “Tini” Younger shared her mac and cheese recipe.
Younger originally posted the video for Thanksgiving in November 2023, and the recipe — which seems to rack up more than 100 million views every time it’s shared — became an instant hit.
Tini’s recipe is now a holiday favorite, but I always crave mac and cheese on Super Bowl Sunday.
Here’s how to make it.
Tineke “Tini” Younger’s mac and cheese recipe features twists on the traditional ingredients.
To make Tini’s mac and cheese at home, you’ll need:
- 1 pound of cavatappi pasta
- 16 ounces of mozzarella cheese, grated
- 16 ounces of colby jack cheese, grated
- 8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 12-ounce can of evaporated milk
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons of butter
- 3 tablespoons of flour
- 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of pepper
First, I cooked my pasta.
In her TikTok video, Younger said she opts for cavatappi noodles because their shape holds the cheese sauce better than elbow pasta.
“All that cream gets all in the hole, so you bite into the cream and the cheesiness,” she said.
Once my pasta was al dente, I drained the pot and set it aside while I started the sauce.
Then I turned on my oven and began prepping the cheeses.
I preheated the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and greased my baking dish (Younger recommends using a 9-inch by 13-inch pan) before I started grating all the cheese.
The recipe includes 2 ½ pounds of cheese, and Younger is adamant that you shred it yourself.
“Do not use pre-shredded cheese at all,” she says in the TikTok.
Next, I tossed all the cheeses together.
After giving everything a good mix, I divided half of the cheese to use for the sauce.
I also prepped my seasoning mix.
I threw my garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper into a small bowl so it’d be ready for the roux.
It was time to get cooking.
First, I melted my butter in a large pan over medium heat.
Once the butter had melted, I added half the seasoning mix.
I started stirring as I added the flour. Younger said you should try to cook out all the flour, so I kept stirring for a few minutes.
I added the can of evaporated milk.
Younger said you should start whisking right after adding the milk to avoid clumps in your roux. This is also when your sauce should begin to thicken.
I also added the heavy cream and the rest of my seasoning.
My roux was ready!
I slowly began adding all my cheese.
Younger said you should let each handful of cheese melt before adding more.
Once all the cheese had melted, I threw in the pasta.
I made sure to give the pot a big mix so all the noodles were coated with the delicious-smelling cheese sauce.
Then I began building my mac and cheese pan.
I added half of my cheesy cavatappi to the pan, spreading the noodles into an even layer.
I added half of my cheese mixture on top, then repeated the steps before throwing my pan into the oven.
I baked my mac and cheese for 25 minutes, until the cheese had melted and began to bubble. Then I threw the pan on broil for two minutes to help give the top a beautiful golden crust.
My mac and cheese got everyone talking at a potluck.
I made two pans of Younger’s mac and cheese (one with breadcrumbs and one without) for my friend’s NFL playoffs potluck, and it was one of the most popular dishes of the day.
The cavatappi noodles were the perfect vehicle for the thick and creamy cheese sauce, giving each bite an explosion of flavor. I far preferred them to the traditional elbow noodles, and I think Younger’s mac and cheese convinced everyone that cavatappi is the superior shape.
The cheese sauce was rich, indulgent, and delicious, and the Dijon mustard added a nice subtle tang. Our group was split 50/50 on whether the mac and cheese tasted better with breadcrumbs, so just stick to your personal preference.
If you’re looking for a Super Bowl side to steal the spotlight, Younger’s mac and cheese is the ultimate touchdown.
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