I made Ina Garten’s ‘grown up’ mac and cheese. It’s an easy Thanksgiving side dish that everyone will love.

To make Garten’s “grown up” mac and cheese for four, you’ll need:

4 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi4 slices white sandwich bread8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated6 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated4 ounces blue cheese, crumbed (Garten recommends Roquefort)8 ounces thick-sliced bacon3 cups milk4 tablespoons all-purpose flour4 tablespoons unsalted butter4 tablespoons freshly-chopped basil leaves½ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepperPinch of nutmeg

I arranged my bacon on a sheet pan in one layer. Garten recommends placing a baking rack over the sheet pan, but I didn’t have one, so I just lined mine with aluminum foil to avoid making a greasy mess.

I cooked my bacon for 15 minutes, until the strips turned crisp, then transferred them to a plate lined with a paper towel.

I sliced the crusts off my sandwich bread, cut each slice into smaller pieces, and roughly chopped my basil.

Then, I threw my pasta into a large pot of boiling salted water, letting it cook for around six minutes. I opted for cavatappi over elbow macaroni because I believe it’s better at carrying the ooey gooey sauce of a great mac and cheese.

Once my noodles were al dente, I drained the pasta and set it aside.

If you’re making this for Thanksgiving, just recruit some family members to help!

After a few pulses, my breadcrumbs were ready!

Garten kept her bacon pieces pretty chunky while demonstrating this recipe on an episode of “Barefoot Contessa,” so I did the same.

I heated the milk in a small saucepan, making sure not to boil it.

I added the butter to a pot set over medium-low heat.

I stirred the butter and flour together over low heat for two minutes.

“This cooked butter and flour is going to act as a thickener for the sauce,” Garten explained during the episode.

Garten says you should cook the sauce for about one or two more minutes, until it’s thickened and looks smooth.

“It’s not incredibly thick, but what it does is it just coats the spoon,” she added.

Garten recommends adding one teaspoon of salt, some freshly-ground black pepper, and the nutmeg.

“It’s a really classic spice that’s used in gratins,” Garten says in the episode. “You won’t know it’s there, but it’ll make everything taste better.”

I gave everything a good stir as a delicious cheesy scent filled my kitchen.

Garten used individual gratin dishes while making this on “Barefoot Contessa” since she was only making it for herself and Jeffrey. Since I doubled the recipe to make dinner for my family, I used a 12-inch casserole dish, which was the perfect size.

I didn’t end up using all of the breadcrumbs because I had already fully covered the top, but my family later said they wished there had been more — so I recommend using every last crumb!

If you’re planning to make Garten’s “grown up” mac and cheese the day before, just throw your dish into the fridge overnight and bake it right before you want to serve it.

While reading reviews of Garten’s recipe on the Food Network’s website, I saw that many people said their mac and cheese had turned dry after baking it for the recommended amount of time. Many people recommended baking the pasta for 25 minutes or less.

I checked my mac and cheese at the 20-minute mark and saw the breadcrumbs were already starting to brown. At the 25-minute mark, they were beautifully golden, so I took my dish out of the oven.

The moral of the story? Not all ovens are made equal, so check your mac and cheese as you go.

The sound from the bubbling sauce was so satisfying I couldn’t resist taking a few videos of it.

My family watched with excitement as I dug my spoon through the breadcrumbs and pulled up a scoop of ooey gooey noodles. Dinner couldn’t come soon enough!

My parents and sister were huge fans of Garten’s mac and cheese. The texture is velvety rather than cloying, and I loved the balance of flavor between the Gruyere, cheddar, and blue cheeses. The Roquefort adds a bit of tang, so if you’re making this for someone who really dislikes blue cheese, maybe only do half so you’re still getting the depth it adds. But, personally, I’m not a huge blue cheese fan, and I didn’t find it overpowering.

I also loved how the smoky bacon cut through the cheesiness — I’d even recommend throwing in an extra slice or two. The crunchy breadcrumbs on top were also a huge hit, adding a lovely contrast to the creamy noodles underneath (definitely don’t skimp on them).

I think the flavors of Garten’s mac and cheese are perfect for a holiday side and would pair well with turkey. We also enjoyed eating it as a main course for dinner.

If you’re looking for a great traditional Thanksgiving dish with a twist, Garten’s “grown up” mac and cheese is a great pick.