Ree Drummond's Secret for the Best Macaroni and Cheese

Cheese is not the superstar ingredient in macaroni and cheese if you ask Ree Drummond. Mustard powder is.

According to Drummond, the humble spice rack staple is a veritable blessing when it comes to elevating the flavor of your go-to mac and cheese recipe. So what does the Drummond love about ground mustard? "I love this ingredient in macaroni [and] cheese. It provides a tangy sharpness without injecting a definable flavor," she writes in a blog post sharing her much-loved mac and cheese recipe on the Pioneer Woman Blog, back in 2009.

Fast forward to 2018, and the recipe has received an average of 4.5 stars on FoodNetwork.com with comments praising the dish as "[one] of the best mac and cheese recipes I've ever made" and noting that "[this] is the BEST mac n cheese ever!! I was skeptical of the dry mustard at first, but I can't imagine it without it." If heat and spice aren't for you, it's worth noting that you may want to consider swapping Drummond's recommended two teaspoons of mustard powder for only one, or even a half teaspoon.

Thanks for the tip, Mrs. Drummond. Now, go forth and check out these delicious Pioneer Woman recipes that will save dinnertime.

For more mac-and-cheese inspiration, we've got you covered and cheddar-smothered with this classic baked macaroni and cheese recipe.