Baked Mac and Cheese
This is not your average mac and cheese. This is THE mac and cheese – the one with the impossibly creamy three-cheese sauce and that shatteringly crispy breadcrumb topping. Every bite is pure, unadulterated comfort. Once you make this, you'll never go back to the boxed stuff.
📝 Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk, warmed
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Topping: 1 cup panko + 2 tbsp melted butter + 2 tbsp parmesan
👨🍳 Instructions
1
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cook pasta 1 minute less than package directions – it will finish cooking in the oven.
2
Make the roux: Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until it smells nutty and turns slightly golden.
3
Slowly pour in warm milk while whisking constantly. This prevents lumps! Continue whisking until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes.
4
Remove from heat. Stir in the mustard powder and cayenne. Add all three cheeses in handfuls, stirring until each addition is melted before adding more.
5
Season generously with salt and pepper. The sauce should taste well-seasoned – remember, you're seasoning all that pasta!
6
Fold the drained pasta into the cheese sauce until every piece is coated. Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
7
Make the topping: Toss panko with melted butter and parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over the mac and cheese.
8
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling. Let rest 5 minutes, then dive in!
🧀 Mac and Cheese Mastery
- Shred your own cheese – pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that affect melting.
- Warm the milk first – cold milk added to hot roux can cause lumps.
- Undercook the pasta – it finishes in the oven and absorbs that cheesy sauce.
- Make it ahead: Assemble without topping, refrigerate, add topping before baking (add 10 min to bake time).