Baked Mac and Cheese (Printable Recipe Version)
Mac and cheese baked till golden with a creamy inside and crunchy breadcrumb topping. A timeless comfort food everyone adores.
# Ingredients You’ll Need:
→ The Pasta
01 -
1 pound of macaroni (or whatever fun-shaped pasta you love)
→ The Super Cheesy Sauce
02 -
4 tablespoons of butter, unsalted
03 -
1/4 cup plain flour
04 -
4 cups of whole milk (heavy cream works too if you're in the mood for extra richness)
05 -
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional, but it gives great flavor!)
06 -
1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 -
1/2 teaspoon of salt—add more if you'd like
08 -
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 -
3 cups of sharp cheddar, freshly shredded
10 -
1 cup mozzarella or Gruyère, grated
11 -
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded right before using
→ For That Crunchy Topping
12 -
1 cup of panko or breadcrumbs
13 -
2 tablespoons butter, melted
14 -
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (you can never go wrong with more cheese)
# Steps to Make It:
01 -
Fill a big pot with water, generously salt it, then bring it to a boil. Cook the pasta so it’s firm but not mushy—no one likes soggy mac! Drain and keep it handy.
02 -
In a big pan over medium heat, melt your butter. Toss in the flour and whisk it around for a minute or two until it smells a bit nutty. That's the start of your sauce!
03 -
Gradually pour in the milk, whisking like crazy the whole time so no lumps form. Keep stirring until it gets thick and can coat the back of a spoon—this could take 5-7 minutes.
04 -
Lower the heat and stir in your seasonings. Little by little, toss in all the cheese, stirring constantly until the sauce turns into smooth, creamy magic. It’s hard not to taste-test!
05 -
Remove the pan from the heat. Mix your cooked pasta with this cheesy sauce until every single piece is coated and super creamy.
06 -
Heat your oven to 375°F. Coat a 9x13-inch pan lightly with butter or oil, then pour the pasta mixture in and spread it out evenly.
07 -
Stir the breadcrumbs, melted butter, and Parmesan together in a bowl. Sprinkle this mix all over the pasta for an amazing crispy layer.
08 -
Bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden on top. For a super crispy topping, switch on the broiler for a minute—just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!
# Extra Information:
01 -
Switch up the cheeses if you want, just stick to the same amounts
02 -
Grating cheese yourself works best since pre-shredded stuff doesn’t melt as well
03 -
Want to prep in advance? Assemble everything but hold off on adding the topping until it’s time to bake