Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese (Printable Version)
Tender macaroni baked in a luscious three-cheese sauce with a golden, buttery breadcrumb topping. Pure comfort food.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 2 cups elbow macaroni
→ Cheese Sauce
02 - 2 cups whole milk
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
05 - 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
06 - ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
07 - ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
10 - ¼ teaspoon mustard powder (optional)
→ Topping
11 - ½ cup breadcrumbs
12 - 2 tablespoons butter, melted
13 - 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a medium baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy and lightly golden, but not browned.
04 - Gradually pour in the whole milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Continue cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the grated cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese until fully melted and smooth. Season with salt, black pepper, and mustard powder if using.
06 - Gently fold the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce, ensuring every noodle is evenly coated.
07 - Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out into an even layer.
08 - In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with the melted butter until evenly moistened. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture uniformly over the macaroni. Add an extra dusting of parmesan cheese on top if desired.
09 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling. Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The cheese sauce uses three different cheeses for depth that single cheese versions never achieve.
- It takes the same amount of time as waiting for delivery but tastes like you spent all afternoon on it.
02 -
- If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, you probably added cheese over heat so always remove from the burner first.
- Grating your own cheese from a block melts infinitely better than pre shredded bags which contain anti caking agents.
03 -
- Undercook your pasta by one full minute because it absorbs sauce while baking and nothing rescues overcooked macaroni.
- Taste your cheese sauce before combining with pasta because adjusting salt at that stage is your last real chance.