Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Breadcrumbs (Printable)
Creamy, cheesy macaroni baked under a golden breadcrumb topping for a satisfying crunch. Ready in under an hour.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz elbow macaroni
→ Cheese Sauce
02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 3 cups whole milk
05 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
06 - 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
09 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Breadcrumb Topping
12 - 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs or panko
13 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
14 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
02 - Cook macaroni in salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large saucepan, melt 4 tbsp butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux.
04 - Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until smooth. Cook for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Add cheddar, Gruyère, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until cheese is completely melted and sauce is smooth.
06 - Add drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir to coat evenly.
07 - Pour the macaroni mixture into the prepared baking dish.
08 - Combine breadcrumbs with melted butter and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly over macaroni.
09 - Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling.
10 - Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving if desired.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- The sauce never breaks or gets grainy because I stumbled on the perfect temperature control technique after years of frustrating cheese clumps.
- That golden breadcrumb topping shatters perfectly under your fork, creating textural magic that boxed versions can only dream about.
02 -
- Removing the mac and cheese from the oven when it looks slightly underdone prevents it from drying out as it continues cooking for several minutes after removal.
- I discovered that letting the dish rest for 5 full minutes before serving isnt optional - it allows the sauce to set just enough to cling to the pasta instead of pooling on your plate.
03 -
- A tiny pinch of nutmeg added to the sauce creates a subtle warmth that most people cant identify but makes them wonder why your mac and cheese tastes more complex than others.
- Running cold water over your macaroni after draining stops the cooking process and rinses away excess starch, preventing your final dish from becoming gummy.