This easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese with panko bread crumbs is the ultimate family favorite comfort food that is loved by people of all ages. For this recipe, we use sharp cheddar to make a creamy cheese sauce that gets mixed with elbow macaroni, topped with buttery panko breadcrumbs, and baked to golden brown perfection.
Looking for more of a creamy version? Try this Stovetop Mac and Cheese, or any of our other delicious pasta recipes.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Panko Topping
Can you think of a side dish more beloved by family and friends of all ages than baked mac and cheese? This homemade mac n cheese with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese topping is total “last meal” material. It’s one of those dishes that you must consciously resist going back for thirds… or not!
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Sure, there are tons of variations, but we felt this recipe was worth sharing. It’s quick, easy, and classic. We’ve also provided answers to your most asked questions and tips on the best cheeses to use and toppings that taste great.
Go ahead and serve this at your next holiday get-together or make a huge batch for dinner tonight. No matter what, you will thank yourself!
The Best Cheese to Use
The simplest answer to this question is that the best melting and best tasting cheese is the best for homemade baked mac and cheese! While there really is no wrong cheese to use, there are “better” options. Sharp cheddar is the most common and most popular. The flavor is strong and familiar, and it melts extremely well.
You want to avoid pre-shredded cheese if possible. It contains anti-caking elements that make it difficult to melt well. It melts with almost a plasticky texture to it. Also, the higher quality of the cheese, the better your macaroni and cheese will taste.
Other great options to substitute or include are gouda, Monterey Jack, fontina, Gruyere, American cheese, or Parmesan.
Key Ingredients
- Macaroni Pasta – you can use macaroni or any other tubular-shaped pasta. Mini shells work great, too!
- Butter – you can use salted or unsalted. If you choose to use unsalted, you may want to reduce the amount of additional salt slightly.
- Flour – this is added to the butter and cooked to make a roux that helps thicken and bind the sauce.
- Milk – we recommend that you use either whole milk or 2%.
- Mustard – this adds a great flavor.
- Cayenne Pepper – this is optional, but tastes great. There is a very small amount in the recipe – not enough to make it overpoweringly spicy.
- Nutmeg – this spice could also be combined with a touch of garlic powder if you’d like.
- Cheddar Cheese – we like to use sharp cheddar, but any cheddar will work. We recommend that you grate your cheese as opposed to purchasing pre-shredded. The pre-shredded kind contains anti-caking elements that make it more difficult to melt.
- Panko Breadcrumbs – panko breadcrumbs stay nice and crispy and can be found in just about any grocery store these days.
- Parmesan Cheese – any type of grated or shredded Parmesan cheese will work.
How to Make Baked Mac n Cheese With Panko
- Cook the pasta. Cook pasta according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- Make cheese sauce. In the meantime, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 3-5 minutes stirring constantly to form a roux. Add salt and pepper, then slowly add milk, stirring well after each addition. Cook and stir until simmering, then add the dijon mustard, cayenne pepper and nutmeg. Cook for an additional minute before stirring in the cheese. Reduce the heat and stir until the cheese has completely melted.
- Mix. Add the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce and stir to coat, then pour into the prepared baking dish.
- Make breadcrumb topping. In a separate bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and melted butter. Mix well.
- Finish and bake. Sprinkle 1 cup of the reserved cheddar cheese evenly over the mac and cheese, then sprinkle the breadcrumb topping evenly over that. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yup! If you have leftover Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese, you can absolutely use this recipe method to bake it. Just transfer to a baking dish, top with the breadcrumb and cheese topping and bake as directed. If you don’t have enough leftover to fill an entire baking dish, you could also make individual portions in muffin cups!
Besides adding any other cheeses that you would want on top, you could also top with veggies (broccoli, red peppers or peas), chicken, bacon and/or red pepper flakes. The options are truly endless!
In order to get a thick, creamy cheese sauce you need to make a roux. It helps bind everything together and makes the sauce stick to the noodles. Be sure and cook your roux for a minute or two after adding the flour to “cook out” the raw flour flavor.
There is really no wrong pasta to use, just like there is really no absolute wrong cheese to use. Some of the most common substitutes include cavatappi, shells, bowties, ziti, penne, rotini or fusilli.
When baking mac and cheese at 400 degrees, it should take you about 20-25 minutes to bake so that the cheese on top gets bubbly and golden brown.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Make-Ahead: to prep this baked macaroni and cheese recipe the day before, you can prep the macaroni and cheese sauce, mix together and transfer to a baking dish. Wrap well, then store in the fridge overnight. The next day, preheat the oven, pull the baking dish from the fridge, make your crumb topping and bake as directed.
- Refrigerator: any leftover Baked Mac and Cheese can be cooled, wrapped, covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: freezing isn’t exactly the best option, but it’s definitely doable. If you want to freeze, you can prep your macaroni and cheese sauce and mix together. Transfer to baking dish (preferably foil), cover and freeze for up to 2 months. Once you are ready to finish, pull from the freezer and transfer to the fridge to thaw overnight. The next day, preheat the oven and pull the baking dish from the fridge to come to room temp. Sprinkle with extra cheese and your crumb topping, then bake as directed.
- Reheating: to reheat in the oven, put into a preheated 350 degree oven (uncovered) and warm for about 10-15 minutes, depending on how much there is to reheat.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups milk
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded from a block (reserve 1 cup to top before baking)
Breadcrumb Topping for Mac and Cheese
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Grease a 9"x13" baking dish and set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions, then drain and set aside. In the meantime, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, to form a roux. Add the salt and pepper, then slowly add milk, stirring well after each addition to avoid lumps.
- Cook and stir until simmering, then add the Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. Cook for an additional minute before stirring in the cheese. Reduce the heat to low and stir until the cheese has completely melted.
- Add the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce and stir to coat, then pour into the prepared baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and melted butter. Mix well. Sprinkle 1 cup of the reserved cheddar cheese evenly over the mac and cheese, then sprinkle the breadcrumb topping evenly over that.
- Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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More of the Best Pasta Recipes
- Homemade Mac n Cheese {Stovetop}
- Easy Baked Ziti
- Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Slow Cooker Tortellini Pasta Bake
- Homemade Lasagna
- More Easy Weeknight Dinner Ideas
- More Pasta Recipes
This recipe for Baked macaroni and cheese with panko bread crumb toppings is a family favorite comfort food. It’s an easy side dish made with elbow macaroni, sharp cheddar, and a creamy cheese sauce topped with buttery panko breadcrumbs and baked to golden brown perfection.
Made this for a game night with friends and it was a hit. Super easy to put together, as far as mac and cheese goes, and even had a few people request the recipe. Highly recommend if you are in the mood for something comforting.
I did swap out half of the cheese for white cheddar, but only because I didn’t have enough sharp cheddar. It was delicious.
Oh, white cheddar, sounds amazing! So glad you loved it!
Can’t wait to try this, I know it’s going to be a hit!
This recipe made a great mac & cheese! We loved every bite!