Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Baked mac and cheese 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.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 443kcal

Author: The Carefree Kitchen

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

US Customary - Metric

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

Storing leftovers: cool, cover, and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheating: reheat in a preheated 350 degree oven (uncovered) and warm for about 10-15 minutes.

Make-ahead tips: prepare the macaroni 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.

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