Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese (Printable)
Tender macaroni baked in a luscious three-cheese sauce with a golden, crispy breadcrumb topping.
# 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 - 1 ½ 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)
# Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a medium baking dish with butter or non-stick spray and set aside.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy and develops a pale golden color. Do not allow it to brown.
04 - Gradually pour in the whole milk while whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Continue cooking and stirring over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Add the grated cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses, stirring until completely melted and smooth. Season with salt, black pepper, and mustard powder if using. Stir well to combine.
06 - Gently fold the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce, ensuring every noodle is evenly coated with the creamy mixture.
07 - Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out into an even layer.
08 - In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the melted butter until evenly moistened. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture uniformly over the macaroni. Top with an additional sprinkle of grated parmesan if desired.
09 - Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbling around the edges. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The three cheese blend creates a sauce that tastes deeply savory without needing any fancy ingredients you cannot find at a regular grocery store.
- That crispy breadcrumb topping cracks under your spoon and gives way to the creamiest interior, which is exactly the contrast that makes baked mac unforgettable.
02 -
- If your sauce looks perfectly smooth before baking but breaks afterward you likely overheated the cheese, so always melt it off the heat and stir patiently.
- Undercooking the pasta by one minute before mixing it with the sauce prevents that dreaded soft texture that ruins baked mac and cheese.
03 -
- Grate your cheese while it is still slightly cold from the fridge because it shreds more evenly and melts into the sauce without clumping.
- A light coating of cooking spray on top of the breadcrumb layer helps it brown more evenly and gives you that photogenic golden crust.