preppykitchen.com
Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
Baked Mac and Cheese is creamy, super cheesy, and so flavorful. It’s sure to be a hit at your next gathering!
Prep
10 min
Cook
50 min
Total
1h 10m
Serves
8
Instructions
- 01
Preheat the oven to 375°F Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook according to package instructions but about 1 minute less than the full cook time so it’s al dente. Drain well. Place in a large mixing bowl. You can drizzle the pasta with a bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking if desired.
- 02
While the pasta is cooking, melt ½ cup of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk while it cooks until nutty in smell, about 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk and cream in while whisking and cook until it bubbles and thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- 03
Reserve ½ cup of each cheese for the topping. Stir in the remaining cheese, salt, and pepper. Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir until the pasta is well coated.
- 04
Grease a 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray and pour the pasta and sauce into the prepared dish.
- 05
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the breadcrumbs. Cook while stirring until the breadcrumbs are light golden brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste if desired.
- 06
Sprinkle the top of the pasta with the reserved cheddar and gruyere cheese and top with the toasted breadcrumbs.
- 07
Bake for 35 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
per serving · 1 serving
- Calories
- 803
- Protein
- 32g
- Carbs
- 57g
- Fat
- 50g
- Fiber
- 2g
- Sugar
- 7g
- Sat. fat
- 30g
- Sodium
- 778mg
- Cholesterol
- 150mg
Variations & swaps
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- These are the main ingredients you need to make creamy mac and cheese. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
- Elbow macaroni — elbow macaroni is the classic shape for macaroni and cheese, but you can use other short pasta types as well. I have also made this with medium shells, small penne, rotini, mezzi rigatoni, and cavatappi which are all perfect for this recipe because they have plenty of nooks, crannies, and cavities to hold the creamy cheese sauce. Use your favorite gluten-free short pasta shape…
- Roux — a roux is vital for the sauce to thicken properly. You need unsalted butter and all-purpose flour to make it. If you only have salted butter on hand, reduce the amount of added salt by ¼ teaspoon. For a gluten-free sauce, simply use gluten-free flour.
- Milk and heavy cream — whole milk and heavy cream are the decadent foundation for the cheese sauce. You’ll slowly pour it into the saucepan with the roux to get the mixture perfectly thickened without any lumps. You can use half and half in place of heavy cream for a slightly lighter sauce. Do not use skim or 2% milk— you need fat in the dairy to help the cheese melt well into a smooth sauce.
- Cheese — sharp cheddar cheese and gruyere cheese give the rich sauce so much flavor. Most of the cheese goes into the sauce itself, but save some to sprinkle over for a gooey, melty topping.
- Bread crumbs — panko bread crumbs form a crisp, buttery topping that’s the perfect finishing touch for your easy baked mac and cheese.
Add-Ins And Flavor Variations
- While a classic baked mac and cheese simply oozes with flavor, there are easy ways to change it up! Here are a few ways I like to jazz it up:
- Add spices: Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, smoked paprika, or onion powder to the sauce. For a kick, add a few dashes of hot sauce, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste. When I make this recipe in the fall, I love adding a few rasps of freshly grated nutmeg for a cozy flavor.
- Add herbs: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, basil, rosemary, or fried sage can be stirred into the sauce. For a hint of tang, throw in 1-2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard or ½-1 teaspoon mustard powder.
- Add mix-ins. Roasted vegetables, chopped kale, browned sausage, cooked and chopped bacon, steamed lobster meat, sun-dried tomatoes, and caramelized onions are all delicious additions! Fold the additions into the pasta and sauce mixture at the end of Step 3.
- For a kid-friendly option, use milder cheeses (such as mild cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese).
- Topping idea: Skip the breadcrumbs and add an extra ½ cup of Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, which caramelizes into a golden brown topping. This option is particularly good when paired with fried chicken.
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