Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

If you’re looking for the ultimate comfort food, you’ve got to make a big old batch of my baked mac and cheese recipe—creamy, delicious, amazing—and did I mention the fried bread crumbs on top? They are everything.

Ingredients

• Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Gruyère cheese, shredded (or your favorite melting cheese such as creamy Gouda or red cheddar)
• 1 lb elbow macaroni (or shells)
• 3 cups whole milk
• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, plus 1 Tbsp for crumbs
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp paprika (regular or smoked)
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• ½–1 cup additional shredded cheese for topping
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan (mixed with crumbs)

Instructions

1. Prep the cheeses

Shred the sharp cheddar and Gruyère (or your chosen cheeses) and set aside.

2. Cook the pasta

Fill a large pot with water, add a generous spoonful of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the elbow macaroni and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

3. Scald the milk

Pour the whole milk into a saucepan and warm over medium heat until almost boiling (scalded). Hot milk creates a smoother sauce.

4. Make the roux

In a large skillet or pot, melt ½ cup of butter over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour, whisking constantly, and cook for 2–3 minutes to form a pale golden roux. For deeper flavor, continue cooking until the roux turns a light golden brown.

5. Build the cheese sauce

Slowly drizzle the hot milk into the roux while whisking. Cook 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and season with pepper, salt, paprika, and nutmeg. Stir in the shredded cheeses until melted, then mix in the heavy cream.

6. Combine pasta and sauce

Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and gently fold until every noodle is coated.

7. Fry the breadcrumb topping

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until golden. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the grated Parmesan.

8. Assemble and bake

Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Pour the mac and cheese into a buttered baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top, followed by the buttery Parmesan crumbs. Bake for about 35 minutes, until golden and bubbling.

Serve

Let the dish rest a few minutes before scooping. The fried breadcrumbs add irresistible crunch to the creamy pasta beneath—comfort food perfection.