Baked Macaroni And Cheese

Baked macaroni and cheese is extreme – a buttery golden breadcrumb crust top coupled with a rich, gooey inside and four different kinds of cheeses.

I will warn you straight up: this isn’t Aunt Petunia’s well-intentioned but lukewarm, limp, and flavorless Macaroni and Cheese. You will have to exert much more willpower to resist this award-winning baked macaroni and cheese creation. 

So next time you are craving something warm and cheesy, and find yourself searching “macaroni and cheese near me,” try turning to your stovetop and this creamy macaroni and cheese recipe instead! The crunchy crust, gooey pasta, and surprisingly complex flavor profile won’t disappoint.

If you’re crazy for mac and cheese like my family, I hope you’ll try some more of our favorites: Smoked gouda mac and cheese, green chile mac and cheese, quick and easy stovetop mac and cheese, and my creamy crockpot mac and cheese!

What I Love Most About This Easy Mac And Cheese

It’s a difficult decision, but I’m going to have to pick the thick sauce of this easy mac and cheese! That or all the smiles around my table.

Baked Mac And Cheese Ingredients

• Butter: I use unsalted butter. You can use salted but you may need to adjust the salt you add.
• Coarse Dry Bread Crumbs: I make my own. See the instructions below.
• Parmesan Cheese: Buy either a wedge of Parm and grate it yourself or buy it from the deli counter. Don’t use the stuff in the green jar.
• Thyme: Adds a nice woodsy herbaceousness to the bread crumbs.
• Milk: For this recipe use whole milk. It makes the sauce richer than a lower fat version.
• All-Purpose Flour: This will mix with the butter to form a roux to thicken the cheese sauce.
• Salt +Pepper
• Nutmeg: Adds a subtle sweet nutty flavor.
• Cayenne Pepper: Adds some heat. Feel free to omit if you’d like.
• Sharp Cheddar: The perfect cheese to flavor a classic mac and cheese. The sharp variety adds a more pronounced cheddar flavor than a medium or mild cheddar will.
• White Cheddar: Most people say there’s no difference in taste between yellow and white cheddar. I think that it actually depends on the brand. I noticed a distinct difference between yellow cheddar and say Cabot’s white cheddar. The Cabot cheddar tastes slightly sharper, tangier flavor, and is a bit drier in texture. I think it’s absolutely delicious.
• Gruyere: The flavor of the gruyere will depend on the quality and age of the cheese you buy. It will add a rich, creamy, salty, and nutty flavor.
• Pasta: I generally use elbows but any small pasta will work. Use a good quality Italian pasta like Barilla. Cook just to al dente so the pasta will hold up to baking.

Tips

• Room Temperature: Before preparing this recipe, bring all the ingredients to room temperature.
• Boiling The Pasta: As mentioned above, cook the pasta just to al dente. Some people in fact, prefer it cooked a few minutes less than the package instructions. I personally don’t think that’s necessary. Remember the pasta will continue to cook in the oven.
• Cheeses: This recipe uses 4 different types of cheese. They blend together to give the cheese sauce a rich, layered flavor. You can switch up the combination to your liking.
• Shred It At Home: Always shred your own cheese. The stuff that comes pre-shredded in a bag is coated with cellulose and because of that, it won’t melt as creamy.

How To Make Coarse Homemade Bread Crumbs

I toast a few pieces of white sandwich bread or sourdough and then tear them up into about 1-inch pieces, then process them in the food processor until they form large crumbs. I don’t like the dried bread crumbs from the market because they’re too fine.

Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead

• How Long Will This Last In the Fridge: Wrapped tightly with plastic wrap this will last 3-4 days.
• Can You Freeze This? I don’t like this frozen. Because it has so much dairy the freezer isn’t its friend.
• Make-Ahead Tips: You can prepare the recipe, cook the pasta, prepare the cheese sauce, and combine the two then pour it into a prepared baking dish, then toss it in the fridge until you need it. It won’t be quite as cream because the pasta will absorb some of the liquid in the cheese sauce.
• Food Safety: Follow the FDA’s advice to observe the 2-hour rule for serving, just to be on the safe side. If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.

How To Make Baked Mac And Cheese

1. Mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and thyme leaves. Pour the melted butter into the breadcrumb mixture, and toss. Set aside.
2. Heat the milk in a saucepan.
3. In a skillet, melt the remaining butter then add the flour. Cook and whisk for a minute.
4. While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk. Continue to cook and whisk constantly until it bubbles and thickens. Remove from the pan.
5. Stir in the spices, and half of the cheeses, and set aside.
6. Cook the pasta slightly undercooked. Drain and rinse under cold water.
7. Stir the macaroni into the cheese sauce.
8. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.
9. Bake until the top is browned.
10. Serve hot.

***see the full instructions below.

More Mac And Cheese Recipes You’ll Love

• Chick-Fil-A Mac and Cheese
• Paula Deen Mac And Cheese
• Chili Mac
• Almost Zov’s Mac And Cheese

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Baked Macaroni And Cheese

Baked macaroni and cheese extreme - a buttery golden breadcrumb crust top coupled with a rich, gooey inside and three different kinds of cheeses.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Servings: 8 Servings

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

• ▢ 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter~ divided
• ▢ 2 cups coarse dry bread crumbs
• ▢ 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• ▢ 5 1/2 cups whole milk
• ▢ 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ 2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded~divided
• ▢ 2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded~divided
• ▢ 2 cups gruyere,  shredded~divided
• ▢ 1 pound dried elbow pasta

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Heat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread crumbs (2 cups), Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup), and dried thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon) in a medium bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour the butter into the bowl with the bread mixture, and toss; set breadcrumbs aside.
• In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, heat milk (5 1/2 cups).
• Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour (1/2 cup). Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.
• While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
• Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt (2 teaspoons), nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon), black pepper (1/4 teaspoon), cayenne pepper (1/4 teaspoon), 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, 1 ½ cups sharp white cheddar cheese, and 1 ½ cups Gruyere; set cheese sauce aside.
• Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni (1 pound); cook 2 to 3 minutes less than the manufacturer's directions, until the outside of the pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.
• Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere, and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve hot.

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Cracker Barrel Mac And Cheese
• 
  Pioneer Woman Mac And Cheese
• 
  Popeyes Mac And Cheese
• 
  Taco Mac And Cheese

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Notes

1. Room Temperature: Before preparing this recipe, bring all the ingredients to room temperature.
2. Boiling The Pasta: As mentioned above, cook the pasta just to al dente. Some people in fact, prefer it cooked a few minutes less than the package instructions. I personally don't think that's necessary. Remember the pasta will continue to cook in the oven.
3. Cheeses: This recipe uses 4 different types of cheese. They blend together to give the cheese sauce a rich, layered flavor. You can switch up the combination to your liking.
4. Shred It At Home: Always shred your own cheese. The stuff that comes pre-shredded in a bag is coated with cellulose and because of that, it won’t melt as creamy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the recipe | Calories: 931kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 1476mg | Potassium: 499mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1590IU | Calcium: 953mg | Iron: 3.1mg

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