Description
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this recipe for creamy baked mac and cheese. With a rich and cheesy sauce, crunchy breadcrumb topping, and perfectly cooked pasta, this dish is sure to become a family favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Cheese Mixture:
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 1 cup Gruyère cheese (shredded)
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Breadcrumb Topping:
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the macaroni: Cook the macaroni until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Make the sauce: Melt butter, whisk in flour, then slowly add milk and cream. Season with mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Simmer until thickened.
- Add cheese: Stir in cheddar, Gruyère, and mozzarella until melted. Mix in cooked pasta.
- Bake: Pour mixture into the baking dish. Combine breadcrumbs, butter, and Parmesan, then sprinkle over the top. Bake until golden and bubbly.
- Rest and serve: Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Enhance with cooked bacon or caramelized onions for extra flavor.
- Prepare ahead and bake just before serving for convenience.
- Leftovers reheat well with a splash of milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 41g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
