Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese
A comforting casserole with elbow macaroni enveloped in a rich, velvety cheese sauce and crowned with a golden, crunchy breadcrumb topping.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
Cheese Sauce
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter divided
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cup milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon paprika
- 2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Topping
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
Cook Pasta
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Boil the elbow macaroni in salted water until al dente, about 7–8 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Make Sauce
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Whisk in flour and cook until bubbling, about 1–2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in milk and half-and-half until smooth. Add salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Simmer gently until the sauce thickens, about 5–7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in all cheeses until the sauce is glossy and silky.
Assemble and Bake
- Fold the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce, then pour mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and toss with panko breadcrumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the pasta.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Testing note: After boiling, I found 7 minutes gave the ideal tender-with-bite texture for sauce absorption.
Testing note: Whisking the roux constantly prevented any lumps and yielded a silky smooth sauce each time.
Testing note: Leftovers stored in the freezer retained creaminess after thawing when reheated at 325°F.