Baked Mac and Cheese
Tender elbow macaroni is folded into a creamy sharp cheddar sauce, topped with Parmesan and buttery breadcrumbs, and baked until bubbling with a golden, crisp crust.
Prep: 20 min · Cook: 30 min · Yield: 8 · Method: Oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 0.5 cup parmesan cheese
- 0.75 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
Cooking instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. (about 5 min) — 375°F
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni 2 minutes less than the package directions, until just shy of tender. Drain well. (about 8 min) — Boiling
- Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in the empty pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook, whisking often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 5 minutes. (about 7 min) — Medium heat
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and 3 cups of the cheddar until smooth. Fold in the drained macaroni, then transfer to the prepared baking dish. (about 5 min) — Off heat
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and combine it with the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and remaining 1 cup cheddar. Sprinkle evenly over the macaroni. (about 3 min) — Off heat
- Bake until the edges are bubbling and the center is hot, about 20 minutes. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes if needed to deepen the topping's color, watching closely. Rest for 5 minutes before serving. (about 22 min) — 375°F