Baked Mac and cheese

Avoid pre-shredded cheese in bags. They are coated in potato starch to prevent clumping, which can make your sauce grainy or "gloppy" instead of silky. Grating your own cheese from a block is the single biggest upgrade you can make!

Updated at: Sun, 03 May 2026 16:29:42 GMT

Nutrition balance score

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Ingredients

4 servings

1 cupPanko breadcrumbs

for superior crunch

2 TbspUnsalted butter

melted

½ cupGrated Parmesan cheese

1 tspDried parsley

or smoked paprika, optional

The Mac and Cheese

1 lbElbow macaroni

or Cavatappi, corkscrew pasta holds sauce better

4 cupsWhole milk

warmed

½ cupUnsalted butter

½ cupall-purpose flour

4 cupssharp cheddar

Shredded, grate it yourself for a smoother melt

2 cupsGruyère

Shredded, or Monterey Jack, for stretch and depth

1 tspGarlic powder

Seasonings

1 tspOnion powder

½ tspMustard powder

salt

pepper

to taste

Instructions

Step 1

1. Prep the Pasta and Topping Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Boil your pasta in salted water, but drain it 2 minutes early. It should be slightly undercooked (al dente) because it will continue to cook in the cheese sauce in the oven. In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs, melted butter, and Parmesan together until combined.

Step 2

2. Make the Roux and Sauce In a large pot over medium heat, melt the 1/2 cup of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute until it smells slightly nutty but hasn't turned brown. Slowly pour in the warm milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Step 3

3. Build the Cheese Profile Turn the heat to low. Stir in your garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, salt, and pepper. Add about ¾ of your shredded cheese (reserve the rest for layering). Stir until completely melted and glossy.

Step 4

4. Combine and Bake Fold the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce until every noodle is submerged.

Step 5

1. Pour half of the mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish.

Step 6

2. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the middle layer.

Step 7

3. Pour the rest of the mac on top.

Step 8

4. Evenly distribute the breadcrumb mixture over the top.

Step 9

5. The Golden Finish Bake for 20–25 minutes until the sauce is bubbly at the edges and the breadcrumbs are a deep golden brown.