Classic Baked Mac and Cheese
This classic baked mac and cheese with a crunchy, buttery breadcrumb crust is absolutely delicious and comfort food at its best! Easy to make, with just 7 ingredients, this baked macaroni and cheese casserole is sure to satisfy!
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 (1 lb.) box macaroni or medium shell pasta
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk of choice (see notes)
- 1 ½ cups shredded Gruyere cheese (see notes)
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a small handful of salt and add pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions, to the lowest cook time suggested. (For instance, if it says 9-11 minutes, cook for only 9 minutes.) Remove and drain pasta and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook for one to two minutes, whisking constantly.
- Slowly add in 2 cups milk, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the Gruyere cheese and stir until melted. Add salt and pepper and stir again. Remove from heat and add cooked pasta. Stir well to coat all of the pasta and get everything combined.
- Transfer the pasta and sauce to a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Top with the shredded cheddar cheese.
- In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with the 3 tablespoons of melted butter and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top of the casserole. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Let sit for 4-5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Milk: I use 2% or skim milk for this recipe since that’s what we always have on hand, but it would work great with whole milk as well.
I’ve also made this with soy milk before (because my daughter used to have a cow’s milk allergy) and that worked fine too. You can substitute a dairy-free butter and cheese and have this be a dairy-free or vegan version.
Cheese: I used a sharp white cheddar cheese and Gruyere cheese for the cheeses in this recipe. You can use all cheddar (regular or white are fine) if you'd prefer.
Make-ahead notes: You can cook the pasta, make the sauce, combine them and put it into the casserole ahead of time. Add the shredded cheese on top. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake.
Bring the casserole out of the fridge as the oven preheats, to help it come to room temperature. Make the buttery breadcrumb mixture, spread it over the casserole and bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes (a little longer to help everything get nice and hot).
Reheating: You can reheat leftover single servings easily in the microwave, starting with about 45 seconds to a minute, then stirring and adding additional time until it’s nice and hot. The crunchy bits on top will be softer, but it’s still delicious. You can also reheat in a casserole dish in the oven but it takes longer to get really warmed through.
Freezing leftovers: Extras freeze great! Simply let the leftovers cool down, then transfer to a freezer safe plastic bag or container, label it, and keep in the freezer for 4-5 months. Defrost it overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave or in a small casserole dish (details above). The crunchy breadcrumb topping will lose its crunchy, but it’s still delicious.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 618mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
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