The Ingredient Combination That Makes Mac & Cheese Taste 1,000 Times Better
Mac and cheese comes in many forms, each with its own charm — from quick stovetop and one-bowl microwave versions to the beloved boxed variety with powdered cheese. But there’s something undeniably satisfying about a classic baked mac and cheese, with its rich, creamy sauce nestled under a golden layer of buttery breadcrumbs. It’s the perfect dinnertime companion during your Thanksgiving meal or Christmas feast.
Though it’s a simple dish, baked mac and cheese has common pitfalls, like curdled or grainy sauce, or a dry, bland bake. The biggest culprit is high heat. Cheese melts when its fats soften into a luscious sauce, but excessive heat causes proteins to seize and clump, leaving you with a grainy mess. The key to flawless mac and cheese every single time is achieving a sauce temperature between 160 to 170°F — hot enough to melt cheese’s fats yet cool enough to keep its proteins smooth.
Finely grating the cheese before adding it helps too, as it has more surface area and melts faster and more evenly than large chunks. However, since this sauce is finished in the oven, there’s no need to achieve a full melt on the stovetop. Those lumps will magically transform into pockets of extra cheesiness for the creamiest mac and cheese around.
Why You’ll Love It
It’s ultra creamy. The proportion of sauce to pasta leans more heavily toward sauce so the pasta doesn’t become dry after baking.
The key to the perfect cheese sauce. Avoiding high heat and prolonged heat keeps the sauce creamy and cohesive, not at all grainy. Plus, a combination of sharp white cheddar and Gruyère makes it extra delicious.
Key Ingredients in Baked Mac and Cheese
Panko breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs have a light, airy, and delicate texture that helps the crumbs crisp up atop the mac and cheese. They’re mixed with melted butter, Parmesan, and seasonings for a flavorful topping that’s never greasy.
Macaroni: Macaroni is famous for starring in cheesy baked mac and cheese for a reason. As the name implies, elbow macaroni are small, c-shaped tubes that cook up soft and pillowy, perfect for capturing cheese sauce.
Butter and flour: Equal amounts of melted butter and all-purpose flour are whisked together to create a roux.
Whole milk: Whisk milk into the roux to make a creamy cheese sauce. Whole milk is fatty enough to make the sauce rich but not too rich, like heavy cream would.
Cheeses: There’s little else in this recipe but bland milk and pasta, so for the best flavor, head to the cheese counter and away from the refrigerator case. You’ll be able to taste the difference. Get the best sharp white cheddar and aged Gruyère you can buy.
How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese
Make the breadcrumb topping. Mix panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, melted butter, garlic powder, and paprika to top the mac and cheese for a textural contrast to the creamy, cheesy pasta.
Boil the pasta. Cook the macaroni in salted water until al dente and drain.
Make a roux. Whisk equal amounts of melted butter and all-purpose flour over medium heat to create a roux, which makes the sauce thick, creamy, and stable enough to hold together through the volatile baking process,
Make the cheese sauce. Slowly whisk milk into the roux until it thickens into a creamy béchamel sauce. Add shredded cheese to a not-too-hot béchamel to transform it into a mornay sauce.
Bake the mac and cheese. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to a baking dish, top it with the breadcrumbs, and bake until golden brown but not bubbling over.
Helpful Swaps
Other small pasta shapes would work in baked mac and cheese, such as springy cavatappi, corkscrew-like fusilli, and shells.
Swap the sharp cheddar and Gruyère for other high-quality buttery cheeses like fontina and havarti. Cheaper cheeses tend to be rubbery and don’t melt well. Monterey Jack and American melt well but lack flavor. Also avoid pre-shredded cheese, which is coated in anti-clumping ingredients that prevent the cheeses from melting properly.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
To prep ahead, just assemble your mac and cheese without the panko topping, cover it with foil, and pop it in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, let it thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top and bake it at 350°F for 30 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden.
For leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The mac and cheese might lose a little creaminess after chilling, so just add a splash of milk when reheating to bring the sauce back to life.
What to Serve with Baked Mac and Cheese
Baked mac and cheese can be a meal in itself, but there are many recipes that pair perfectly with this cheesy casserole.
Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
Bake up an ultra-creamy mac and cheese every single time, thanks to a brilliant trick.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 40 minutes to 45 minutes
Serves 12
Ingredients
For the topping:
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1/3 cup store-bought grated)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional)
For the mac and cheese:
1 pound dried elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the pasta
14 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 1/2 cups)
14 ounces Gruyère cheese, rind removed, shredded (about 3 1/2 cups)
Instructions
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Make the topping:
Stir 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon paprika if desired together in a small bowl until the breadcrumbs are well coated.
Make the mac and cheese:
Heat oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in 1 pound dried elbow macaroni and cook according to package directions for al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain but do not rinse; it’s OK if it clumps.
Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in the now-empty pot over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour to form a thick paste. Cook, whisking often, until smooth, deepened in color, and smells slightly nutty, about 2 minutes.
Whisk in 5 cups whole milk 1/2 cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. It will sizzle and seize up with the first addition, then turn grainy, and finally smooth out and thicken enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Do not let the mixture boil; reduce the heat as needed.
Whisk in 2 teaspoons kosher salt and remove the pot from heat. The sauce should be steaming and between 160°F and 170°F. If it’s above 170°F, let it sit until cool enough.
Whisk in 14 ounces shredded sharp white cheddar cheese and 14 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese a handful at a time, whisking until the cheese is mostly melted between additions. Near the end, the cheese won’t fully melt and this is OK.
Break up the macaroni with a flexible spatula and stir it into the sauce. Transfer to a 9x13-inch or other 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly on top.
Bake until the breadcrumbs are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Ingredient/Equipment Variation: The mac and cheese can be divided and baked in 2 (8x8-inch) baking dishes instead.
Make ahead: Cover the unbaked, assembled mac and cheese (without the panko layer) with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to bake, top with the panko mixture and bake uncovered, doubling the baking time, until heated through and browned on top.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Further Reading
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