Delicious Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese


  


CourseDinner

CuisineAmerican

Keywordcheese, dinner, kid friendly, mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Servings10
Calories642kcal



Ingredients

  • 13.33 oz elbow macaroni, cooked (or other tubular pasta)
  • 0.83 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 0.28 cup all purpose flour
  • 2.5 cups whole milk
  • 0.83 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3.33 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1.67 cups Gruyere cheese shredded
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1.25 cups panko crumbs
  • 3.33 tbsp butter melted
  • 0.42 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
  • 0.21 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a large 3 qt or 4 qt baking dish and set aside.Combine shredded cheeses in a large bowl and set aside.
  • Cook the pasta one minute shy of al dente according to the package instructions. Remove from heat, drain, and place in a large bowl.
  • Drizzle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat pasta. Set aside to cool while preparing cheese sauce.
  • Melt butter in a deep saucepan, dutch oven, or stock pot.
  • Whisk in flour over medium heat and continue whisking for about 1 minute until bubbly and golden.
  • Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until nice and smooth. Continue whisking until you see bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking and whisking for another 2 minutes. Whisk in salt and pepper.
  • Add two cups of shredded cheese and whisk until smooth. Add another two cups of shredded cheese and continue whisking until creamy and smooth. Sauce should be nice and thick.
  • Stir in the cooled pasta until combined and pasta is fully coated with the cheese sauce.
  • Pour half of the mac and cheese into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 2 cups of shredded cheese and then the remaining mac and cheese.
  • In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, melted butter and paprika. Sprinkle over the top and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Comments