Description
Creamy, cheesy elbow macaroni baked under a buttery golden breadcrumb topping — pure comfort food with a crispy finish.
Ingredients
- Elbow macaroni – 1 lb (450 g), cooked al dente
- Sharp cheddar cheese – 3 cups shredded
- Gruyère or mozzarella cheese – 1 ½ cups shredded
- Whole milk – 3 cups
- Unsalted butter – 6 tbsp
- All-purpose flour – ¼ cup
- Dijon mustard – 1 tsp (optional, for depth)
- Garlic powder – ½ tsp
- Salt & black pepper – to taste
- Panko breadcrumbs – 1 ½ cups
- Parmesan cheese – ½ cup, grated
- Fresh parsley – for garnish
Instructions
- Boil elbow macaroni until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Melt 4 tbsp butter in a saucepan.
- Whisk in flour to make a roux; cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in milk until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Stir in cheddar, Gruyère/mozarella, Dijon, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until creamy.
- Toss macaroni with the cheese sauce until well coated. Transfer to a greased baking dish or skillet.
- Melt 2 tbsp butter and toss with panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over the macaroni.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25–30 minutes, until the top is golden and crispy.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot with that gooey cheese pull!
Notes
- For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the cheese sauce.
- Feel free to mix in cooked vegetables like broccoli or spinach for added nutrition.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 70mg