Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Recipe Introduction

Melissa Clark shares baked mac and cheese recipe with cheese sauce and crispy topping.

“Make sure to use plenty of sauce and cover the pan for most of the baking to allow the noodles to absorb enough moisture to cook through. Then to add a crispy layer, I sprinkle panko and more cheese over the top and run everything under the broiler.”

Ingredients

Serves 6: 5 cups cheddar, 3 cups Colby Jack, 4 oz. Parmesan, 4 tbsp butter, ½ cup flour, 6 cups milk, 1¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp mustard powder, ¼ tsp nutmeg or onion powder, pinch…

Cheese Sauce Preparation

Melt butter, whisk in flour until nutty and pale golden, then slowly add milk until thickened.

Baking Instructions

Bake covered for 55 minutes, then uncover and add bread crumb topping for 20 minutes until crispy.

Bread Crumb Topping

Mix panko, Parmesan, melted butter, and salt for crispy topping.

Melissa's Rules & Variations

Easy stovetop version: boil pasta, mix with cheese sauce, and add topping for quick meal.

Karen's Gorgonzola Variation

Add 5 oz. Gorgonzola dolce to cheese sauce for extra flavor.