Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 lb Elbow macaroni or cavatappi
• 6 tbsp Unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup All-purpose flour
• 4 cups Whole milk
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Mustard powder
• ½ tsp Garlic powder
• ½ tsp Smoked paprika
• 1½ tsp Kosher salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 16 oz Sharp cheddar, freshly shredded
• 8 oz Monterey Jack, freshly shredded
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp Melted butter
• ¼ cup Finely grated Parmesan

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C.
2. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
3. Boil pasta in well-salted water until 2 minutes shy of al dente (it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and set aside.
4. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
5. Whisk in flour and cook for 1½ minutes to form a roux.
6. Gradually whisk in whole milk and heavy cream, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
7. Simmer gently 4–6 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
8. Add Dijon mustard, mustard powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
9. Remove from direct heat.
10. Reserve approximately 1½ cups of the shredded cheese for layering.
11. Gradually stir the remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack into the sauce. Do NOT boil after adding cheese or it may become grainy.
12. Fold the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce.
13. Spread half the macaroni in the baking dish. Add part of the reserved cheese.
14. Add the remaining macaroni and top with the remaining reserved cheese.
15. Mix panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, and grated Parmesan.
16. Sprinkle the panko mixture evenly over the top.
17. Bake 20–25 minutes until bubbling, golden, and crisp on top.
18. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Chef's Notes

Freshly shredded cheese is strongly preferred. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents (like cellulose) that prevent it from melting smoothly, which can make the sauce grainy. Storage: Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk, or in the oven covered with foil at 350°F.

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