Description
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese recipe! Creamy and cheesy, it’s a delightful blend of three distinct cheeses enveloping perfectly cooked pasta, all topped with a crunchy layer of panko for an irresistible texture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dry macaroni pasta
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
- 3 cups Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup White Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Cook the macaroni in salted water until almost al dente; drain and set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour for about one minute.
- Gradually add milk and half-and-half while whisking until smooth. Season with black pepper, nutmeg, garlic powder, and dried mustard.
- Add the cheeses gradually until melted and combined into a smooth sauce.
- Mix the cheese sauce with the cooked macaroni until well coated.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with panko breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Broil for an additional 2-3 minutes for extra crunch.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240g)
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 80mg