Still the best Baked Mac and Cheese I’ve ever had, with a stunning white creamy cheese sauce and a buttery breadcrumb topping. This is THE Macaroni Cheese recipe that’s wildly popular every Thanksgiving and Christmas!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Baked Mac and Cheese
I don’t want to be morbid, but if I had to choose a Last Meal, this Baked Mac and Cheese may possibly be it. Put me in a room with Macaroni Cheese, and neither of us stand a chance. Said Mac and Cheese would be ravaged.
And of all the Mac and Cheeses in the world, this is still the best Mac and Cheese I’ve ever had!
About this Macaroni and Cheese
This is a Mac and Cheese recipe that is everything you want in a knock-your-socks off Macaroni Cheese – cheesy and creamy, with perfectly cooked macaroni (no bloated pasta!), plenty of sauce and a crunchy buttery top (essential in my world!)
What goes in Baked Mac and Cheese
Here’s what you need. Cheese. Butter. Pasta. All the essential food groups covered!😂
Best pasta for Mac and Cheese?
Macaroni, also known as elbow pasta. But really, any short pasta will work just fine – penne, ziti, twirls etc.
Best cheese for Mac and Cheese?
A combination of Gruyere and mozzarella cheese. Gruyere for the most superior flavour with the best melting qualities for creamy sauces such as this – there’s no contention in my view. And mozzarella for stretch – nothing does the cheese pull like a good mozzarella!
But honestly, any cheese that melts well works is excellent with Mac and Cheese, such as cheddar, tasty, Colby, Swiss, Pepper Jack, Emmental.
No cream?
NO! You do NOT need it. This sauce is rich enough as it is from the butter and cheese. Cream makes it so rich you can’t eat more than a few spoonfuls. How disappointing!!!
How to make Baked Mac and Cheese
It’s a straightforward recipe, starting with a basic butter-flour roux that is used to thicken milk to make the cheese sauce. For first timers, I think the short video below will help give you the confidence that you’ve got this!
The simple trick to avoid lumps in the Mac and Cheese Sauce is to pour the milk in slowly while constantly stirring, then just switch to a whisk if needed to remove any stubborn lumps!
Tips for the BEST Mac & Cheese!
Freshly grated cheese – don’t use pre shredded. They have anti caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.
No bloated overcooked pasta – Cool macaroni slightly and lightly coat in butter. This stops the macaroni from absorbing more liquid while baking, resulting in bloated overcooked pasta (hot pasta absorbs liquid faster, butter creates thin film of protection) and less sauce.
To avoid lumps in your sauce, stir constantly as you slowly pour the milk in and keep stirring once the milk is all added. If necessary, switch to a whisk to get rid of stubborn little lumps!
Plenty of sauce – Because I like my Mac and Cheese saucy, not dried up so you can cut it like cake!
Can you make Mac and Cheese ahead of time? Most recipes are not suitable for making ahead, but this recipe is! The best way is to cool pasta then toss with sauce and adding breadcrumb topping. Cool, refrigerate or freeze then bake on the day of (see recipe Note 5 for baking time).
How long can Mac and Cheese stay in the fridge? Unlike most, this Macaroni Cheese recipe is good for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Most Mac and Cheese will not keep well because there’s not enough sauce so it gets absorbed by the pasta and you’re left with dry, sauceless pasta.
Freezing? Yes! Assemble, cool, do not bake, just freeze it. Thaw then on the day of, bake per Note 5 in the recipe.
Add ins? This recipe is great as it is, but there’s tons of add-in options. Add shredded chicken, sautéed onion and bell peppers/capsicum, bacon, hot sauce (for heat!), dried herbs of choice.
What to serve with Baked Mac and Cheese
Mac and Cheese is worthy of serving as a meal in its own right, served with just a fresh green salad or simple vegetable side. Nothing heavy because Macaroni Cheese is so rich as it is!
As a side dish, it will compliment virtually any non-Asian main dish. From simple Baked Pork Chops to Steak, a Roast Chicken to Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs, the only things I probably would not serve with Mac and Cheese would be very light summery mains such as a Tuna Tartare – just a little too much contrast.
And of course, festive gatherings! Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter – alongside a grand Roast Turkey or your Herb & Garlic Butter Slathered Turkey Breast, the juicy Roast Pork with impossibly Crispy Crackling or your Prime Rib that’s so perfectly blushing pink all the way through, it makes you want to weep.
Holidays would not be the same without this Mac and Cheese!! – Nagi xx
Baked Mac and Cheese recipe
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Baked Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Macaroni:
- 250g / 8 oz macaroni (elbow pasta)
- 1 tbsp (15g) unsalted butter (or 2 tsp oil)
Topping:
- 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter , melted
- 1/4 tsp salt
Sauce:
- 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup flour , plain / all purpose
- 3 cups milk , warmed (low or full fat)
- 2 cups freshly shredded cheese, gruyere best (followed by cheddar and Colby) (Note 2)
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese , or more other cheese of choice (Note 2)
- 3/4 tsp salt
Seasonings (optional):
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
Instructions
Pasta:
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add macaroni and cook per packet directions MINUS 1 minute.
- Toss in butter: Drain, return pasta to pot, add butter and toss until melted. Set aside to cool while making the Sauce (Optional – Note 3).
Topping:
- Mix together Topping. Set aside.
Sauce (video is helpful):
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types).
- Make roux: In a large saucepan or in an ovenproof skillet (I use my 26cm/9" Lodge cast iron skillet), melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add milk: Add about 1 cup of the milk and mix to dissolve the paste into the milk. Then add remaining milk and mix until lump free (use whisk if required).
- Add Seasonings: Mix in salt and Seasonings if using.
- Thicken sauce: Cook, stirring/whisking regularly, for 5 – 8 minutes until thickened to a cream consistency. When the Sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon, you should be able to draw a path with your finger.
- Add cheese: Remove from stove, add cheese and stir – cheese doesn't need to melt.
- Check salt: Adjust salt to taste (if you use recommended cheeses, you won't need more).
Assembling:
- Assemble: Pour Sauce into pot with Macaroni. Stir quickly, then pour back into the skillet (I did this) or a baking dish (Note 4). Sprinkle with breadcrumb topping.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until top is light golden. Don't bake too long otherwise you'll bake away the Sauce!
- Serve: Serve immediately! I sprinkled mine with a bit of fresh parsley. See notes for best make-ahead method.
Recipe Notes:
- Main Cheese (2 cups) – my favourite is gruyere (used in video), for flavour and melting quality. Can use any flavoured melting cheese. Other cheeses I like for this include: cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, provolone. (Australia/NZ: Tasty cheese works & super tasty but sauce is not quite as smooth);
- I like to use mozzarella for the 2nd cheese (1 cup). It melts really well into the sauce, has that nice stretch, and isn’t as oily like other cheese can tend to be. Also, it’s less salty. However, you can just use more of the Main Cheese.
- Always grate your own cheese for cheese sauces. Store bought shredded cheese have anti caking agents which don’t melt so can give the sauce a slight powdery texture.
- SALTINESS of cheeses vary so if you use another cheese other than gruyere for the Main Cheese that is much less salty (eg Jarlsberg), you may need to add a pinch or two of extra salt into the sauce. Taste and check! Most cheeses are of similar salt levels though.
Nutrition Information:
Recipe first published July 2017. Updated a few times since then with better photos, addition of recipe video. Updated November 2021 to reconfirm that it is STILL the best Mac I’ve ever had!! No changes to recipe – readers would never forgive me!!
The RecipeTin Eats MAC & CHEESE COLLECTION
I love a good Mac & Cheese! See??
Baked Mac and Cheese – this recipe, huge reader favourite!
Stovetop Mac and Cheese – one pot, 20 minutes, my best speedy emergency version.
Chili Mac – a cross between Chili and Mac and Cheese, a one pot dinner wonder!
Shrimp Mac and Cheese – outrageously delicious!
Life of Dozer
When Dozer went camping: Are we there yet, are we there yet??
says cook 1 hr at the top pf the recipe, I thought it meant 1 hr in t he oven! oops just saved it in time!
Oh no!! 25 mins in the oven Hilary 🙂
It was snowing here all morning so my partner made Mac and cheese for lunch. It was the perfect meal to gobble up as the outside world turned white ❄️
Sounds divine Greer!
I am really elated with your recipes. They are all good.
Really delicious! I used Colby, parmesan and mozzarella.
Great recipe!!! I made this for a family bbq, and I received so many compliments! This was to my surprise because mac n cheese is a staple at all of our family events but doesn’t receive much attention as it is usually taken for granted. I did end up using a bit of heavy cream in place of the milk, i added a little chicken bouillon to the roux, and used gouda, gruyere and cheddar as my cheeses.
Sounds great Mariah!!
Hi Nagi, I love your recipe’s! I’ve made this before (YUM) but was thinking of adding a cauliflower as some hidden veg for the kids…. Would you at boil the cauli? OR add it raw and hope it cooked in the sauce? Thank you!
Hi Amy! Funny you mention that, I was going to share a low(er) carb Mac and Cheese!! Cook the cauliflower before mixing into the sauce, it won’t cook in the oven time in this recipe 🙂 N x
I made this for my family and everyone loved it. The topping was so nice and crunchy, a great contrast to the creaminess of the noodles underneath. I did add the dried mustard powder and the onion powder, to give it a little zing. I will say this is quite a large recipe and makes a huge cast iron skillet. Next time, I will cut the recipe in half, as the leftovers aren’t quite as tasty. But overall, a delicious mac n cheese.
I used cheddar, Swiss and half a wheel of Brie left over from a party. Leftover Mac n cheese made crazy good grill cheese, bacon and Mac sandwiches the next day on sourdough bread OMG
A classic! I like to add a finely sliced onion to the macaroni when boiling it, and the just sieve it as normal – it adds a delicious sweetness to the dish.
This looks wonderful. Can I double it and bake in a 13×9 pan? Same cooking time.
Sure can Michelle!
This mac and cheese is the best. I used about 1.5 cups of mozzarella and 1.5 cups of Italian blend and added some hungarian peppers and garlic salt and it was amazing!!!
Best baked mac and cheese ive ever had!
Wahoo, that’s great to hear!!!
I made this truly bulletproof roasted chicken in my crockpot today and started it early as I wanted to let it cook on low for a long time.. Somehow it got set to HIGH and cooked that way for at least 5 hours before I noticed! I figured it was probably ruined but cooked it on low for additional 2 hours. Browned it in my oven and it was absolutely wonderful meat didn’t quite fall off the bone but very close.
I’m so glad it worked out for you Mike!! – N x
Can I cook this on a BBQ or on an a campfire?
I haven’t tried to be honest Anna!
So, so good. I used mozzarella, colby jack, and little a muenster (what I had on hand). Used garlic powder and onion powder, but omitted the mustard powder.
Sounds like a winner Nicole, I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
I made this with a few changes. I used 3 cups (dry) medium shells. I also substituted 1 cup of heavy cream for 1 of the cups of milk called for. It turned out perfectly! Next time I’m going to add 1lb of finely chopped bacon to the sauce. TY for this recipe. Three words: Yum Yum and YUM! Can’t wait to try more of your recipies.
Sounds amazing!!
Hi! Wondering if I can substitute with gluten free noodles and if so the timing for it please 😁
Hi Felicia, I haven’t tried to be honest sorry so am unsure of the timing – N x
Greetinga from singapore!!! I made this for my husband last night and he couldnt stop raving about it. Told me he was kidda sad its all gone and i need to make it again for him! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Thats great Regina!
My husband made this last night and hasn’t stop saying it’s the best mac ‘n cheese he’s ever tasted – and he’s not even a pasta lover! I have to agree with him. It was delish. 😀
That’s great!!
Hi Nagi! I love your recipes! Can I sub the mustard powder for actual mustard, or can I simply leave it out? I don’t have any and I don’t think I’ll find it my local supermarket… (I’m in Portugal) 🙂 Thanks in advance!
Hi Marta, just leave it out!
Huge hit at our house! I use orecchiette pasta instead of elbows, more topping, and about 8 different small hunks of cheese. Thank you so much for posting this awesome recipe and the extra tips to make it great!
Woah that sounds decadent Christine!
Hey Nagi I love love love your recipes, you are my Go To recipe site! And this Mac and Cheese has become a very firm family fav, thank you!
Just a question, where in Aus do you buy the orange American cheese you use in some of your recipes? I can’t find it anywhere and my kids love it!
Also just a humble request if u think others would find it useful, would u be able to include a freezer rating in your recipes? I often batch cook and am unsure sometimes if things are freezer friendly. Thank you!