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??
Hit the comfort food spot without excess (agree with your assessment that heavy cream is overkill…cheese delivers the rich mouth feel). I added some diced ham and used a cup of pepper jack. Perfection!
What if I need to serve atleast 20 people???? I don’t understand the instructions, how many people does 1 serving cover?
Thank you for this recipe Nagi, I just put it in the oven and it looks amazing! I’m fourteen and I love to cook your recipes for my family. My grandfather has been in hospital since last Thursday and won’t be out until after Christmas. In an attempt to cheer everyone up a little bit (the house feels very empty without him), I’ve cooked all our meals this week- ALL YOUR RECIPES!! Zuppa Toscana, Quesadillas, Red Rice, Guacamole, Fish Curry, One Pot Chicken Pilaf, Chicken Satay Skewers- and Vanilla Cake for my grandmother’s birthday. Thank you for making things so much easier by sharing your recipes. You truly inspire me. Merry Christmas! <3
It’s such a shame she missed your comment ! She missed the biggest compliment !!
Mac and cheese has always been a favourite of mine. I always asked my mother to make her baked mac ‘n cheese when she asked what I wanted for my birthday dinner.
I can’t wait to try yours!
I absolutely love this mac and cheese recipe! I make it all the time. Last time I added shredded leftover chicken and leftover cauliflower florets and it was so good!
We all loved this dish-son is vegetarian, so it’s very convenient, especially for me. Thanks for another lovely recipe.
This recipe never fails. I’ve made it several times. It’s so easy to make and is a standout. Even when I’ve made this for the kids with ‘adult mains’ the adults end up eating this instead (every time) – its that good.
I love your recipes Nagi. They are the best.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I was looking for a cast iron recipe, and yours is by far the best! I have made it several times and it is now is my “go-to” Mac n’ cheese! I have to go GF, so the rue looks funny – very gooey. But it all works out fine. Just add the milk slowly. Also — I use GF panko, which doesn’t brown very well while baking. So I just put it on broil for a couple of minutes to brown.
Nagi has a panko trick in a different recipe (crusted oven-baked chicken breast?) where you lightly roast the panko crumbs first. Maybe that could work here and add some good flavour, too?
I made this recipe with gluten free elbows. Omitted the flour roux and used gluten free panko crumbs on top. Delicious! The elbows were made from potato and I didn’t rinse them. This extra starch thickened the sauce without any additives.
Is the quantity of pasta correct?it was too low when I made it. I used 16oz of dry pasta and it was not enough
I make this all the time and it’s amazing. I wanted to make it in muffin cups to serve as an appetizer. do you think these will hold up if I put them in parchment paper cups?
im going to refrain form leaving an official review for now. year round i can normally find gruyere, except in november, when everyone is making holiday side dishes. my family loves your recipes and my 7 year old asked me to make your mac and cheese, but i had to use sharp cheddar in gruyere’s place so until i can make it the way the recipe calls for i wont put any stars here. but i will say, it was still lovely anyways and im looking forward to eating the leftovers of it tonight.
Really good but very rich.should really be a side rather than main .
I did make this and it is the only one I will make going forward as Nagi says it is theeee best. The only thing is I made a double batch and the 9X13 does not hold it all and I did it exactly as the recipe says. Next time I will use a larger pan.
Hi Lesley, can you explain what you mean by 9×13? I’m trying to find the lan size Nagi refers to (26cm/9”). 26cm is actually 10”, and I don’t know what the 13 stands for in your comment. Any help appreciated. Thanks.
9 X 13 inches is the size of the glass baking dish I use. I double this recipe and it is amazing. If you want anymore information just message me again.
Can I use fresh mozzarella which I already bought? Or will it water it down?
dumb question but if I am doubling the recipe do I literally double every ingredient in the recipe when making?
Hello, would it be OK to use mozzarella in a firmer mac and cheese, like macaroni pie?
SOOO delicious omgawshhh the best mac recipe. Used this for thanksgiving last year and will again this year!
Hi this recipe looks amazing and I plan on making it ahead for a birthday party. I am just slightly confused about the part where the topping is listed. Am I mixing the melted butter with the breadcrumbs before I sprinkle on top? Thank you!
Great recipe