Creamy Mac and Cheese (Printable)

Tender macaroni in a rich cheese sauce with béchamel, baked golden or served creamy stovetop.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni

→ Béchamel Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
04 - 2 cups whole milk, warmed
05 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Cheese Mixture

06 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
07 - 3/4 cup Gruyère or Swiss cheese, grated
08 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
11 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
14 - Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

→ Topping (for baked version)

15 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
16 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
17 - 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F if baking. Grease a medium baking dish (approximately 2 quarts).
02 - Boil elbow macaroni in salted water until just al dente; drain and set aside.
03 - In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly until lightly golden without browning.
04 - Gradually whisk in warm milk and cream until smooth. Simmer gently, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if using.
06 - Add cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan cheeses incrementally, stirring until fully melted and sauce is smooth.
07 - Fold cooked macaroni into cheese sauce until evenly coated.
08 - For stovetop serving, serve immediately garnished with additional cheese if desired.
09 - For baked version, transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Combine panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and Parmesan, then sprinkle over pasta. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes homemade and luxurious without requiring any fancy technique or special ingredients.
  • Works equally well as comfort food for yourself or an impressive main dish that makes people ask for seconds.
  • You can have it on the table in under an hour, or make it ahead and bake it when you're ready.
02 -
  • The roux must be cooked long enough to lose its raw flour taste, but not so long that it turns dark—thirty seconds makes the difference between silky and grainy.
  • Warm milk matters: cold milk hitting hot roux creates lumps that no amount of whisking will fix, so take the extra minute to warm it gently.
  • Don't overcook the pasta initially; it keeps cooking as it sits in warm sauce, and al dente pasta tastes so much better than soft.
03 -
  • Make it ahead: assemble everything in the baking dish, cover it, and refrigerate it for up to two days; just add five extra minutes to the baking time.
  • The sauce will thicken more as it cools, so if it seems looser than you like when plating, that's actually perfect—it will set to exactly the right consistency.
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