Old fashioned baked Mac and cheese
Old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food! A classic dish that’ll take you back to your childhood with its creamy, cheesy goodness.
Ingredients
- 1 pound macaroni
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 cup Shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz block cheese)
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk (add extra ½ cup of milk if you want it saucier)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For panko topping
- 1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons butter (melted)
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13" baking dish.
- Boil macaroni till al dente, drain, and return to pot. Add 2 tbsp butter, coat pasta, and cool.
- Mix shredded cheeses in a bowl.
- In a saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour for 1 minute, then slowing whisk in the milk.
- Add seasonings and cook until thickened, stirring often.
- Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese.
- Combine cheese sauce and cooled pasta.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish
- Mix melted butter with breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
- For creamier results, shred cheese yourself instead of using pre-shredded. Consider melty cheese blends like Gruyere, Cheddar, Parmesan, Fontina, Colby, or Monterey Jack.
- Substitute crushed Ritz crackers for Panko breadcrumbs for a buttery topping. Coat with melted butter before topping.
- For added flavor, mix Italian seasoning or grated Parmesan, into the topping or mac and cheese.
- If you like firmer noodles in your baked Mac and cheese, cook the noodles till 1 to 2 minutes before al dente texture
Nutrition
Calories: 653kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 23gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 1090mgPotassium: 385mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1097IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 431mgIron: 2mg
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