You won’t be able to get enough of this Baked Mac and Cheese. It’s the perfect side dish for holidays, or any meal for that matter. The panko topping really takes it over the top.
If you don’t love Mac and Cheese, raise your hand. Oh, I don’t see any hands! That’s because everyone loves it. It’s absolutely irresistable.
I have to admit, I grew up on those boxes of mac and cheese. And, yes, I will still chow down happily on some powdered Kraft mac any day of the week. But when you make it from scratch, it’s just so much better. I mean it’s a whole new level of deliciousness. Trust me, I know these things.
Ingredients
- Macaroni pasta – You can also sub it with other small shapes like shells.
- Butter – And plenty of it. This isn’t some diet dish.
- All-purpose flour – To make it nice and rich.
- Milk – Whole milk, please.
- Heavy whipping cream – This really takes the creamy factor up a notch.
- Cheese – I use a combo of cheddar and gruyere. Feel free to play around with different varieties though.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
- Panko – This is to create the nice crispy topping.
How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese
First I get the oven preheating to 350°F and start boiling the macaroni pasta in salted water to al dente. When it’s done, I drain and toss with 1 Tbsp butter.
Now for the sauce. I melt 4 Tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat, then once it has melted, I gradually stir in flour to create a roux.
Next, I whisk in milk, about half cup at a time, to create a smooth sauce. After that, I whisk in heavy whipping cream.
Then, I stir the grated cheese into the sauce, stirring continuously to ensure the sauce has a smooth and consistent texture. And, or course, I taste and adjust the sauce for salt and pepper.
In a lightly greased baking dish, I add macaroni and stir in the cheese sauce until everything is well combined. I melt the remaining 3 Tbsp butter and stir in the panko. I top the macaroni evenly with this butter-panko mixture, then bake it for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
It’s optional, but I also like to give it a quick broil at the end to brown the topping up.
Serving Suggestions
Mac and cheese is just about the perfect side dish. It goes with pretty much everything. Here are a few of my top pairings:
- Skillet Pork Chops
- Country Style Beef Ribs
- Fried Catfish
- Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Shish Kebab
- Baby Back Ribs
- And of course… Thanksgiving dinner!
Boxed mac and cheese is great. One of the true wonders of the processed food world. Alpana would disagree, but this is my post, so I’m saying it. But once you try my homemade mac, I think you’ll agree that it’s so much better, and worth the effort.
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Baked Mac and Cheese, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
More Can’t-Miss Side Dishes:
Yellow Squash Casserole
Mediterranean Rice
Fried Green Tomatoes
Hawaiian Mac Salad
Greek Lemon Rice
KFC Coleslaw
Cheese Grits
Baked Mac & Cheese
You won't be able to get enough of this Baked Mac and Cheese. It's the perfect side dish for holidays, or any meal for that matter. The panko topping really takes it over the top!
Ingredients
- 12oz dry macaroni noodles
- 8 Tbsp butter, divided
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2¼ cups whole milk
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- 1.5 cups gruyere cheese, grated
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup panko
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Boil macaroni pasta in salted water to al dente. Drain and toss with 1 Tbsp butter.
- Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, gradually stir in flour.
- Whisk in milk, about half cup at a time, to create a smooth sauce. Whisk in heavy whipping cream.
- Stir grated cheese into the sauce. Stir continuously to ensure the sauce has a smooth and consistent texture. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
- In a lightly greased baking dish, add macaroni and stir in cheese sauce until everything is well combined.
- Melt remaining 3 Tbsp butter on stovetop or the microwave. Stir in panko. Top the macaroni evenly with this butter-panko mixture.
- Bake the macaroni for 30 minutes in preheated oven. At the end, you can optionally broil it for a few minutes for a little added color.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 619Total Fat 44gSaturated Fat 26gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 129mgSodium 736mgCarbohydrates 31gFiber 2gSugar 6gProtein 24g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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