Homemade Mac and Cheese
This creamy homemade mac and cheese recipe has tender pasta and rich, melty cheese sauce, baked until golden and bubbly beneath a crispy breadcrumb topping.
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For the macaroni:
- 8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
For the cheese sauce:
- ¾ cup finely shredded mild cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Provolone cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
For the breadcrumbs:
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Cook the elbow macaroni according to the package directions or until al dente.
- Prep. While the pasta cooks, preheat your oven to 350°F and butter a 9x9-inch baking dish. In a bowl, combine the shredded cheddar and provolone, toss to mix, and set aside.
- Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the flour and cook, constantly whisking for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until smooth. Add nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook. Continue cooking the sauce for 2 minutes, then whisk in half of the cheddar and provolone mixture. Stir until smooth and until the sauce is nice and thick.
- Prepare the breadcrumbs. Combine the Panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, and melted butter in a bowl.
- Assemble. Combine the cooked pasta with the prepared cheese sauce. Add half the pasta to a 9-inch baking dish, then top with the remaining provolone-cheddar cheese mixture. Layer the remaining pasta over the cheese, and finally, top the macaroni with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake. Transfer it to the oven and bake the pasta for 25-30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
- Serve. Remove the mac and cheese from the oven and let it cool briefly before serving.
Notes
- Cook the flour. Make sure you cook your flour for 1 to 1½ minutes before adding the milk. The sauce will have a better taste.
- Add flavor. You can add some dried Italian herbs to the sauce for extra flavor.
- Cheese options. I use a mixture of cheddar and Provolone, but you can use another cheese, like Gruyere, sharp cheddar, or Colby.
- Pasta shapes options. If you want to try other types of pasta, you can use cavatappi or lumache.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.25cups | Calories: 619kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 361mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1171IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 367mg | Iron: 1mg
