Ultimate Creamy Mac and Cheese

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May 20

Written By Anadi Misra

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This is the ULTIMATE Creamy Mac and Cheese recipe that will change your life! So much ooey and gooey cheese in a rich béchamel sauce, topped with a crispy Panko crust. This mac and cheese recipe will be your go-to comfort dish for any occasion!

Homemade Baked Creamy Mac and Cheese

Hey everyone! A traditional mac and cheese recipe definitely screams comfort food to me. I've grown to love it so much! I just truly enjoy the combination of cheeses, that rich and thick bechamel sauce, and topping it off with buttery breadcrumbs and watching it bake in the oven. That crispy crust at the end really finishes this simple dish to an exquisite level. With that being said, I'm so excited to share this simple yet delightful baked mac and cheese recipe. We're not going to lay off on the cheesiness in this recipe! This will be absolutely super cheesy and satisfy you with every bite!

I didn’t have mac and cheese until I came to Canada. I had heard a lot about it and it always looked so delicious! I had always leaned toward a preference for baked mac and cheese than stove-top. I just love the crust that really completes the dish. Of course I love the sauciness and convenience of a stove-top mac, but I really enjoy making the baked version!

This recipe will show you how to make the best traditional mac and cheese! I use cheddar and mozzarella cheese for the sauce and make the crust using Panko breadcrumbs and some extra cheese and olive oil. These simple ingredients combined will give you the ultimate mac and cheese with so much flavour and so much cheese! Be sure to give it a try, you'll want this over and over again as your comfort food of choice!

Get ready to cuddle up with a bowl of this mac and cheese and make your new go-to comfort food with this classic mac and cheese recipe! For all the details, be sure to watch the video recipe, at the bottom of this post! Please subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already and hit the bell button so you receive the notifications when my video recipes go live! I’m so happy to share the videos to go along with the written recipes so you’ve got everything you need for guaranteed success in your cooking journey! Let’s get started!

Ingredients for Ultimate Cheesy Mac and Cheese

This recipe is a classic and doesn’t require anything you probably don’t already have at home! Let’s review what you’ll need for the best baked Mac and Cheese at home! Don’t forget that the full PRINTABLE RECIPE is available for you to save for later at the bottom of this post! The recipe card is great because you can scale the recipe based on how many portions you want to make, and all quantities are automatically adjusted - no need for mental math on your end!

Elbow macaroni
Old cheddar cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Panko breadcrumbs
Olive oil
Milk
All-purpose flour
Ground nutmeg
Butter
Salt and pepper

Tips for the Best Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

Well seasoned water
A lot of people make the mistake of not seasoning the water before cooking their pasta. Seasoning it after the fact will result in a much less flavourful dish overall. The only time to season pasta is while it is cooking, so that the salt can disperse evenly throughout.
It is definitely possible to over season the pasta water so it is important to have an idea of how much salt to add. For 1 pound of pasta, add about 2 Tbsp of salt to 4 quarts (16 Cups) of water.
A smooth, cheesy béchamel sauce
Béchamel sauce is so easy to make! For more details check out my Classic Béchamel White Sauce recipe! There is a misconception that a béchamel sauce also consists of cheese, which is inaccurate. The traditional French béchamel is just made with butter, flour and milk. The addition of cheddar cheese turns in into an English version of a classic French Mornay sauce (which is traditionally made with Gruyère).
The secret to a smooth sauce is to sauté the roux until it smells slightly nutty and the rawness of the flour cooks off. Next, cold milk is crucial to ensure no lumps. Add the milk in parts and whisk to bring the mixture together until you have used all of your milk.
Next, once the béchamel comes up to a simmer, gently cook until it thickens and evenly coats the back of a spoon. Then, take the pan off the heat and add the cheese in small batches. Mix well to ensure the sauce accepts the cheese and remains smooth and cheesy.
Lots of cheese!
This is the dish where you go all out on the cheese, after all it is called a Mac and Cheese. The finish dish should be a rich, creamy and decadent casserole, so let the treat begin.
Variety of cheeses
I always find myself using two of my favourite cheese for my mac and cheese, mozzarella and old cheddar, which some might say is not adventurous - but I like the flavour so much. Other cheeses I want to try includes gruyère, Swiss cheese and Gouda, which from what I’ve heard are great in a Mac and Cheese. Let me know which one is your favourite down below!
Crispy crust
A crispy cheese crust is great to add an additional texture to the Mac and Cheese. I enjoy topping the casserole with additional cheddar, mozzarella and Panko breadcrumbs, drizzled with some olive oil. 30 minutes in the oven these toppings meld together into the most beautiful crust.
Go crazy with Mac and Cheese variations.
There are no rules when it comes to mac and cheese. Just remember 3 essential elements. Pasta, cheese sauce and toppings. I have use this simple rule to make so many delicious variations and fusion Mac and Cheese dishes. Check out some of these recipes here:

How to Make Baked Creamy Mac and Cheese

For the béchamel cheese sauce

Heat a pan on medium heat and add butter. Once the butter melts, mix in the flour and whisk for 2-3 mins until the rawness of the flour is cooked out. The roux will begin to smell nutty, which is a good indicator

Pour in your milk, little bit at a time while whisking to work out any lumps. Once all your milk is mixed in, wait until your sauce starts to come up to a simmer.

As soon as the sauce comes to a simmer, it will begin to thicken. Once the béchamel is thick enough to evenly coat the back of a spoon, season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Bring the pan off the heat and add in 4 1/2 oz of cheddar and 1 1/2 oz of mozzarella and mix until the cheese melts. Your cheese sauce is ready.

To prepare the mac and cheese

Bring water to boil in a large pot for your pasta add salt water and cook macaroni as per packaged instructions.

Mix in your macaroni with the cheese sauce and transfer into an oven safe dish or casserole and sprinkle the rest of your cheese, Panko breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

Bake in the oven at 350 F for 25-30 mins.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Watch How to Make Ultimate Creamy Mac and Cheese Here:

If you liked this recipe please let me know in the comments. Tag your post on social media using #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!

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American, Classic

American

Yield: 4

Author: Anadi

Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe | Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheesehttps://youtu.be/jt7-J1poQH8This baked macaroni and cheese recipe will show how to easily make a Southern classic baked macaroni and cheese. This Mac and cheese recipe will show how to make a béchamel sauce and how to create a crispy Panko crust for the Mac and cheese.2022-05-20