Reheating – The best way to reheat baked mac and cheese is in the oven by baking it at 350☏ for about 20 minutes. If you’re not a fan, you can skip the breadcrumb topping. Here’s a great read on mixing and matching various cheeses in mac and cheese.īreadcrumb crust – The buttered toasted panko breadcrumb layer adds a crunch factor to the casserole. It’s a wonderful addition to your standard cheddar mac and cheese sauce because it melts like cheddar but has a rich, creamy, salty and nutty flavor.Ĭheese substitutions – Try experimenting with other cheeses like Parmesan, smoked gouda, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Colby, Colby-Jack, Havarti, Fontina, or brie. Gruyere cheese – I used a block of Boar’s head Gruyere cheese and grated it. I used sharp cheddar but you can use mild, medium, sharp, or extra sharp. A box grater will come in handy for this. The pre-shredded stuff is coated with anti-caking agents and won’t melt as well. Be patient as this is a critical step! I once tried rushing this and my mac and cheese ended up tasting floury.Ĭheddar cheese – For best results, it’s best to buy blocks of cheddar cheese and shred it yourself so the cheese melts smoothly into the sauce. Then we slowly add in the milk and heavy cream to make a bechamel sauce. Roux – We make a roux with butter and flour then cook for 3-5 minutes whisking continuously until the raw flour smell is gone. Starting the pasta just a little under al dente before baking will make sure it comes out perfectly al dente from the oven. Since the pasta will continue cooking in the oven, we don’t want to overcook it and end up with soggy pasta. Pasta – Cook the pasta until just before al dente, about 1 minute shy of the package directions. This will be the bulk of your prep time in the recipe. It will be a labor of love so make sure you get the proper recognition and praise you deserve for the workout. I highly recommend investing in a box grater and grating your own cheese. Using pre-shredded cheese will throw off the texture of your mac and cheese quite a bit and you’ll end up with a grainy and chalky cheese sauce. These affect how well they melt into sauces. While the bagged cheese from grocery stores might seem convenient, they have anti-caking agents in them to keep them from clumping together in the bag. You can’t rush the roux and you shouldn’t use pre-shredded cheese. There are two shortcuts you can’t take while making mac and cheese from scratch. You’ll want to whisk and cook the roux until the raw smell of flour is gone so your mac and cheese doesn’t taste floury. The roux will have the consistency of cake frosting and the color of pancake batter.
We will be making a white roux for this mac and cheese that should take about 3-5 minutes. Let’s start cooking! What Is A Roux?Ī roux is a thickening agent for sauces. For more mac and cheese recipes, try chili mac and cheese, chipotle chili mac and cheese, bacon jalapeno mac and cheese, or the classic Velveeta mac and cheese. Serve this macaroni and cheese with a slow-cooked pulled BBQ chicken sandwich, grilled steak, or these garlic butter steak bites. Stay faithful to the recipe or mix and match your cheese to find your perfect cheese sauce. It’s the perfect kid-friendly side dish you can keep as is, or dress up with various add-ins. Today we’re making some homemade baked mac and cheese with two types of cheese and a buttery breadcrumb layer. It’s the ultimate side dish that’s sure to be a family favorite for the holidays or cookouts. It should be bubbly and look amazing.This warm, comforting baked mac and cheese is rich and creamy with a buttery and crunchy Parmesan-panko breadcrumb topping. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.In another bowl, combine your melted butter, panko, parmesan, and paprika.Add your final cups of cheese, and top with the other half of the macaroni and cheese. Add half of the macaroni mix to your baking dish.Add in another two cups and whisk well until smooth, creamy, and thick. Stir in two cups of your cheese, and whisk until mixed.Add your seasonings (I use salt, pepper, + maybe occasionally Adobo.Whisk in the milk and heavy cream, and keep whisking until smooth and slightly bubbly – about 2 minutes or so.
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