The Best Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese

Kids love mac and cheese. This mac and cheese recipe from the momontimeout web site is one of the easiest and best homemade mac and cheese recipes I have found. The panko bread crumb topping creates the perfect crispy crunch and golden brown hue when this delicious homemade mac and cheese is cooked.

You Will Need:

12 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked (or other tubular pasta)
3/4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, (shredded)
1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese, (shredded)
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/8 cups panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons butter, (melted)
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, (shredded)
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

What to Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a large 3 qt or 4 qt baking dish and set aside.Combine shredded cheeses in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Cook the pasta one minute shy of al dente according to the package

instructions. Remove from heat, drain, and place in a large bowl.

3. Drizzle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat pasta. Set aside to cool while

preparing cheese sauce.

4. Melt butter in a deep saucepan, dutch oven, or stock pot.

5. Whisk in flour over medium heat and continue whisking for about 1 minute

until bubbly and golden.

6. Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until nice and smooth. Continue whisking until you see bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking and whisking for another 2 minutes. Whisk in salt and pepper.

7. Add two cups of shredded cheese and whisk until smooth. Add another

two cups of shredded cheese and continue whisking until creamy and smooth. Sauce should be nice and thick.

8. Stir in the cooled pasta until combined with cheese sauce.

9. Pour half of the mac and cheese into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 2 cups of shredded cheese and then the remaining mac and cheese.

10. In a small bowl, combine panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, melted butter and paprika. Sprinkle over the top and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

References:

Recipe from momontimeout
Photo by Stephanie Felzenberg