# Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Elbow macaroni in a cheddar and Gruyere sauce, baked under a crunchy buttered breadcrumb top until bubbling.

 

 

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## Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Recipe by Iren Pavlenko

 

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0.0 from 0 votes ** 

Course: Side DishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Elbow macaroni in a cheddar and Gruyere sauce, baked under a crunchy buttered breadcrumb top until bubbling.

### Ingredients

- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted, for the topping

### Directions

- Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Boil the macaroni in salted water 2 minutes short of the package time, then drain.
- Melt the butter in the [Dutch oven](/go/amazon/?p=B0DXKCK21X) over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute without browning.
- Pour in the warm milk and cream slowly, whisking, and simmer 5 minutes, until the sauce coats a spoon.
- Take the pot off the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, mustard and cayenne.
- Add the cheddar and Gruyere a handful at a time until smooth.
- Fold in the macaroni and pour everything into the dish.
- Mix the panko with the melted butter and scatter it on top.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling, and let it rest 10 minutes.

 

### Notes

 

Grate the cheese yourself, since bagged cheese can turn grainy. Assemble the dish a day ahead without the crumbs and add 10 minutes to the bake. Leftovers keep 4 days and reheat with a splash of milk. It freezes for up to 2 months.

 

  

## Why two cheeses

 

Sharp cheddar brings bite and Gruyere melts smoothly. A roux-based sauce stays creamy in the oven. Undercooking the pasta a bit keeps it from turning soft.

 

Cooking the pasta a little short matters. It finishes in the oven, and pasta that starts soft ends up mushy.

 

## Baked Mac and Cheese swaps

 

Fontina can replace the Gruyere. Shells hold more sauce than elbows. Do not use pre-shredded bagged cheese, since it can turn grainy.

 

Cold leftovers reheat best in a covered dish with a splash of milk. Stir halfway through.

 

## What to serve

 

Ham, roast chicken or barbecue. A green salad cuts the richness.

 

The dry mustard and cayenne are small amounts, but they sharpen the cheese. You will not taste heat. Let the dish rest so the sauce thickens.

 

## A common mistake

 

Adding the cheese over high heat, which can make the sauce grainy. Take the pot off the heat first.

 

Do not skip salting the pasta water. The sauce cannot season macaroni that is bland inside.