The ultimate classic Baked Mac and Cheese, with an insane cheesy sauce and topped with an irresistible golden, buttery breadcrumb topping. This is the Macaroni Cheese recipe of your dreams!!
Prepare yourself for the heart-stopping moment in the recipe video when I pull this bubbling beauty out of the oven…..and the stretchy cheese shot!
Baked Mac and Cheese
I don’t want to be morbid, but if I had to choose a Last Meal, this Baked Mac and Cheese may possibly be it. I know, I know, it’s not very Aussie or Japanese of me to say that. I should probably say sushi or sausage rolls or roast lamb.
Put me in a room with Macaroni Cheese, and neither of us stand a chance. Said Mac and Cheese would be ravaged.
And of all the Mac and Cheeses in the world, this is my very favourite.
About this Macaroni and Cheese
This is not an insanely fully loaded Mac and Cheese. I know you’ll see some with many types of cheeses and made really rich with cream. Topped with bacon, with lobster and crab.
This is not one of those versions. But if you want a buttery, cheesy, creamy Macaroni and Cheese with perfectly cooked macaroni, plenty of sauce and a crunchy buttery top, this is a Mac and Cheese for you. ❤
What goes in Baked Mac and Cheese
Here’s what you need. Cheese. Butter. Pasta.
All the essential food groups covered!?
How to make Baked Mac and Cheese
It’s a straightforward recipe, starting with a basic butter-flour roux that is used to thicken milk to make the cheese sauce. For first timers, I think the short video below will help give you the confidence that you’ve got this!
Ultimate Mac and Cheese – my GOLD tips
- Freshly grated cheese – don’t use pre shredded. They have anti caking agents that can make the sauce grainy;
- No bloated overcooked pasta – Cool macaroni slightly and lightly coat in butter. This stops the macaroni from absorbing more liquid while baking, resulting in bloated overcooked pasta (hot pasta absorbs liquid faster, butter creates thin film of protection) and less sauce;
- Stir constantly once you add the milk to ensure your sauce is silky smooth;
- Plenty of sauce – Because I like my Mac and Cheese saucy, not dried up so you can cut it like cake!
- Can you make Mac and Cheese ahead of time? Most recipes are not suitable for making ahead, but this recipe is! The best way is to cool pasta then toss with sauce and adding breadcrumb topping. Cool, refrigerate or freeze then bake on the day of.
- How long can Mac and Cheese stay in the fridge? This Macaroni Cheese recipe is good for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Most will not keep well because there’s not enough sauce so it gets absorbed by the pasta and you’re left with dry, sauceless pasta.
- Freezing? Yes! Assemble, cool, do not bake, just freeze it. Thaw then on the day of, bake per the recipe.
- Add ins? This recipe is great as it is, but there’s tons of add-in options. Add shredded chicken, sautéed onion and bell peppers/capsicum, bacon, hot sauce (for heat!), dried herbs of choice
What to serve with Baked Mac and Cheese
Mac and Cheese is worthy of serving as a meal in its own right, served with just a fresh green salad or simple vegetable side. Nothing heavy because Macaroni Cheese is so rich as it is!
As a side dish, it will compliment virtually any non-Asian main dish. From simple Baked Pork Chops to Steak, a Roast Chicken to Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs, the only things I probably would not serve with Mac and Cheese would be very light summery mains such as a Tuna Tartare – just a little too much contrast.
And of course, festive gatherings! Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter – alongside a grand Roast Turkey or your Herb & Garlic Butter Slathered Turkey Breast, the juicy Roast Pork with impossibly Crispy Crackling or your Prime Rib that’s so perfectly blushing pink all the way through, it makes you want to weep.
Holidays would not be the same without this Mac and Cheese!! – Nagi xx
Baked Mac and Cheese recipe
Watch how to make it
Baked Mac and Cheese recipe video! Don’t miss the ending when it comes out of the oven….
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Baked Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Macaroni:
- 250g / 8 oz macaroni (elbow pasta)
- 1 tbsp (15g) unsalted butter (or 2 tsp oil)
Topping:
- 2/3 cup (40g) panko breadcrumbs (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp salt
Sauce:
- 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (50g) flour , plain / all purpose
- 3 cups (750 ml) milk , warmed (low or full fat)
- 2 cups (200g) shredded cheese (favourite is gruyere, next is cheddar and Colby) (Note 2)
- 1 cup (100g) shredded mozzarella cheese , or more other cheese of choice (Note 2)
- 3/4 tsp salt
Seasonings (optional):
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
Instructions
Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add macaroni and cook per packet directions MINUS 1 minute.
- Drain, return pasta to pot, add butter and toss until melted. Set aside to cool while making the Sauce (Optional - Note 3).
Topping:
- Mix together Topping. Set aside.
Sauce (video is helpful):
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
- In a large saucepan or in an ovenproof skillet (I use my 26cm/9" Lodge cast iron skillet), melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add about 1 cup of the milk and mix to dissolve the paste into the milk. Then add remaining milk and mix until lump free (use whisk if required).
- Mix in salt and Seasonings if using.
- Cook, stirring/whisking regularly, for 5 - 8 minutes until thickened to a cream consistency. When the Sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon, you should be able to draw a path with your finger.
- Remove from stove, add cheese and stir - cheese doesn't need to melt.
- Adjust salt to taste.
Assembling:
- Pour Sauce into pot with Macaroni. Stir quickly, then pour back into the skillet (I did this) or a baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumb topping.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until top is light golden. Don't bake too long otherwise you'll bake away the Sauce!
- Serve immediately! I sprinkled mine with a bit of fresh parsley.
Recipe Notes:
- Main Cheese (2 cups) - my favourite is gruyere (used in video), for flavour and melting quality. Can use any flavoured melting cheese. Other cheeses I like for this include: cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, provolone. (Australia/NZ: Tasty cheese works & super tasty but sauce is not quite as smooth);
- I like to use mozzarella for the 2nd cheese (1 cup). It melts really well into the sauce, has that nice stretch, and isn't as oily like other cheese can tend to be. However, you can just use more of the Main Cheese.
- Always grate your own cheese for cheese sauces. Store bought shredded cheese have anti caking agents which don't melt so can give the sauce a slight powdery texture.
Nutrition Information:
Recipe first published July 2017. Updated a few times since then with better photos, addition of recipe video. No changes to recipe – readers would never forgive me!!
The RecipeTin Eats MAC & CHEESE COLLECTION
- Baked Mac and Cheese – this recipe, huge reader favourite!
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese – one pot, 20 minutes
- Chili Mac
- Shrimp Mac and Cheese – outrageously delicious!
- Chicken and Broccoli Mac & Cheese
Life of Dozer
When Dozer went camping: Are we there yet, are we there yet??
Thank you Nagi for this delish recipe. I’m usually not a huge fan of Mac and cheese, but this recipe is the bomb!! I used Almond milk, because that’s all I had. The flavours were still bang on !! Thank you again 😊😊
WOOT! I’m totally converted you! N x
Thank you Nagi for this delish recipe. I’m usually not a huge fan of Mac and cheese, but this recipe is the bomb!! I used Almond milk, because that’s all I had. The flavours were still bang on !! Thank you again 😊
Made this last night, and it was so good my husband wants it again tonight, he said this is so nice about 5times! Every time I’ve tried to make mac and cheese I couldn’t get it right but following this exactly and the fact that (since I’ve found your recipes he’s started to love pork chops and chicken again) It turned perfect was lovely!
That’s great Abby, I’m so glad it was a hit!
We’ve made this recipe twice now and each time it has been Great!! I recommend toasting the breadcrumbs before baking, but even still it’s perfect as is.
We added Dijon mustard as well as mustard powder, and Cajun spice (we like our food spicy). We also added Trader Joe’s truffle butter once, which gave it an amazing flavor, and added parmesan to the bread crumbs. This is now our standard recipe. Thank you so much for posting this!
Sounds so decadent Christie!! N x
Do you use fresh mozzarella or pre-shredded?
Hi Allison, I talk about this in the recipe notes 🙂
So good! But I always double the spices. Gives it a fuller flavour. Who doesn’t love garlic! Also I sprinkled a bit of paprika on top. Yum!
Sounds great Regan! N x
Amaaaazing. I added broccoli during the cooking process. The kids loved it!!!
Perfect Natasha!!! N x
Best mac and cheese ever! I followed the recipe exactly except for skipping the salt and seasonings in the sauce and topping. We don’t really like the taste of salt. I used 1/3 each of gruyere, mozzarella and sharp cheddar and baked it in a Pyrex pan. I’ve tried other recipes online and they’ve been bland. This was foolproof and perfect. Thanks for the detailed instructions, Nagi!
Perfect Andrea, I’m so glad it was a hit!
Did this tonight in my Lodge cast iron skillet and it was just lovely. Thanks for the great recipe
You’re so welcome Jane!
Hi there, this will be my first time with this recipe. In all other recipes I’ve used invoking milk it is usually told to be put in cold. How should I warm up the milk? In the microwave? For how long? I don’t want to make it too hot if that will cause an issue. Thank you
Hi Rebecca, just warm in the microwave to it’s just warm to the touch – 30 seconds or so in the microwave will be fine. N x
This is an amazing base recipe. I boiled the noodles in 1:1 chicken broth and water, added ham and used only one cup of cheddar and added a cup of mozzerella. Wounderful!
Sounds great Arpita!!
This is comfort food heaven! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Nagi,
I’ve made this at least 30 times and have shared the recipe with countless people (I want to, but I just can’t steal your credit by saying it’s mine when people tell me it’s the best mac and cheese they’ve ever had– particularly when I’m nuking leftovers and they have that look of shock and the smile of “yum” at how leftover mac and cheese can be that creamy and delicious 2 days later.).
Anyway (sorry for the digression), I need to make this ahead because of a long drive and in the post it says to mix everything together and refrigerate/freeze, but the notes say to keep the components separate in the fridge until ready to make/bake.
Which do you recommend? It’ll be made/baked about 24 hours after cooking the noodles and making the sauce.
Thank you!
Becca
Seriously. I made good mac and cheese before, but this really is the best mac and cheese. I know the recipe by heart because make it so often now. Thank you for creating and sharing it! 🙂
Without doubt the best mac n’ cheese recipe I’ve tried. I’m a terrible cook, but somehow it turned out amazing.
very good but alot of the suace went away more than i think it should have but it was over all really good
Really wanted to love this recipe but all I could taste was flour- couldn’t even tell there was cheese in it! Followed to a T except left the bechamel on for closer to 10 minutes because I wasn’t sure if it was thick enough. Could that have been the problem?
Hi Ally, that doesn’t sound right at all!! How much flour did you use? The video should give you an indicator of how thick the sauce should be, did yours resemble the same? – N x
Absolutely delightful! Exactly what we needed on a cold winter day.
This was amazing!!!!! So cheesy and delicious. I used mature red Cheddar, regular cheddar, Gouda and a little Parmesan. I also used crushed up Ritz crackers mixed with some melted butter as the topping (pls try it) best mac and cheese I’ve ever eaten!
Which brand of pasta do you use. I like italian brands but struggle to find de cecco or Barilla or Molisani for example on the northern beaches where I live. Thanks
Hi this looks wonderful. I have a question about making ahead. I know what you say in the notes about keeping ingredients apart then mixing together just before baking. But in the body of your notes it says to mix the macaroni and cheese sauce together put in refrigerator and add topping just before baking? Which is the best way or does it matter?