Creamy Baked Mac & Cheese
Classic Southern-style mac and cheese with a crispy-topped, creamy interior. One-pot pasta baked until golden and bubbly — comfort food that's done in under 20 minutes.
- Total time
- 18 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 542
- Protein
- 22g
Ingredients
- 12 oz elbow pasta
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 tbsp butter, divided
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- 2
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour until it foams, about 60 seconds.
- 3
Pour in milk slowly while whisking constantly until smooth. Simmer 2 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens.
- 4
Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar until fully melted and smooth. Season with salt and black pepper.
- 5
Fold pasta into cheese sauce. Toss panko with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, then scatter over top.
- 6
Bake 8 minutes until topping is golden brown and sauce bubbles at edges. Serve hot.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot
- whisk
- wooden spoon
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- oven
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
