Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese With a Crisp Topping

What makes this baked mac and cheese work?

Baked Mac and Cheese serves 10 and takes 1 hour. Undercooking the pasta by two minutes keeps it from becoming soft in the oven. Adding cheese off the heat and baking only until bubbling protects the sauce from splitting. ^[1]

Ingredients

For 10 servings: 1 pound elbow macaroni; 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 4 cups whole milk, warmed; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 12 ounces sharp cheddar, grated; 4 ounces Gruyère, grated; 1 cup panko breadcrumbs; 1/3 cup grated Parmesan. Measure and prepare every ingredient before cooking so the method moves cleanly and the final seasoning remains controlled. ^[1]

Step-by-step method

1. Heat the oven to 375°F and butter a 9-by-13-inch dish. Boil macaroni in salted water two minutes less than package directions; drain. ^[1]

2. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in warm milk. Simmer 5 minutes until lightly thickened. ^[1]

3. Remove from heat. Whisk in mustard, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cheddar and Gruyère until smooth. Fold in the macaroni and transfer to the dish. ^[1]

4. Melt the remaining butter and mix with panko and Parmesan. Scatter evenly over the pasta. ^[1]

5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until bubbling at the edges and browned on top. Rest 10 minutes before serving. ^[1]

Make ahead, substitutions and storage

Assemble without topping up to one day ahead; refrigerate, add crumbs and bake about 10 minutes longer. Monterey Jack can replace Gruyère. For a gluten-free version use gluten-free pasta, flour blend and crumbs. Refrigerate within two hours, keep three to four days and reheat portions to 165°F. ^{[1] [2]}

Divide macaroni and cheese into shallow containers within two hours, refrigerate for up to four days and reheat to 165°F. Add a small splash of milk before warming it covered, then uncover briefly to refresh the top. Avoid repeated reheating; warm only the portion you intend to serve. ^[2]