Baked Mac and Cheese

4.99 from 262 votes

Our easy Baked Mac and Cheese recipe has a homemade cheesy sauce, crispy bacon, and golden buttery breadcrumbs. It is totally restaurant-worthy and will win over the whole family!

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 751kcal

Author: Lauren Allen

Cost: 8

Equipment

8x8 dish

Ingredients

1/2 pound elbow macaroni (about 1 1/2 cups, 225g)
6 slices bacon
2 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk (355ml)
3/4 cup half and half (half milk, half cream) (180ml)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste , or bouillon powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt , or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , or more to taste
2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese* (200g)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (50g)

Breadcrumb topping:

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs , or regular breadcrumbs (30g)
1 Tablespoon butter , melted
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Boil pasta according to package instructions, just until al dente. Don’t overcook! Strain (don't rinse) and set aside.
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
Shred cheese and set aside to allow to come to room temperature.
2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese*, 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 8x8 baking dish.
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Remove some, but not all of the grease from the pan and chop/crumble into pieces.
6 slices bacon
Make Cheese Sauce: Add 2 tablespoons butter to the pan and then whisk in flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and gradually whisk in milk. Add the cornstarch to the half and half and whisk until smooth. Gradually add it to skillet followed by mustard, chicken boullion, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook sauce, stirring well, for a few more minutes, just until it begins to slightly thicken. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheddar cheese. Taste and add additional seasonings, if needed.
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups milk, 3/4 cup half and half, 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 Tablespoon butter
Combine: Add bacon (reserve a handful to top at the end), and cooked pasta and toss to evenly coat in sauce. Pour mixture into 8x8’’ baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
Breadcrumb topping: Add panko, melted butter and olive oil to a skillet (or the saucepan used to cook the pasta). Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the crumbs are golden brown. Evenly sprinkle over the mac cheese. Add remaining bacon crumbles on top.
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs, 1 Tablespoon butter, 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
Bake 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Yield: 4 servings, approximately 6 cups.

Serving Size: approximately 1 1/2 cups.

Cheese: use high quality freshly shredded cheese, (NOT store bought pre-shredded cheese which contains preservatives and wont melt as well). You could use any cheese combo of cheddar, gruyere, gouda, Monterey jack, havarti, muenster.

Make Ahead Instructions: You can make this creamy baked mac and cheese recipe 1-2 days ahead of time. Prepare the sauce, cook the noodles, but store both separately in the fridge until ready to bake.

Freezing Instructions: Make the entire dish, but freeze before baking. Allow it to cool completely in the 8x8 pan, cover it well with plastic wrap and tinfoil and store it in the freezer for 2-3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake until warmed through and the cheese is bubbly on top.

Nutrition

Recipe Link

Recipe Video