Classic Baked Mac and Cheese
This mac and cheese recipe is the classic baked kind: elbow macaroni in a smooth cheddar and Gruyère sauce under a crunchy, buttery breadcrumb crust. A simple roux of butter and flour keeps the sauce silky in the oven instead of turning oily. Cooking the pasta 2 minutes short means it soaks up sauce as it bakes rather than going soft.
By Luca Ferraro
Published
- Prep Time
- 20 mins
- Cook Time
- 45 mins
- Rest
- 10 mins
- Total Time
- 1 hr 15 mins
- Servings
- 8 servings
How do you make Classic Baked Mac and Cheese?
For classic baked mac and cheese, boil 450 g (1 lb) elbow macaroni 2 minutes short of al dente. Make a sauce with 85 g butter, 60 g flour and 1.2 litres warm milk, then stir in 455 g shredded sharp cheddar and Gruyère off the heat. Fold in the pasta, top with buttered panko and parmesan, and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 20-25 minutes, until bubbling and golden.
- Total time
- 1 hr 15 mins
- Calories
- 710 per serving
- Protein
- 29 g
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Baking
Ingredients
Pasta
Cheese sauce
Topping
Equipment
23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish · Large pot · Colander · Large saucepan or Dutch oven · Whisk · Box grater
Quick Directions
Get ready
Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and butter a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish.
Par-cook the pasta
Cook the macaroni for 2 minutes less than the package time, so it is still firm in the centre.
Make the roux
Melt the 85 g of butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Thicken the sauce
Whisk in the warm milk and simmer for 5-8 minutes until it coats a spoon.
Melt in the cheese
Take the pan off the heat.
Combine and top
Fold the drained pasta into the sauce and pour it into the baking dish.
Bake
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the topping is crisp and golden brown.
Rest and serve
Let the mac and cheese rest for 10 minutes so the sauce settles and thickens slightly, then scoop it out and serve with parsley if you like.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect classic baked mac and cheese.
Get ready
Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and butter a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish. Shred the cheddar and Gruyère and warm the milk in a saucepan or the microwave until it steams. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt it well.
Par-cook the pasta
Cook the macaroni for 2 minutes less than the package time, so it is still firm in the centre. Drain it well without rinsing and set it aside. It finishes cooking in the oven as it absorbs the sauce.
Make the roux
Melt the 85 g of butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly, until it bubbles and smells lightly toasted but has not browned.
Thicken the sauce
Pour in the warm milk a ladle at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5-8 minutes, whisking often and scraping the corners of the pan, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in the mustard powder, paprika, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Melt in the cheese
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the cheddar and Gruyère a handful at a time, letting each addition melt before adding more, until the sauce is smooth. Taste it: it should be well seasoned, slightly saltier than you would eat it on its own, because the pasta soaks up salt as it bakes.
Combine and top
Fold the drained pasta into the sauce and pour it into the baking dish. It should look very saucy, almost loose; that extra sauce is what keeps it creamy. Mix the panko with the melted butter and parmesan and scatter it evenly over the top.
Bake
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the topping is crisp and golden brown. For a darker crust, put it under the broiler (grill) for 1-2 minutes at the end, watching closely so it does not burn.
Rest and serve
Let the mac and cheese rest for 10 minutes so the sauce settles and thickens slightly, then scoop it out and serve with parsley if you like.
Recipe Tips
- Shred the cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking starch, which keeps it from melting smoothly and can make the sauce gritty.
- Warm milk blends into the roux without lumps and thickens faster than cold milk. If you only have cold milk, add it slowly and keep whisking.
- The mustard powder will not make the dish taste of mustard. It sharpens the cheese flavour, much like a pinch of salt.
- Choose a shape with tubes or ridges, such as elbows, cavatappi or shells, so the sauce clings inside and out.
Variations
- Bacon mac and cheese: fold 6 slices of crisp, crumbled bacon into the pasta before baking.
- Cracker crust: swap the panko for 1 cup of crushed butter crackers mixed with the melted butter.
- Swap the Gruyère for smoked Gouda or fontina, or use all cheddar for a sharper, more classic flavour.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 710 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 29 g |
| Carbs | 63 g |
| Fat | 38 g |
| Saturated fat | 22 g |
| Fibre | 2.5 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container or the covered baking dish for up to 4 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze baked portions, or the assembled dish before baking without the topping, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat
- Add a splash of milk and reheat portions in the microwave, stirring halfway, or cover the dish with foil and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20-30 minutes, until hot to 74°C (165°F) in the centre.
Classic Baked Mac and Cheese FAQs
What is the best cheese for mac and cheese?
Use a sharp or extra-sharp cheddar for flavour and mix it with a smooth melting cheese such as Gruyère, Monterey Jack or fontina. Save very hard, aged cheeses like parmesan for the topping, because a sauce made mostly from them tends to turn oily and grainy.
What makes mac and cheese sauce grainy or oily?
Usually the sauce was too hot when the cheese went in, which makes the cheese proteins tighten and release their fat. Pre-shredded cheese can also make it gritty. Take the pan off the heat before adding freshly shredded cheese a handful at a time. A splash of warm milk whisked in can rescue a sauce that has just started to split.
Why does baked mac and cheese turn out dry?
Baked mac and cheese dries out when the pasta is fully cooked before baking, when there is not enough sauce, or when it bakes too long. Cook the pasta 2 minutes short, make sure the mixture looks loose and saucy going into the dish, and take it out as soon as the edges bubble and the top is golden.
Can I make baked mac and cheese ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it without the topping, cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add the buttered crumbs, then bake from cold at 190°C (375°F), covered with foil for 20 minutes and uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until bubbling and hot to 74°C (165°F) in the centre.
Can you freeze mac and cheese?
Yes. Freeze it baked or unbaked, without the crumb topping, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, add fresh topping, and bake covered at 180°C (350°F) until hot to 74°C (165°F) in the centre, then uncover for the last 10-15 minutes to crisp the top.
Is mac and cheese vegetarian?
It contains no meat, but some cheeses are made with animal rennet, including traditional parmesan and many Gruyères. If you eat strictly vegetarian, choose cheeses labelled vegetarian or made with microbial or vegetable rennet.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
