Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Cuisine

American

Servings

6

Total time

50 min

Prep

15 min

Cook

35 min

Difficulty

medium

Ingredients

• 12 Ounce elbow macaroni - 12 (ounces)
• 4 Cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded - 4 (cups), shredded
• 3 Cup whole milk - 3 (cups)
• 5 Tablespoon unsalted butter - 5 (tablespoons), plus more for greasing the baking dish, Plus more for greasing the baking dish.
• 0.25 Cup all-purpose flour - 1/4 (cup)
• 1 Cup panko breadcrumbs - 1 (cup)
• 2 Teaspoon kosher salt - 2 (teaspoons)
• 0.5 Teaspoon black pepper - 1/2 (teaspoon)
• 0.5 Teaspoon ground mustard - 1/2 (teaspoon)
• 0.25 Teaspoon paprika - 1/4 (teaspoon)

Instructions

1. Preheat and grease dish

   1. *Preheat the oven to 375°F* and *lightly butter the baking dish with a little extra butter*.

2. Cook macaroni

   2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook the *elbow macaroni until just al dente*, then *drain well*.

3. Make roux

   3. In a medium saucepan, melt *4 tablespoons butter* over medium heat, whisk in the *all-purpose flour*, and cook for *1 minute*.

4. Thicken milk sauce

   4. Slowly whisk in the *whole milk* until smooth, then cook until the sauce is *slightly thickened*, about *4 to 5 minutes*.

5. Season and add cheese

   5. Stir in the *salt, black pepper, ground mustard, and paprika*, then remove from the heat and add the *sharp cheddar cheese* until melted and smooth.

6. Combine pasta and sauce

   6. Fold the drained macaroni into the *cheese sauce* until evenly coated, then *spread it in the prepared baking dish*.

7. Add breadcrumb topping

   7. Melt the remaining *1 tablespoon butter*, mix it with the *panko breadcrumbs*, and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the macaroni.

8. Bake until golden

   8. Bake for *20 to 25 minutes* until the topping is *golden and crisp* and the edges are bubbling.

9. Rest and serve

   9. Let the macaroni and cheese *rest for 5 minutes* before serving so the sauce *sets slightly*.