Vegetarian

Baked Mac and Cheese

Name: Baked Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 450 g elbow macaroni; 60 g butter; 60 g all-purpose flour; 720 ml milk; 250 g cheddar, grated; 100 g gruyere, grated; 1/2 tsp mustard powder; salt and pepper to taste; 50 g breadcrumbs; extra cheddar, for topping

Elbow pasta in a rich three-cheese sauce, baked until bubbling.

Vegetarian Nut-Free

Baked mac and cheese with a golden bubbling crust — The crisp edges where the cheese meets the dish are the best part.

Prep15 min

Cook30 min

Total50 min

Servings 6 servings

DifficultyEasy

A roux-based cheese sauce coats tender pasta, topped with extra cheese and baked until the top turns golden and the edges go crisp.

Ingredients

450 g elbow macaroni
60 g butter
60 g all-purpose flour
720 ml milk
250 g cheddar, grated
100 g gruyere, grated
1/2 tsp mustard powder
salt and pepper to taste

To finish

50 g breadcrumbs
extra cheddar, for topping

Instructions

Cook the macaroni in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, and cook a minute to form a roux.
Gradually whisk in the milk and simmer until thickened. 5 min
Adding the milk gradually while whisking is what keeps the sauce smooth instead of lumpy.
Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar, gruyere, and mustard powder until melted, then season with salt and pepper.
Combine the sauce with the cooked macaroni and pour into a baking dish.
Scatter breadcrumbs and extra cheddar over the top, then bake until golden and bubbling. 20 min
Let it rest a few minutes before serving. 5 min

Notes

Swap in any melty cheese combination -- a sharp cheddar plus something meltier like gruyere or gouda balances flavor and texture.
Keeps 3 days refrigerated; reheat covered with a splash of milk stirred in.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 bowl) -- estimated, not lab-tested.
Nutrient	Amount
Calories	520 kcal
Total Fat	27 g
Saturated Fat	16 g
Carbohydrates	48 g
Fiber	2 g
Sugar	7 g
Protein	22 g
Sodium	560 mg
Cholesterol	75 mg
Values are estimates based on standard ingredient data, not laboratory analysis.

Photo: Vancouver Bites! from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped to 3:2 and re-encoded as WebP/JPEG for web delivery.