Go Back
Print
Baked Mac And Cheese - 2Teaspoons

Baked Mac And Cheese

Super creamy mac and cheese topped with buttery breadcrumbs and baked to perfection. The ultimate comfort food!
Course Main
Servings 2 -4
Author 2Teaspoons

Ingredients

Mac and Cheese

  • 8 ounces of pasta 1/2 lb
  • 12 ounces by weight* of shredded cheese I used half cheddar, half gruyere
  • ½ cup butter
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tablespoons brown mustard
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Topping

  • 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Optional topping: parsley and paprika

Instructions

  1. Boil a large pot of water on high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
  2. Melt butter over medium heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in flour. Gradually pour half and half, then milk in, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk constantly until sauce thickens, about 10-12 minutes. Add mustard, cayenne pepper, nutmeg and salt. Gradually whisk in cheese until completely melted. Gradually stir in pasta and then set aside.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  4. In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Stir in breadcrumbs and toast, stirring constantly until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Divide pasta evenly into 2-4 crocks. Sprinkle evenly and generously with breadcrumbs. Arrange on a cookies sheet and bake until cheese sauce is piping hot. Let sit for 5 minutes, sprinkle with parsley and paprika, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*12 ounces of cheese is about 3 cups of shredded cheese