Baked Macaroni Cheese Comfort (Printable)

Tender pasta coated in a rich cheese sauce, baked till golden and bubbling with a crispy topping.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz elbow macaroni

→ Cheese Sauce

02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 3 1/3 cups whole milk
05 - 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
06 - 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
09 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

→ Topping

12 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
13 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 1/4 tsp paprika

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
02 - Boil elbow macaroni in salted water until just al dente, about one minute less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for 1–2 minutes without browning.
04 - Gradually whisk in whole milk until smooth. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and add cheddar, Gruyère, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth and cheese melts.
05 - Toss drained macaroni with cheese sauce until evenly coated. Transfer mixture into prepared baking dish.
06 - Mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter, Parmesan cheese, and paprika in a small bowl. Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni.
07 - Bake in preheated oven for 25–30 minutes until the topping is golden and sauce is bubbling.
08 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving to set.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely foolproof—even if you've never made a roux before, the step-by-step approach walks you through it like a friend standing beside you
  • The combination of sharp cheddar and Gruyère creates this complex, grown-up cheese flavor that tastes like you've been cooking for years
  • That crispy, buttery panko topping contrasts beautifully with the creamy sauce underneath, giving you texture that makes every bite interesting
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting phase—this 5 minutes is when the starch in the pasta absorbs just enough sauce to make everything cohesive and spoonable, not runny
  • The pasta should be slightly undercooked before mixing; this was my biggest early mistake, and I learned it the hard way by ending up with mush instead of tender pasta
  • Keep your heat at medium when making the roux—high heat burns the flour and creates a bitter taste that ruins the entire sauce no matter how much cheese you add
03 -
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy after adding cheese, remove it from heat immediately and whisk in a splash of cold milk—this usually fixes it by cooling things down just enough to help the emulsion come back together
  • Toast your panko in a dry skillet for a minute before mixing it with butter and cheese; this deepens its flavor and ensures it gets extra crispy in the oven, creating contrast that makes the dish memorable

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