Classic Oven-Baked Macaroni Cheese (Printer-friendly)

Creamy baked macaroni with sharp cheddar and Gruyère crowned by a crispy golden crust.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz elbow macaroni

→ Cheese Sauce

02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 4 cups whole milk, warmed
05 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
06 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
08 - 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for pasta water
09 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
10 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
11 - 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated (or additional cheddar)

→ Topping

12 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
13 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
14 - 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 3-quart baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni until just al dente, about 1–2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until pale and fragrant.
04 - Gradually whisk in warmed milk, stirring continuously until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Fold in grated cheddar and Gruyère until fully melted and smooth.
05 - Stir drained macaroni into the cheese sauce until uniformly coated.
06 - Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and Parmesan cheese (if using) and sprinkle evenly over the top.
07 - Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It bakes into a crispy-topped, creamy-hearted masterpiece without any fuss or fancy technique.
  • The sauce stays silky and clings to every piece of pasta instead of pooling at the bottom.
  • You can make it ahead, refrigerate it, and bake it later when everyone's hungry and you're too tired to think.
02 -
  • Warm the milk before adding it to the roux or you'll get a lumpy sauce that never smooths out no matter how hard you whisk.
  • Grate your own cheese from a block, pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy and broken.
  • Don't skip the resting time after baking, the sauce needs a few minutes to firm up or it'll run all over the plate.
03 -
  • Taste your cheese sauce before mixing it with the pasta, it should be slightly oversalted and very flavorful because the pasta dilutes it.
  • Use a deep baking dish to prevent bubbling over in the oven, I've learned this the hard way with a smoking oven and a mess to clean.
  • Let the baked dish sit uncovered for five minutes so the steam escapes and the topping stays crispy instead of getting soggy under foil.
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