Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Classic old-fashioned baked macaroni and cheese, with its creamy cheese sauce, tender pasta, and crunchy topping, is a comforting and delicious favorite of all ages. This easy, timeless recipe will take you back to Grandma's kitchen.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 607kcal

Author Colleen Milne

Ingredients

1 pound elbow macaroni gluten-free if needed
¼ cup butter plus one tablespoon
¼ cup all-purpose flour gluten-free if needed
4 cups milk
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups bread crumbs or crushed cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Boil pasta for one minute less than package directions. Drain well and set aside.
Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter.
Preheat oven to 400°.
In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
When the butter is foaming, whisk in the flour. Whisk until bubbling and thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
Slowly add the milk, while whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth and thickened.
Remove from heat and add 2 ½ cups of the shredded cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted completely.
Add the cooked macaroni noodles to the cheese sauce mixture. Stir until pasta is coated.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine the crumbs, the remainder of the cheese, and one tablespoon of melted butter.
Spread the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the macaroni mixture.
Bake until the top is golden brown and crispy.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Notes

Slightly under-cook pasta. If the package says 6 minutes, cook the macaroni for 5 minutes. It will finish cooking in the oven and you'll have perfect al dente pasta.

Drain immediately. Use a colander to drain the pasta well immediately once it's finished cooking.

Whisk that sauce. It's essential to add the milk slowly or in batches while whisking constantly. This helps to avoid lumps and ensures a smooth, creamy sauce.

Watch the heat. Don't use a higher stove top heat than medium. You don't want the butter to brown, or the milk to scald.

Allow to cool after baking. After removing from the oven, allow the baked mac & cheese to cool for five minutes before serving. This will allow it to set a bit for easier serving.

Storing. Store leftover mac & cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Freeze unbaked. You can assemble and freeze the dish unbaked. Don't add the bread crumb topping. Allow it to cool completely before wrapping well with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, add the topping, and bake. Reheat in the microwave or oven.

Freeze baked. After cooling, freeze portions of macaroni and cheese in freezer-safe containers or zip-lock bags. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake until heated through.

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