Creamy Macaroni Cheese (Print Version)

Tender elbow macaroni in a rich béchamel sauce blended with melted cheeses.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni

→ Béchamel Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
04 - 2 cups whole milk, warmed
05 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Cheese Mixture

06 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
07 - ¾ cup Gruyère or Swiss cheese, grated
08 - ½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - ½ tsp garlic powder
11 - ½ tsp onion powder
12 - ½ tsp salt
13 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
14 - Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

→ Topping (optional for baked version)

15 - ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
16 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
17 - 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish if baking.
02 - Boil salted water and cook macaroni until slightly less than al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden without browning.
04 - Slowly whisk in warm milk and cream until smooth. Simmer gently, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 4–5 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low and stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and optional cayenne pepper.
06 - Gradually add cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan, stirring until fully melted and smooth.
07 - Fold cooked macaroni into cheese sauce until evenly coated.
08 - Serve immediately, optionally garnished with extra cheese.
09 - Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Combine panko, melted butter, and Parmesan; sprinkle evenly over top. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like someone who actually cares made it, because they did—you.
  • The three-cheese blend creates a depth that feels fancy but takes the same amount of time as opening a packet.
  • You can have it on the table creamy and ready in 20 minutes, or baked until golden if you have a little extra time.
  • Once you've made this, you'll never look at the boxed version the same way again.
02 -
  • Lumpy sauce is almost always from whisking cold milk into the roux instead of warm milk, so remember to warm yours first.
  • Adding cheese to a sauce that's too hot can make it break and become grainy—keep the heat low and stir gently once the cheese goes in.
  • The pasta will continue absorbing sauce as it sits, so if it seems a little looser than you'd like when you finish, that's actually perfect.
03 -
  • Make extra cheese sauce and freeze it in portions—you can thaw and reheat it for a second dinner that tastes freshly made even though you made it weeks ago.
  • If your sauce breaks or gets grainy while cooking, whisk a little cold milk in a separate bowl with a teaspoon of cornstarch, then slowly whisk it into the hot sauce while stirring constantly to save it.
  • Serve this with something sharp and acidic like a green salad or pickled vegetables to cut through the richness and balance the meal.
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