Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Updated Aug 13, 2025
Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe made with sharp cheddar and gruyere mixed into a roux and tossed with elbow macaroni and baked with a panko topping.
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Baked mac and cheese is so good!
Baked mac and cheese is one of my ultimate comfort foods. I’ve tried making it with just cheddar before, but once I started adding gruyere, I couldn’t go back. It’s creamier, and just feels a little more grown-up (not that I’d ever turn down the boxed kind). I like to top my baked macaroni and cheese with panko breadcrumbs so it has a perfect crunchy crust on top, and yes, I’ve been known to eat the corners first because they have the most crust. Most of the time, I make it as a side, but more than once it’s been our whole dinner, straight out of the baking dish.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Baked Macaroni and Cheese Ingredients
- Elbow macaroni: Of course, elbow macaroni is the pasta shape used in mac and cheese. But you can use a different shape, just make sure to adjust the cooking time according to the box instructions.
- Panko bread crumbs or homemade breadcrumbs: The breadcrumb topping adds texture. If you don’t have panko on hand, try homemade breadcrumbs or crushed-up butter crackers.
- Gruyere and cheddar cheese: Grate them yourself for the best results (pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as well because they add anti-caking powder to keep it from clumping).
- Dijon mustard: You can use regular yellow mustard if that’s what you have.
- Roux: Made with flour, milk, and butter.
- Salt & Pepper: Add to taste.
How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese
Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for buttering pan
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Parsley for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8 x 11-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain, rinse and set aside to cool.
- In another large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter, then add the flour to make the roux. Whisk the flour and butter until they are combined and golden, about 2 minutes.
- Slowly pour the milk, whisking as you pour. Add the Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer, occasionally whisking until sauce is thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the cheeses, then fold in the pasta. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs. Bake until the breadcrumbs are golden and the edges are bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.
Equipment
Notes
- Use other types of shredded cheese in place of gruyere and cheddar if you’d prefer.
- Instead of panko breadcrumbs, you can also use regular breadcrumbs
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Cook pasta al dente, or two minutes shy of the recommended cooking time. You want the pasta to be slightly undercooked because it’s going to continue to bake in the sauce in the oven. If you overcook it on the stovetop beforehand, it will likely get too mushy and break apart while baking.
- Cool the pasta before tossing it in the sauce. Normally we want to coat the warm pasta in whatever sauce we’re making immediately. But doing so for baked macaroni and cheese can cause the elbow macaroni to absorb too much of the sauce and make it soggy after cooking. It’s a good idea to rinse the pasta after cooking, drain and allow it to cool while you’re making the sauce.
Serving Ideas
- Olive Oil Garlic Bread
- Mediterranean Chopped Salad
- Oven Roasted Carrots
- Air Fried Vegetable Medley
- Green Bean Salad
- Roasted Parmesan Potatoes
FAQs
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, or covered with foil for up to 4 days.
To reheat, place mac and cheese in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Heat at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through, about 20 minutes or so. Or microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes, until warm.
I don’t recommend freezing this mac and cheese recipe. Since we are making everything from scratch, it is possible that the milk with separate or the pasta can become mushy when thawed and reheated. It’s best to just make and enjoy within a few days.
Comments
simple and fantastic taste
Yay! So happy you liked it!!
Mine did not come out creamy. I followed the directions exactly, but the cheeses and sauce did not emulsify together.
What could I have done wrong to cause this?
Aww, I’m so sorry to hear that. Any chance you used store-bought shredded cheese? Packaged shredded cheese has anti-caking agents, which can prevent the cheese from melting efficiently and sticking together in the sauce.
Did this recipe last night and the entire family loved it!! Will be doing this recipe for all holidays now
So glad it was a hit!
i stumbled upon some sharp white cheddar in the fridge and decided to use it up on this recipe and it was amazing! i added some garlic, onion, and white pepper powder to the roux and used half n half w heavy cream and it was amazingly creamy and delicious! thanks yumna! ❤️
OO love this!! Sounds so good!
Hi – can this recipe be doubled? Should it cook similarly to recipe?
Hi there! Yes, this should be fine to double but I would recommend dividing it between two separate 8 by 12-inch baking dishes so that it bakes evenly in the directed time.
It was so amazing! Everyone loved it! I couldn’t find gruyere but substituted it with Swiss cheese as one of the tips stated, and it worked so well!
Thank you so much, Latifeh!
Delicious and classic. I really appreciated the tips you gave -had no idea about the difference in packaged shredded cheese and hand shredded. I think it made a real difference in how tasty it turned out. Thanks!
You’re so welcome!
not a very good cook but im going to attempt this recipe will let you know result good or bad haha ,ps good or bad by me not you
You’ve got this Eddie! I am sure it is going to turn out great!
I never had bake macaroni and cheese before
Let me know what you think if you give this recipe try!
Just made this. I used whole wheat pastry flour because that’s what I had. Or so I thought. I remembered that I did have all-purpose flour after I had already added the pastry flour to the melted butter. I also used unsweetened almond milk instead of 2% milk. Despite the fact that it smelled like I was baking cookies, it still came out delicious. Excited to try it again using the right ingredients.
That’s perfect! I’m glad to hear it works with whole wheat pastry flour too. Let me know what you think the next time you try it!
Can this recipe be halved for a smaller group??
Yes, you can do that!
can this be made night before serving and still come out good?
If you’re thinking about meal prep or holiday prep, baked macaroni and cheese is a great side dish to make in advance. You can assemble the dish (minus the breadcrumb topping), cover it with foil, and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before baking. When ready to bake, let it come to room temperature, add the breadcrumb topping and then bake as directed.
Oh my goodness this looks sooooooo GOOD!!!
Thank you so much!
Tried this tonight for the first time and it was so delicious! I used all cheddar
That makes me so happy to hear! Yay!
I love this recipe and make it quite often, but I have adapted it a bit. I fry chopped bacon, red onions and red or yellow capsicums together and stir it into the macaroni and then add the sauce. I put breadcrumbs, grated cheese and baby tomatoes tomatoes cut in half on top and grate overdone nutmeg. It’s absolutely delicious 😋
I love that! This recipe can definitely be versatile in that way. Yum!!
Family loved it! Used sharp cheddar and Swiss. So easy to make.
So glad to hear it!
True. Nothing better than making Mac & Cheese from scratch. Adding some Dijon mustard gave a twist to the creamy taste. Yummy
I made this on Valentine’s Day for my Valentine and it was DELICIOUS! The recipe was so simple but the flavor and seasoning was PERFECT! Thank you so much!
Wow I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Looking delicious!
Thanks so much! 🙂
The easiest and best mac and cheese recipe i’ve ever made!!
Yay! So glad to hear that! Thank you so much 🙂