Baked Mac And Cheese With Bread Crumbs: Best Recipe

 Baked Mac And Cheese With Bread Crumbs

Baked Mac And Cheese With Bread Crumbs the perfect side dish for any meal! This rich and creamy recipe is expected at every family gathering and Sunday dinner!

This turned out pretty good. I didn't layer mine but I did mix more cheese when I combined the roux and macaroni before pouring it in my cast iron.

Came out yummy! I assembled it the day before and let it set out for about an hour before adding topping and baking. Honestly, it was even better as leftovers the next day! The cheese was a little thick but I did substitute 1 cup of the cheese with Velveeta cheese so maybe that was why. I also added chopped chives to the top.

Baked Mac And Cheese With Bread Crumbs

To make this recipe you'll need the following ingredients:

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, minced
•  1 teaspoon dry mustard
•  1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper8 to 9 tablespoons (4 to 4 1/2 oz) unsalted butter
•  6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•  3 1/2 cups whole milk
•  1 pound elbow macaroni or small shells
•   1 pound Colby cheese, shredded (about 4 1/2 cups)
•  8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 1/4 cups)
•  2 1/4 cups store-bought chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
•  1 cup panko or dried bread crumbs (about 100 g)
•  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.

If using bread crumbs, in a medium saucepan over low heat, melt 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter. 

Add the bread crumbs and stir well. Season with salt and pepper and stir again. 

Spread the bread crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate to cool. 

Increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). If using panko, in a medium saucepan over low heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Toss in the panko and stir well. 

Season with salt and pepper and stir again. Spread the panko on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden, 7 to 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts (3.8 liters) of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt and cook according to the package directions, stirring often, until nearly al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain the pasta.

Dry the now-empty pot in which you cooked the pasta, place it over medium heat, add the butter and wait until it melts.

Add the garlic, dry mustard, and cayenne, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour and cook, still stirring constantly, for 1 minute. 

Slowly whisk in the milk and broth or stock until the mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking often, and cook until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes more.

Remove the pot from the heat. Gradually whisk in the Colby and Cheddar cheeses, adding them slowly and by the handful, until they melt, 2 to 3 minutes. Your sauce should be smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in the cooked pasta, breaking up any clumps with a spoon. Dump the whole shebang into a 13-by-9-inch (33-by-23-cm) baking dish. (You can cover and refrigerate the macaroni and cheese and bake it later. See our make-ahead instructions below.) Sprinkle with the toasted panko mixture. 

Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips and bake until golden and bubbling around the edges, 20 to 30 minutes.

Let the baked macaroni and cheese casserole cool for 10 minutes before you bring it to the table amid a chorus of oohs and aahs and scoop it straight from the baking dish.