Baked Mac and Cheese Casserole with Breadcrumbs
This baked mac and cheese casserole has everything I’ve been chasing in a macaroni and cheese recipe for years: ultra-creamy sauce, springy pasta coated in every nook and cranny, and a golden, crispy garlic parmesan bread crumb topping. The rich béchamel base brings silky smoothness, while a blend of sharp cheddar, white cheddar, merlot cheese, and parmesan creates bold flavor. It’s comfort food at its finest!
Servings 10
Ingredients
Topping
- 4 TBSP unsalted butter divided * see note below
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 2 tsp chopped garlic
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ½ tsp salt
Béchamel
- 6 TBSP butter
- 6 TBSP flour
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
- 3 ½ cup 2% milk
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp pepper can use white pepper
- 1 ½ TBSP mustard powder
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 ½ cups sharp yellow cheddar grated
- 2 ½ cups white extra sharp cheddar grated, I use Cabot
- 1 cup Merlot or Balsamic cheese grated, Bella Vitano from Costo
- 1 lb cavatappi, fusilli or rotini pasta or your favorite pasta with curves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Butter or spray a 9x13 baking or casserole dish with baking spray and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Heavily salt water and cook pasta according to package directions but reduce the cooking time by about 25%.1 lb cavatappi, fusilli or rotini pasta
- Drain pasta in a colander and set aside.
Topping
- Melt 2 T of butter in medium skillet on medium and add olive oil. Heat until the foam subsides from the butter. Add the minced garlic and panko or breadcrumbs. Toss gently to coat the crumbs.4 TBSP unsalted butter, 2 TBSP olive oil, 2 tsp chopped garlic, 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Continue to stir crumbs in pan to make sure they don't burn and cook until golden brown about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
- Add Parmesan and salt off heat and stir to incorporate. Set aside.1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp salt
Béchamel
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. As it is melting, add the flour and stir continually to form a thick paste or roux. Cook for 2 minutes or so to cook out the flour taste.6 TBSP butter, 6 TBSP flour
- Slowly add milk and cream while whisking slowly to avoid clumping from the roux. Continue stirring and cooking until the sauce reaches a low boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally so the sauce keeps moving and doesn't burn. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes until the sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.3 1/2 cup 2% milk, 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Stir in mustard powder, salt and pepper and worcestershire.2 tsp kosher salt, 1 1/2 TBSP mustard powder, 1 tsp worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp pepper
- Turn off the heat. Add the cheese in handfuls stirring after each addition, making sure it has melted before adding more.2 1/2 cups sharp yellow cheddar, 2 1/2 cups white extra sharp cheddar, 1 cup Merlot or Balsamic cheese
- Add pasta to sauce pan and stir to evenly coat the pasta with the sauce. It's ok if the sauce is on the thinner side. It should be the consistency of a smooth gravy. It'll thicken while it bakes.
- Pour the pasta into a 9 x 13 pan. Top with crumb mixture. Resist the urge to overdo it. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
- Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes until bubbly. Remove immediately and serve.
Video
Notes
- Dot extra butter on top of the bread crumbs before baking. This adds extra crispy pockets of texture.
- Cover the pan lightly with foil about 10 minutes or so into the baking to avoid burning on top.
- If made and refrigerated, bake a little longer until bubbling in the center.
- If making in gratins or smaller portions, cover after five minutes and start checking it at 15 minutes.
Add a little milk to the leftovers and heat in the microwave in 30 second increments until warmed through. Stir mixing in the breadcrumbs. Make ahead. Don't top with the breadcrumbs. Make those the day you plan to serve it but once cooled, store in a plastic bag or lightly cover the pan you made them in so as not to soften, until you're ready to bake the mac n cheese. Sprinkle over topping right before baking.
Bake it covered with foil at 400˚ for an hour. Remove the foil, top with the breadcrumbs and continue baking for another 15 minutes or so.
