Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese over top of the macaroni. Pour the macaroni into a 9×9″ baking dish and spread it evenly from edge-to-edge. Mix: Stir the macaroni noodles into the sauce to coat.Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until the cheeses have melted and the sauce is smooth. Cheese it up: Stir in the dijon mustard, onion powder, 2 1/2 cups of the cheddar, and the gruyere.Add the milk in 1 cup batches, whisking until smooth before adding more. Whisk in the flour until completely smooth and let it cook for about 1 minute. Béchamel: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.Bring it to a boil, salt it generously, then add the macaroni noodles and cook al dente according to package instructions. Fill a pot with water and add the bay leaves. Cook pasta: Preheat your oven to 400F.Parmesan – Freshly shredded to give the topping some sharp flavor.You can use regular breadcrumbs instead if that’s what you have on hand.
Butter substitutes will work for this recipe.
Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter to have full control over the salt, but you can use either type.Bay leaves – I highly, highly recommend including this step! It’s not completely necessary, but the bay leaves add such a wonderful flavor to the noodles as they cook.Macaroni – Or any type of small-shaped pasta you like best! Cavatappi, farfalle, shells, rotini, gemelli, orecchiette, penne, for example.Below you’ll find substitutes, tips, tricks, and answers to questions you might have! IngredientsĬlick “ Jump to the Recipe” at the top of the page or keep on scrolling down to the recipe card for ingredient amounts and the full recipe instructions. However, not everyone has the same cheesy preferences! Check out the “Ingredients” section below to see all the different types you can use. I love my cheese sauces to be sharp and packed with big flavor. It’s nutty, smooth, and bold all the same time just downright delicious. Sharp cheddar is a must for any great mac and cheese, and I really do feel the same way about gruyere. I can’t deny that it doesn’t still have a special place in my heart, but I think I’ve levelled up quite a bit with this extravagantly cheesy baked mac. I, honestly, used to live for boxed mac and cheese as a kid. This tried-and-true recipe has been a staple in my cooking repertoire for as long as I can remember. Baked Mac and Cheese is the true definition of comfort food! Tender macaroni noodles smothered in a silky, rich, creamy sharp cheddar and gruyere sauce, then baked to golden perfection with a crunchy panko topping.