Creamy Old Fashioned Mac and Cheese

macaroni in a creamy cheese sauce topped with crispy breadcrumbs.

Creamy Old Fashioned Mac and Cheese

Published by Kate

This classic mac & cheese recipe features a sharp cheddar cheese sauce, tender pasta, and a crispy breadcrumb topping.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 518 kcal

Ingredients

1 lb macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard (or 2 teaspoons Dijon)
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
½ cup heavy cream
16 oz cheddar freshly shredded, see notes for more options
1½ cups coarse breadcrumbs (see notes)
2 tablespoons butter melted

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook macaroni in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the mustard, paprika and salt.
Whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Cook until thickened slightly, about 6–8 minutes.
Stir in the shredded cheese until the mixture is smooth. Add the cooked and drained pasta and stir until the pasta is coated.
Pour into the baking dish.
In a medium bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle over the macaroni in the baking dish.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are crispy.

Notes

Use your favorite cheese here, or a combination of cheeses. Colby jack, pepper jack, or white cheddar all melt nicely into the sauce. You could also sub in 4 ounces of shredded gruyere for part of the cheddar. You NEED to shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make the sauce lumpy and grainy.

To make the coarse breadcrumbs, blitz 2–3 slices of sandwich bread (or any plain-ish bread, day old is great) in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. That's it! You can also swap in panko breadcrumbs if you prefer.

Reheat any leftovers in the oven to get the breadcrumbs crispy again. The cheese sauce will soak into the pasta as it sits, so it'll be a bit drier compared to when you first make it (but still just as delicious).

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 20gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 483mgPotassium: 274mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 972IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 447mgIron: 1mg

Keyword old fashioned mac and cheese

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