16 oz elbow macaroni, cooked (or other tubular pasta)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
2 cups Gruyere cheese shredded
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups panko crumbs
4 tbsp butter melted
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
1/4 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a large 3 qt
or 4 qt baking dish and set aside.Combine shredded
cheeses in a large bowl and set aside.
Cook the pasta one minute shy of al dente
according to the package instructions. Remove from
heat, drain, and place in a large bowl.
Drizzle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat
pasta. Set aside to cool while preparing cheese
sauce.
Melt butter in a deep saucepan, dutch oven, or
stock pot.
Whisk in flour over medium heat and continue
whisking for about 1 minute until bubbly and
golden.
Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until
nice and smooth. Continue whisking until you see
bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking
and whisking for another 2 minutes. Whisk in salt
and pepper.
Add two cups of shredded cheese and whisk until
smooth. Add another two cups of shredded cheese
and continue whisking until creamy and smooth.
Sauce should be nice and thick.
Stir in the cooled pasta until combined and pasta
is fully coated with the cheese sauce.
Pour half of the mac and cheese into the prepared
baking dish. Top with remaining 2 cups of shredded
cheese and then the remaining mac and cheese.
In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, Parmesan
cheese, melted butter and paprika. Sprinkle over
the top and bake until bubbly and golden brown,
about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Originally Submitted
3/29/2024
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