There’s nothing not to love about macaroni and cheese. Baked creamy, cheesy macaroni with an amazing crispy panko topping is always a comforting dish perfect for lunch or dinner. A family favorite dish every time.
You can make variations to it by adding bacon or ham or some vegetables but most prefer this dish simple with no extra ingredients. Cheese is meant to be the queen of this recipe and it definitely has plenty of it.

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Macaroni and Cheese
There’s nothing not to love about macaroni and cheese. Baked creamy, cheesy macaroni with an amazing crispy panko topping are always a comforting dish perfect for lunch or dinner. A family favorite dish every time.
Ingredients
- 9 oz (250g) elbow macaroni
- 4 tbsp (56g) butter
- 3 tbsp (24g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (480ml) milk
- 1/2 tsp (3g) salt
- freshy ground black pepper
- garlic powder , optional
- 1 ½ cups (150g) Cheddar cheese , grated
- 1/2 cup (50g) Parmesan cheese , grated
- 1/2 cup (50g) Mozzarella cheese , grated
Topping
- 1 tbsp (14g) butter , melted
- 1/2 cup (30g) panko breadcrumbs
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C).
- Cook the pasta in salted water with 1 minute less than package instructions.
- While the pasta cooks, in a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth and cook for about 1 minute, until bubbling. Gradually stir in milk, until mixture is smooth. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder if used and stir constantly until the sauce boils and begins to thicken.
- Turn off the heat and stir in cheeses. Add drained pasta into the sauce and stir to coat.
- In a small bowl combine panko bread crumbs with 1 tbsp of melted butter and spread on top of the macaroni.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until browned and bubbly.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gSugar: 5.5gCholesterol: 66mgCalories: 467kcalSaturated Fat: 14gFat: 22.9gProtein: 19.5gCarbohydrates: 45.9g
Nutrition facts
1 Serving
Calories: 467,
Fat: 22.9g,
Saturated fat: 14g,
Unsaturated fat: 0.0g,
Carbohydrates: 45.9g,
Sugar: 5.5g,
Fiber: 1.9g,
Protein: 19.5g,
Cholesterol: 66mg,
Sodium 616mg, Potassium 191mg, Vitamin A 21%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 29%, Iron 12%, daily percent values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet,
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @homecookingadventure on Instagram and hashtag it #homecookingadventure.
mmm this looks like my idea of the perfect mac and cheese recipe!
What else can you use if you don’t have a cast iron skillet?
Hi Lisa.
You can use a normal pan.
What kind of butter? Salted or unsalted?
Hi! What else can I use instead of panco bread crumbs?