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A bowl of old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese topped with golden breadcrumbs, with a gold spoon in the bowl. A striped napkin and part of another bowl of mac and cheese are visible in the background.

Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni And Cheese

Melissa Griffiths
This Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe delivers the ideal mac and cheese experience with its gooey cheese, perfectly cooked noodles, and savory breadcrumb topping, making it a weeknight favorite.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 699 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound uncooked macaroni noodles
  • ½ cup salted butter (divided)
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup white cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup panko style breadcrumbs

Instructions
 

  • Cook your pasta according to package directions. Drain the noodles once they are fully cooked and set them aside. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  • In a large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour to create a slurry. Once the butter and flour are homogenous, stir in the milk until combined. Add the cheeses. Stir the mixture for about five minutes over medium heat until the cheese has completely melted.
    A saucepan on a marble surface filled with milk, shredded cheese, and grated parmesan—perfect ingredients for old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese. Nearby, there’s a bowl of breadcrumbs and an empty bowl with a few pieces of shredded cheese inside.
  • Add the cheese sauce to a 9x13 inch pan along with the cooked noodles and fold to combine. You can also add the pasta to the pot you melted the cheese in if the pot is big enough. Do what works best for you.
  • Melt the remaining butter in a small bowl and then stir in the bread crumbs. Whisk the two ingredients together and then sprinkle the breadcrumbs over your mac and cheese.
    A glass baking dish of old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese, topped with a golden brown breadcrumb crust, sits on a marble surface. Nearby, empty white bowls and a small bowl of extra breadcrumbs are visible.
  • Bake the mac and cheese for 25 minutes.
  • Serve and enjoy!
    A wooden spoon holds a serving of old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese with a golden, crispy breadcrumb topping above a glass baking dish filled with more mac and cheese.

Notes

Perfect Thickening: It is important to make sure that the flour and butter are fully combined. This acts as the base of your sauce and will ensure that it thickens properly. You don’t want any clumps of dry flour in your slurry.
 
Substitutions & Variations:
  • Other pastas you can use in this recipe include shells, rotini, and bow tie. Any smaller sized pasta will work great!
  • The breadcrumb topping gives this dish a nice crunch. If you only have regular panko crumbs and you'd like to make them seasoned, you can add ½ tablespoon of Italian seasoning to the crumb topping.
  • You can substitute the panko crumbs for regular breadcrumbs; however the top of the mac and cheese will have a more subtle crunch.
  • Make this a one-dish meal or just get extra veggies into your meal! Cooked bacon or ham, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, jalapeños, broccoli, and peas are all great add-ins. Just make sure any meat is fully cooked and vegetables are at least partially cooked before adding them to the mixture.
 
Storing Leftovers: Store your leftover mac and cheese in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can either let the pan cool and then cover it tightly in plastic wrap or transfer your leftovers to an airtight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 8 servingsCalories: 699kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 29gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 773mgPotassium: 354mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1177IUCalcium: 652mgIron: 1mg
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