Crazy Good Mac n' Cheese
This Crazy Good Mac n’ Cheese is a crowd favorite! It’s a rich and ultra-cheesy comfort food dish that’s easy to make and totally irresistible!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 tsp. salt
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne red pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
- 2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 2 cups sharp yellow cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 cup seasoned panko Japanese bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Fill large pot with water and 2 tsp. salt and prepare the macaroni al dente according to directions on package. Set aside.
- Melt 3 Tbsp. butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in milk, cream, mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper.
- Stirring constantly, continue to cook for 8 minutes until nice and thick. Stir in 3 1/2 cups cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Add pasta. Pour into a 2.4 qt. or a 9x13 baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with the leftover cheddar cheese and the panko bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and nice and golden browned.
Notes
I use a combination of sharp white and cheddar cheeses. You could also opt to substitute one of the cheddar portions with Gruyère if you'd like.
Always freshly shred your cheeses instead of going for the prepacked bags of shredded cheese. Freshly shredded melts smoother.
You can top the mac n' cheese with some plain or seasoned panko. It makes for a delicious crunchy top.