Creamy Macaroni Cheese Classic (Printable)

Tender macaroni in rich béchamel and melted cheeses, baked golden or served creamy from stovetop.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni

→ Béchamel Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
04 - 2 cups whole milk, warmed
05 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Cheese Mixture

06 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
07 - ¾ cup Gruyère or Swiss cheese, grated
08 - ½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - ½ tsp garlic powder
11 - ½ tsp onion powder
12 - ½ tsp salt
13 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
14 - Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

→ Topping (for baked)

15 - ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
16 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
17 - 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if baking. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
02 - Boil salted water and cook macaroni until just al dente, about 1–2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden, avoiding browning.
04 - Gradually whisk in warm milk and cream until smooth. Simmer gently, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, approximately 4–5 minutes.
05 - Lower heat to low and stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and optional cayenne pepper.
06 - Add cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan cheeses incrementally, stirring until fully melted and smooth.
07 - Fold cooked macaroni into cheese sauce until evenly coated.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra cheese if desired.
09 - Transfer mixture to prepared dish. Combine panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and Parmesan; sprinkle over top. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of sharp cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan creates a cheese depth that tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in under an hour.
  • You get to choose your own adventure: creamy and rich on the stove, or golden and crispy baked, depending on your mood.
  • It feeds four people generously and somehow tastes even better the next day if you have leftovers.
02 -
  • Don't brown your roux or the flour will taste bitter and ruin everything you've worked for, so keep that heat medium and your eyes on the pan.
  • Warm milk whisks in without lumps, cold milk does not, so take the thirty seconds to warm it first and save yourself the frustration of straining.
  • Add the cheese off the heat or it can break and become grainy, so lower that flame before you start folding in those beautiful handfuls.
03 -
  • Make extra and reheat it gently the next day with a splash of milk stirred in, because it thickens as it sits and needs just a little love to come back to life.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, strain it through a fine mesh and whisk in a cold splash of milk off the heat, and it'll usually come back smooth and forgiving.
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