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Take a break from the blue box mac. Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese is the epitome of comfort food! The irresistible garlic butter breadcrumb-topped casserole is a surprisingly easy dinner recipe, calling for just 10 minutes of prep time.
There are millions of ways to make homemade macaroni and cheese, but this way is my favorite.
I love the combination of cheeses (Gruyere is extra special, or I’ll substitute a delicious smoked Gouda), and the crunchy garlic-butter bread crumb topping puts the whole thing over the top.
It’s easy and delicious, ideal for comfy dinners, birthday parties, and all the holidays. You just can’t go wrong!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Macaroni: Any bite-size pasta is fine. Pick a favorite shape; something that will cling to the cheese sauce and deliver it right into your mouth. Cavatappi, farfalle, rotini, penne, rigatoni, ziti, orecchiette would also work wonderfully.
- Milk: Any fat percentage of milk you like. To make it even more indulgent, replace some of the milk in the recipe with evaporated milk.
- Cheese: My version of Baked Mac and Cheese calls for equal parts shredded cheddar and gruyère for creaminess and cheese-forward results. But feel free to mix things up with white cheddar, goat cheese, pepper jack, Velveeta, mozzarella, smoked cheddar, fontina, or even blue cheese. For depth of flavor, choose at least two. (Twist my arm!)
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2 ½ quart or larger casserole dish. Bring 4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a rolling boil. Add macaroni and cook until just al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain well. Do not overcook and do not rinse macaroni. Return pot to stovetop. Over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons butter until foaming. Whisk in flour and cook until bubbling but not browned, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in milk and bring to boil. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses until melted.
- Fold in macaroni and stir until uniformly combined. Season to taste with salt and hot sauce, if desired. Pour into prepared casserole dish.
- In a medium bowl, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in microwave. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add breadcrumbs and toss until evenly coated.
- Pour breadcrumbs over macaroni. Bake until sauce is bubbling and breadcrumbs have browned, 30 to 40 minutes.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Baked Mac and Cheese makes nine 1-cup servings, ideal for dinner and complete round of leftovers for a small family.
- Storage: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or cover the casserole with foil or plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Make it, just don’t bake it. Follow this Baked Mac and Cheese recipe through Step 4, then wait to add the breadcrumbs and bake. Cover the prepared casserole in foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Bake covered (still at 350 degrees) for 20 minutes or until heated through, then add the breadcrumbs and finish in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Freezer: You can freeze the casserole before or after baking, but it stays creamier if you freeze it before the final bake; that way it isn’t heated up twice. Wrap tightly in plastic and foil, label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
- To go: Bake this casserole in the oven-safe insert of a 9×13-inch crockpot and then tote it with you to your family gathering. Bonus, you won’t have to ask your host to keep it warm!
- Season at every step: I like to salt and pepper at several stages so the flavors really pop. If you don’t season the sauce, the cheese mixture will be bland and tough to fix later.
- Get spicy: Make this Baked Mac and Cheese your own with a sprinkle of onion powder, garlic powder, or chopped herbs. A dash of smoked paprika adds smokiness without the heat. Or fold in canned chopped green chilies for a hint of acidity and mild heat.
- Bulk up your bake: Blanched or roasted broccoli or green peas are fabulous added during Step 4. You can also pump up the protein by incorporating shredded leftover or rotisserie chicken. Or mix crumbled cooked bacon in with the noodles, or sprinkle on top along with the breadcrumbs; this is my personal favorite mac upgrade.
Recipe FAQs
Leave your mac and cheese uncovered if you add any toppings (such as breadcrumbs or extra cheese) or if you love when cheese gets browned on top or in the corners. If you are reheating mac and cheese, or you made it ahead and are baking it when cold, covering it with aluminum foil will help it reheat most efficiently without drying out.
Creamy cheeses such as cheddar, gruyère, mozzarella, fontina, provolone, and American cheese all melt well. Just choose the one(s) that have the flavor you’re looking for in your casserole.
Do not rinse pasta after you cook it for mac and cheese. Extra starch from the pasta cooking water clings to the noodles and that helps the cheesy sauce stick to them.
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Baked Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound elbow macaroni (see note 1)
- ½ cup butter divided, plus extra for buttering the dish
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk hot (see note 2)
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded (2 cups, see note 3)
- 8 ounces Gruyere cheese shredded (2 cups)
- Hot sauce to taste
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 cup bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2 ½ quart or larger casserole dish. Bring 4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a rolling boil. Add macaroni and cook until just al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain well. Do not overcook and do not rinse macaroni.
- Return pot to stovetop. Over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons butter until foaming. Whisk in flour and cook until bubbling but not browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and bring to boil. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses until melted.
- Fold in macaroni and stir until uniformly combined. Season to taste with salt and hot sauce, if desired. Pour into prepared casserole dish.
- In a medium bowl, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in microwave. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add breadcrumbs and toss until evenly coated.
- Pour breadcrumbs over macaroni. Bake until sauce is bubbling and breadcrumbs have browned, 30 to 40 minutes.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Macaroni: Any bite-size pasta is fine. Pick a favorite shape; something that will cling to the cheese sauce and deliver it right into your mouth. Cavatappi, farfalle, rotini, penne, rigatoni, ziti, orecchiette would also work wonderfully.
- Milk: Any fat percentage of milk you like. To make it even more indulgent, replace some of the milk in the recipe with evaporated milk.
- Cheese: My version of Baked Mac and Cheese calls for equal parts shredded cheddar and gruyère for creaminess and cheese-forward results. But feel free to mix things up with white cheddar, goat cheese, pepper jack, Velveeta, mozzarella, smoked cheddar, fontina, or even blue cheese. For depth of flavor, choose at least two. (Twist my arm!)
- Yield: This Baked Mac and Cheese makes nine 1-cup servings, ideal for dinner and complete round of leftovers for a small family.
- Storage: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or cover the casserole with foil or plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Make it, just don’t bake it. Follow this Baked Mac and Cheese recipe through Step 4, then wait to add the breadcrumbs and bake. Cover the prepared casserole in foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Bake covered (still at 350 degrees) for 20 minutes or until heated through, then add the breadcrumbs and finish in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Freezer: You can freeze the casserole before or after baking, but it stays creamier if you freeze it before the final bake; that way it isn’t heated up twice. Wrap tightly in plastic and foil, label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
This mac and cheese was outstanding. I love the garlic in the buttery crumb topping. I used all gluten free ingredients, including the noodles, flour and breadcrumbs and it worked out great. The only complaint is it was a little dry. Next time I’ll use 1/2 lb of noodles and maybe half the crumb topping. As written I give it 4 1/2 stars and will definitely make it again. I reviewed it on my YouTube channel, The Real Deal Recipe Reviews, where I always try to make recipes as written and give honest reviews. This was delicious!
Hi Daryl, thank you for writing and reviewing this recipe! I wonder if the gluten-free products absorb more of the sauce than the gluten-containing products. Thank you again, I’m glad you enjoyed it! – Meggan