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This Easy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe with Bread Crumbs is the ultimate comfort food for every occasion. Imagine this: macaroni smothered in a rich and creamy white sauce that has 3 types of cheese: cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan, then topped with buttery breadcrumbs, and baked in the oven for the final touch.
The simple things in life! It might sound like a cliché, but when it comes to the good old mac and cheese, simplicity really is the word. And carbs, but that's another story.
It's cold, it's dark and miserable out there, so we are allowed to make carbs our best buddies to make it through the harsh winter. And with the holidays fast approaching, the healthier food can wait for its time to shine in January.
And since we are talking about holidays, Thanksgiving is now just around the corner. Sure, we'll have turkey, pies, and enough sides to feed an army, but there is always room for some cheesy heaven, right? And this delicious baked mac and cheese is the very best comfort food I can think of.
Make your own cheesy white sauce, top the macaroni with some yummy buttery bread crumbs, and you get the most delicious, and super easy mac and cheese. I'll show you how!
Jump to:
- Ingredients needed to make mac and cheese with bread crumbs
- Step-by-step photos and instructions
- Expert tips
- Other cheesy pasta dishes
- Baked Mac and Cheese with Bread Crumbs
Ingredients needed to make mac and cheese with bread crumbs
- grated mozzarella cheese - it's stretchy and gooey when it melts, and it adds richness to the sauce
- grated cheddar cheese - it adds a sharp touch to the cheese sauce
- grated parmesan cheese - it adds a nutty flavour to the dish
- full-fat milk - semi-skimmed or skimmed milk not ok, they are not creamy enough
- butter-I used salted butter, unsalted also ok
- salt & black pepper
- dijon mustard
- golden bread crumbs - or panko breadcrumbs
- plain flour - to thicken the sauce
Step-by-step photos and instructions
My homemade cheese sauce is by far the best option when it comes to a good macaroni and cheese. You use 100% natural ingredients, and the sauce is as good as you can possibly get.
- melt the butter in a large saucepan
- add the flour and whisk well to get a smooth paste
- gradually add the milk, whisking well to avoid lumps forming, and continue to stir until the sauce beings to thicken
- add the black pepper, salt and dijon mustard, then in go the mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan
- stir well until you get a creamy sauce, then remove it from the heat
THIS IS THE ONLY CHEESE SAUCE RECIPE YOU NEED FOR ANY KIND OF CHEESY PASTA DISHES. It's simple, it's quick, and it's pure heaven.
- Once the pasta is cooked and smothered in the cheese sauce, transfer everything to an oven-proof dish that had been buttered.
You can keep the crumb topping as simple or as fancy as you like. The simple version is just melted butter and bread crumbs either plain or golden bread crumbs.
- Spread the topping over the macaroni, and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for about 10-15 minutes until bubbly hot. And that's it! Enjoy it, it's a dish of a kind!
Expert tips
For a more flavourful topping, you can add parmesan, or fresh or dried herbs. You can also use panko breadcrumbs, or, if you have any stale bread around, add it to a kitchen aid and wizz until you get crumbs.
Now, the classic macaroni and cheese can be ready in about 15 minutes if cooked on the stove top only without bread crumbs. Or you can scatter the breadcrumbs around when serving.
While I always like to add some mozzarella cheese to make the cheese sauce creamier and stretchy, what really brings the flavour is a sharper kind of cheese.
Cheddar cheese always tops my list, but even here it's best to go for the mature cheddar, rather than the mild version. Parmesan, again, it's a classic, even if you add a little bit you will feel the difference straight away.
Other good options are gruyère, which has a delicate nutty flavour, which adds richness to the dish, red leicester cheese, for a bit of colour, or gouda.Now, I am not one to go for the smelly kind of cheese, or blue cheese in particular, but it you like it, why not.
Other cheesy pasta dishes
Mac and Cheese with Butternut Squash
Creamy Chicken Pasta
Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake
If you’ve tried my EASY BAKED MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE WITH BREAD CRUMBS or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can alsoFOLLOW MEonFACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTERESTto see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
Baked Mac and Cheese with Bread Crumbs
This Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe with Bread Crumbs is the ultimate comfort food for every occasion. Imagine this: macaroni smothered in a rich and creamy white sauce that has 3 types of cheese: cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan, then topped with buttery breadcrumbs, and baked in the oven for the final touch. The very best homemade meal for kids and gown-ups alike this Thanksgiving or any other celebration.
4.72 from 14 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 698kcal
Author: Daniela Apostol
Ingredients
- 2 cups macaroni
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cup full-fat milk
- ¼ cup butter (50 g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 cup golden bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoon plain flour
Instructions
Cook the macaroni according to the packet instructions.
While the pasta is cooking, add half of the amount of butter to a large pan, and melt on a low to medium heat.
Add the flour and whisk well to get a smooth paste.
Gradually add the milk, whisking well to avoid lumps, and continue to whisk until it thickens into a sauce.
Season with salt and pepper, add the dijon mustard and cheeses, and stir well to get a creamy sauce.
Remove from the heat.
When the macaroni is cooked, drain the water, and add them to the sauce.
Mix well.
Butter an oven-proof dish, then add the cheesy macaroni to it.
To make the topping, melt the remaining butter in a pan, add the bread crumbs and mix well.
Spread the crumbs all over the macaroni.
Bake in the pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 10-15 minutes or until bubbling hot.
Video
Notes
- For a more flavourful topping, you can add parmesan, or fresh or dried herbs. You can also use panko breadcrumbs, or, if you have any stale bread around, add it to a kitchen aid and wizz until you get crumbs.
- Now, the classic macaroni and cheese can be ready in about 15 minutes if cooked on the stove top only without bread crumbs. Or you can scatter the breadcrumbs around when serving.
- While I always like to add some mozzarella cheese to make the cheese sauce creamier and stretchy, what really brings the flavour is a sharper kind of cheese.
- Cheddar cheese always tops my list, but even here it's best to go for the mature cheddar, rather than the mild version. Parmesan, again, it's a classic, even if you add a little bit you will feel the difference straight away.
- Other good options are gruyère, which has a delicate nutty flavour, which adds richness to the dish, red leicester cheese, for a bit of colour, or gouda.Now, I am not one to go for the smelly kind of cheese, or blue cheese in particular, but it you like it, why not.
Nutrition
Calories: 698kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 948mg | Potassium: 340mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1029IU | Calcium: 582mg | Iron: 3mg
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