Crispy Baked Macaroni and Cheese – The Best! (VIDEO)

Ingredient Tips + Baking Dish

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!

• pasta – While traditional recipes use macaroni, I like to use shells in my version. My main reason is because shells allow for more cheese to get captured within the fold when baked – this gives each mouthful a more even ratio of pasta to cheese! You can also use elbow macaroni, pipe rigate, or any kind of short pasta.
• Nutmeg – this is my secret ingredient for an incredible mac and cheese! It adds flavor and warmth to the dish, especially in combination with ground mustard and cayenne.
• Sharp cheddar and gruyere cheese – Avoid using pre-grated cheese – pre-grated cheese contain preservatives to keep the cheese shreds from clumping and I find they don’t melt together as well. You can also taste the grainy texture from the additives.
• panko breadcrumbs – Panko breadcrumbs are drier and flakier than regular breadcrumbs, so they absorb less oil and creates a light & crunchier crust when baked. This provides an incredible contrast to the rich and creamy pasta + cheese mixture. I have seen some recipes use crushed up Ritz crackers as an alternative.

Baking Dish Size

The baking dish size for this recipe is very important – especially with the crispy topping, it’s crucial that you use the size vessel so you have a good ratio of crispy topping with the baked mac and cheese.

In my recipe (videos and photos), I am using 12oz of pasta with 3 cups of half and half for my bechamel. This fit perfectly within a 2.5 quart baking dish or casserole dish – it holds all of the pasta and the sauce, and also has a good amount of surface area for the crispy panko.

Serve this with a comforting main dish like my deliciously moist Meatloaf recipe, Braised Beef Short Ribs or my easy Fried Chicken!

1. Grate the Cheese and Cook the Pasta

I highly recommend grating your cheese from the block using a cheese grater! Grate the cheese and make sure to set aside about 1 cup of the cheddar cheese aside for the cheese topping at the end!

When cooking the pasta in salted boiling water, drain the pasta 4 minutes sooner than the package directions say. We are going for extra al dente pasta here – the reason is the pasta will continue cooking in the hot cheese sauce and while being baked in the oven for about 20 minutes. Under-cooking when boiling your pasta will ensure your finished dish isn’t a disintegrated mess by the end and you actually get al dente pasta!

2. Make the Béchamel Sauce

To make your cheese sauce, start by melting butter over medium heat until it “sings” and crackles. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and no lumps remain, then add your ground mustard and do the same. Let this cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally to cook out the flour while preventing burning. Adjust the heat if necessary.

3. Add the Half and Half and Seasonings

Once the flour has been cooked out, add the cold half & half along with bay leaves, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, and ground nutmeg. Stir until thoroughly combined and bring to a low boil. The sauce will begin to thicken – which is exactly what we want!

4. Add the Egg, Cheese, and Pasta

Crack an egg into a small bowl and add a small amount of the hot liquid to the egg. This will prevent the egg from scrambling and slowly raise the temperature of the egg to the temperature of the sauce. This is called ‘tempering’. Once it’s mixed, pour the egg/sauce mixture into your pot and stir to combine.

Turn the heat off, then fold in your cheese and stir until no remaining lumps are in the sauce. Add the pasta, mixture thoroughly, and spread evenly in the baking dish.

6. Top and Bake!

Top with more cheese. Mix your panko breadcrumbs with butter and finish the dish by topping it with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 375F for about 20 minutes; then broil for an additional 2-3 minutes until the top is a beautiful golden brown!