A comfort-food classic gets taken up a notch with a combo of sharp Cheddar, smoked Gouda, and Parmesan cheeses. Your macaroni and cheese game will never be the same.
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So I might have a slight confession to make . . . most of the times I’ve made macaroni and cheese in the past I was improvising. I would just fly by the seat of my pants, making it up as I went along. Not this time! I’ve made this recipe a number of times now and it makes my stomach full of happiness every time—and I’m sure it will do the same for yours.
What Cheese Makes the Best Macaroni and Cheese?
In this macaroni and cheese recipe I use a combination of three different cheeses—sharp Cheddar, smoky Gouda, and salty Parmesan. The great thing about this dish is that you can customize it to suite your own tastes by using whatever cheeses you like the most. The Cheddar and Gouda go into my cheese sauce—Goat cheese and Gruyère are a couple others that work well—while the Parmesan gets mixed with a buttery-herb-breadcrumb mixture to sprinkle over the top before getting baked to golden perfection. You’re welcome.
Do You Have to Bake Mac and Cheese?
It sort of depends on whom you ask and the recipe that you use. For this recipe in particular, the short answer is no. I’d just leave off the breadcrumb topping and you can feast on the dish without throwing it in the oven first. However, many would argue the mac and cheese is best if it’s baked because then you’ll end up with some crispy cooked cheese bits. And certain recipes for soul food baked macaroni and cheese include egg, so those absolutely should be baked before eating.
Can You Prepare Macaroni and Cheese Ahead of Time?
Yes! Do everything up until the step with the breadcrumbs, let it cool, and store in the refrigerator for a day or so until meal time. Then about half an hour before you want to eat, prepare the Parmesan-breadcrumb mixture and sprinkle it over top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake it per the recipe instructions until golden on top and bubbling, which might take a few extra minutes more than the listed time.
What kind of cheese do you like to put in your macaroni and cheese? And do you prefer your mac and cheese baked?
[Note: The text of this post has been updated with more information, but the recipe has stayed the same.]
Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Parmesan Breadcrumbs
A comfort-food classic gets taken up a notch with a combo of sharp Cheddar, smoked Gouda, and Parmesan cheeses. Your mac and cheese game will never be the same.
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked elbow pasta
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente (cooked, but still retains some bite). Drain the noodles and set aside.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add in the milk, increase the heat, and cook, whisking regularly, until the milk comes to a boil and thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the Cheddar, Gouda, mustard, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir until the cheese has melted and everything is evenly combined. Stir in the drained macaroni noodles, and then transfer to a baking dish.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter (you can use the microwave) and mix with the Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley, and some salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Parmesan-bread crumb topping evenly over the macaroni and cheese.
- Bake in a preheated 400˚F oven until the cheese is bubbling and it is golden brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
DELICIOUS! Never knew I could just use yellow mustard instead of mustard powder. Yum yum thanks!
So great! Didn’t have gouda, so I used more cheddar. I can’t wait to make this again.
I made this and it was great! I didn’t have Parmesan so I subbed pecorino but otherwise filled the recipe. It made the perfect amount for 2 adults and a toddler to eat for dinner and have leftovers. Will definitely make again.
I’ve made Mac and cheese loads of times but for whatever reason, this recipe came out so well that my family said it was my best Mac and cheese ever. I added bacon and broccoli and used Panko instead of breadcrumbs. It was totally delicious and perfectly seasoned and cheesy.
I’m glad your family enjoyed it!
Hi There –
I’m going to make this for dinner tonight.
Quick question – The directions say to “transfer it to a baking dish”. How big? 9×13?, 8×8?
I’m making this just for the 2 of us and I’m wondering if I should cut the recipe in half, so that we don’t end up with a ton of leftovers. I would appreciate it if you would get back to me as quickly as possible.
Thank you in advance for your time and trouble. 🙂
This recipe should fit in a 1- to 2-quart baking dish. The one in the photo is 6-by-9-inches.