The Best Baked Mac and Cheese
Creamy baked mac and cheese with a buttery Parmesan crumb topping. Fancy enough for the Thanksgiving table, easy enough for a weeknight side, and it freezes beautifully!
Ingredients
Mac and Cheese
- 2 cups uncooked large elbow macaroni
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Crumb Topping
- 2-3 slices white bread
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
- Cook the macaroni according to the package directions, then drain well. If you plan to freeze it, cook the noodles just slightly less than the package says so they don't get soggy.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture is bubbly, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the salt and Worcestershire sauce and cook for 1 more minute.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheddar, mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Return the pan to low heat and stir until the cheese is completely melted.
- Stir in the cooked macaroni until it's coated, then spread it into the prepared baking dish.
- For the crumb topping, tear the bread into small pieces and pulse in a food processor until you have about 1 cup of crumbs. Stir in the melted butter and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, then sprinkle it evenly over the mac and cheese.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly and the topping is browned to your liking.
Notes
To freeze: Slightly undercook the noodles so they don't absorb too much moisture and get soggy. Assemble the mac and cheese in the baking dish but leave off the crumb topping, then cover and freeze.
To bake after thawing: Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, add the crumb topping and bake as directed.
To bake from frozen: Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Then add the crumb topping and bake uncovered for about 15 more minutes, until the topping is golden and the mac and cheese is bubbly.