Description
This Cheesy Baked Mac and Cheese is a comforting classic, made with creamy cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan, topped with golden breadcrumbs. Perfect for cozy family dinners and guaranteed to bring smiles at the table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 400g elbow macaroni
- 50g unsalted butter
- 50g plain flour
- 600ml whole milk
- 150g sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 100g Gruyère cheese, grated
- 50g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 100g breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- Optional: fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F) and grease a baking dish.
- Cook macaroni in salted water until al dente, drain and set aside.
- Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour, cook 1-2 min until golden.
- Gradually whisk in milk, cook until thickened.
- Remove from heat, stir in cheeses (reserve some cheddar), Dijon, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Fold in cooked macaroni.
- Pour into baking dish, sprinkle reserved cheddar on top.
- Mix breadcrumbs with melted butter, sprinkle over cheese.
- Bake 25-30 min until golden and bubbly.
- Garnish with parsley, rest 5 min before serving.
Notes
Mix cheeses for rich flavor. Toast breadcrumbs in butter for crunch. Assemble ahead and refrigerate if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 18
- Cholesterol: 60