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Baked Mac & Cheese Casserole

Baked macaroni and cheese with a rich three-cheese sauce and crunchy panko crust.

Total time
60 min
Serves
8
Difficulty
Medium
Baked Mac & Cheese Casserole
As seen on Episode 10

The preparation

8 steps, about 60 minutes start to finish.

  1. 01

    Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook macaroni until just shy of al dente (it will finish in the oven). Drain.

  2. 02

    Make a roux: melt butter in a large pot, whisk in flour, cook 2 minutes.

  3. 03

    Slowly whisk in milk and cream. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

  4. 04

    Off heat, stir in cheeses, mustard, and onion powder. Season with salt and pepper.

  5. 05

    Combine pasta with cheese sauce and pour into a buttered 9x13 baking dish.

  6. 06

    Mix panko with melted butter and additional cheddar. Spread evenly over the top.

  7. 07

    Bake 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.

  8. 08

    Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

lightbulb The chef's notes

“Cook the macaroni just shy of done, because it keeps cooking in the oven and fully-cooked pasta turns mushy in the bake. Stir the cheese into the sauce off the heat, since adding it to a boiling pot is what makes the sauce turn grainy and oily.”

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