Baked Mac and Cheese
A tender baked macaroni dish with a creamy cheese sauce and crispy breadcrumb topping. Perfect for portioning into kid-friendly servings for a home celebration.
- Time
- 35 min
- Serving
- 512 kcal
- Ingredients
- ≈ $0.84
- Protein
- 21 g
Ingredients
- 1 Pastapack 450 g ≈ $1.37 55 g
- 2 Milk 2.5%pack 930 ml ≈ $0.88 120 ml
- 3 Butterpack 180 g ≈ $1.58 10 g
- 4 Wheat flour 8 g
- 5 Hard cheesepack 200 g ≈ $2.70 35 g
- 6 Breadcrumbs 8 g
- 7 Salt 1 g
Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.
Method
Boil the macaroni in salted water for 1 minute less than the package instructions—until almost al dente.
Melt the butter3 in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Slowly pour in the milk2 while stirring until smooth, then simmer for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat, stir in the grated cheese and salt, then mix well with the macaroni.
Transfer to a small baking dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 20 minutes, until golden on top and the sauce is gently bubbling.
Tips
- Why it works
- Boil the pasta until almost done so it doesn't overcook in the oven and keeps its shape. If it's too soft, the bake falls apart.
- Substitutions
- Replace the hard cheese with grated rennet cheese, 35 g, or processed cheese, 30 g. Instead of breadcrumbs, use white bread crumbs, 10 g.
- Common mistakes
- If the top hasn't browned and the sauce isn't bubbling, the bake is raw inside. Check after 15 minutes.
- Storing and reheating
- Keeps for 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes, covering the plate. Don't freeze, the crumb topping turns soft.
- Serve with
- Serve with a cucumber and tomato salad or with dried fruit compote at a kids' party.
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