Baked Mac and Cheese with Crispy Topping
Creamy baked macaroni with a thick cheesy sauce and a crunchy breadcrumb crust. A hearty side that’s easy to portion.
- Time
- 45 min
- Serving
- 648 kcal
- Ingredients
- ≈ $1.20
- Protein
- 27 g
Ingredients
- 1 Pastapack 450 g ≈ $1.37 51 g
- 2 Cheddarpack 200 g ≈ $2.70 39 g
- 3 Hard cheesepack 200 g ≈ $2.70 21 g
- 4 Milk 2.5%pack 930 ml ≈ $0.88 132 ml
- 5 Butterpack 180 g ≈ $1.58 13 g
- 6 Wheat flour 8 g
- 7 Mustard 3 g
- 8 Breadcrumbs 11 g
- 9 Salt 1 g
- 10 Ground black pepper to taste
Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.
Method
Boil the macaroni in salted water 1 minute less than package instructions, then drain.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Melt 8g (⅓ tbsp) butter5, stir in flour, and cook 1 minute.
Gradually whisk in milk4 until smooth, then simmer 3–4 minutes until thickened.
Add mustard, black pepper, grated cheddar2, and hard3 cheese; stir until smooth.
Toss macaroni with sauce, then transfer to a baking dish.
Mix breadcrumbs with remaining 5g (¼ tbsp) melted butter5, sprinkle on top, and bake 15–18 minutes until golden.
Tips
- Why it works
- Boil the pasta 1 minute less so it does not overcook in the oven and keeps its shape. Drain the water, otherwise the sauce will thin out and will not thicken.
- Substitutions
- Swap the hard cheese for grated Parmesan (21 g) for a sharper taste. Use 3.2% milk instead of 2.5%, but reduce it to 120 ml so the sauce does not get too rich.
- Common mistakes
- If the crust is not crisp and the sauce under it is wet, the oven was not hot enough or you baked it with the lid on.
- Storing and reheating
- Keep in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes under a lid, then 5 minutes in the oven at 180 °C for a crisp crust.
- Serve with
- Serve with a salad of cucumbers and tomatoes cut in large pieces to balance the richness of the dish.
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