Report
Ingredients
16 oz elbow macaroni, cooked (or other tubular pasta)1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil6 tbsp unsalted butter1/3 cup all purpose flour3 cups whole milk1 cup heavy whipping cream4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded2 cups Gruyere cheese shreddedsalt and pepper to taste1 1/2 cups panko crumbs4 tbsp butter melted1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded1/4 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a large 3 qt or 4 qt baking dish and set aside.Combine shredded cheeses in a large bowl and set aside.
- Cook the pasta one minute shy of al dente according to the package instructions. Remove from heat, drain, and place in a large bowl.
- Drizzle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat pasta. Set aside to cool while preparing cheese sauce.
Melt butter in a deep saucepan, dutch oven, or stock pot.
Whisk in flour over medium heat and continue whisking for about 1 minute until bubbly and golden.
Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until nice and smooth. Continue whisking until you see bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking and whisking for another 2 minutes. Whisk in salt and pepper.
Add two cups of shredded cheese and whisk until smooth. Add another two cups of shredded cheese and continue whisking until creamy and smooth. Sauce should be nice and thick.
Stir in the cooled pasta until combined and pasta is fully coated with the cheese sauce.
Pour half of the mac and cheese into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 2 cups of shredded cheese and then the remaining mac and cheese.
In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, melted butter and paprika. Sprinkle over the top and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 642kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 550mg | Potassium: 256mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1325IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 650mg | Iron: 1.4mg
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Hailey says
July 25, 2026 at 6:54 PM
I’ve made this twice already! I cut down the Panko to 1c and I also added about 1.5Tbsp of Dijon mustard to the sauce. Make sure you really press the Panko mixture down onto the top of the mac and cheese. If you don’t press it enough, it turns into a crumbly mess when serving. Definitely the best Mac and cheese! I let it cook for about 45min to make sure the top gets browned and crispy.