Baked American Mac and Cheese with a Crunchy Golden Topping

Where Macaroni and Cheese Comes From

Pasta baked with cheese has been made in Europe for centuries, with recipes appearing in medieval Italian and English cookbooks. In the United States, macaroni and cheese became associated with Thomas Jefferson, who encountered pasta in Europe and had macaroni served at his home. Recipes appeared in American cookbooks in the nineteenth century, including in Mary Randolph's 1824 cookbook The Virginia House-Wife. Enslaved cooks, among them James Hemings, who trained in France and worked in Jefferson's kitchens, played an important part in making such dishes, and baked macaroni and cheese has remained central to Southern and African American cooking.

Boxed versions made the dish a pantry staple in the twentieth century, but a homemade baked mac and cheese is in a different league. The best versions combine a smooth, sharp cheese sauce that coats every piece of pasta with a crisp, golden top. This recipe uses a simple béchamel base so the sauce stays creamy, never grainy.

Serves: 6–8  |  Prep: 20 minutes  |  Cook: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Pasta and sauce

• 450 g (1 lb) elbow macaroni or cavatappi
• 60 g (4 tbsp) butter
• 40 g (⅓ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 950 ml (4 cups) whole milk, warmed
• 1 tsp mustard powder or 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp smoked or sweet paprika
• ¼ tsp garlic powder (optional)
• 300 g (3 cups) grated sharp or extra-mature cheddar
• 100 g (1 cup) grated Gruyère, Monterey Jack or mozzarella
• Salt and black pepper

Topping

• 60 g (1 cup) panko or coarse fresh breadcrumbs
• 30 g (2 tbsp) butter, melted
• 30 g (⅓ cup) grated Parmesan or more cheddar

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Butter a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13 in) baking dish.
2. Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the packet time. It will continue to cook in the oven. Drain and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, without letting it brown.
4. Gradually pour in the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mustard, paprika and garlic powder. Add the cheeses a handful at a time, stirring until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Fold the pasta into the sauce until well coated. It should look slightly too saucy; the pasta will absorb some while baking. Pour it into the baking dish.
7. Mix the breadcrumbs with the melted butter and Parmesan and scatter them over the top.
8. Bake for 20–25 minutes until bubbling and golden. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips for Success

• Grate your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.
• Take the sauce off the heat before adding cheese. Overheating causes the fats to separate.
• Sharp cheddar gives a deeper flavour, while a melting cheese like Gruyère or Monterey Jack adds stretch. A mixture works best.
• Undercooking the pasta slightly prevents the dish from turning mushy.

Variations

For a quick stovetop mac and cheese, skip the topping and baking, and serve the pasta straight from the pan in the creamy sauce.

Stir in crispy bacon, sautéed mushrooms, roasted broccoli, caramelised onions or jalapeños before baking. A Southern-style custard version uses eggs and evaporated milk instead of béchamel, producing a firmer, sliceable dish that is popular at holiday meals.

How to Serve

Mac and cheese works as a main course with a crisp green salad or roasted vegetables, or as a side at barbecues and holiday dinners, alongside fried chicken, smoked brisket, collard greens or baked ham.

Hot sauce on the table is a welcome addition for those who like a little heat. To reheat leftovers, add a splash of milk, cover with foil and warm in the oven at 180°C (350°F) until hot.

To make it ahead, assemble the dish without the topping, cool it, cover and refrigerate it for up to a day. Add the breadcrumbs just before baking and allow an extra 10–15 minutes in the oven, covering with foil if the top browns too quickly.