A creamy mac n’ cheese bottom with a crispy panko breadcrumb top, this baked mac n’ cheese is the perfect side dish to any holiday meal.

Starting with my classic mac n’ cheese recipe, pouring it into an oven safe form, sprinkle generous amount of panko bread crumbs on top and even more cheese. Delicious!

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.

Substitutes

My favourite cheese to use when making mac n’ cheese is cheddar cheese, medium mature. It melts quickly and have enough taste to break through the sauce that is a great mac n’ cheese. However, you can use the cheese that your family likes and you have at home regularly so you can whip out this recipe and use it when you need it.

Freezable

Sometimes when I have leftover pasta, I stick it in the freezer in an airtight container. It is perfect to take out for dishes like this when the creamy cheese sauce and the crispy panko is the star of the dish. Freezing leftover pasta cuts down on food waste, which is always good in my book.

This dish freezes very well, make sure to package any leftovers in an airtight container to avoid freezer burns. One tip is to make the dish straight into an aluminium form, that way you can easily make an extra batch and freeze it right in the form. You can even take it straight from the freezer to heat in the oven.

Variations

I have several variations of mac n’ cheese, starting with my basic recipe, then traveling the world from Mexico, to France to this delicious blue cheese mac n cheese.

Print Recipe

Baked mac n’ cheese with panko topping

A creamy mac n’ cheese bottom with a crispy panko breadcrumb top, this baked mac n’ cheese is the perfect side dish to any holiday meal.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cheese, mac n cheese, panko, pasta

Servings: 6 portions

Ingredients

• 300 g pasta

Cheese sauce:

• 40 gram butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 300 ml milk
• ¼ tsp salt
• A pinch of pepper
• 200 gram medium cheddar cheese
• 100 ml pasta water optional

Baked:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 100 gram cheddar cheese shredded
• 100 ml Panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

• Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Save some of the pasta water for the end, if you desire a more saucy sauce.
• Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour and stir until grainy and cooked through. Peel and mince the garlic and add to the sauce pan, let cook for about a minute, make sure you don’t burn the garlic.
• Add the milk and whisk vigorously to avoid lumps.
• Add salt and pepper and let cook together. Be careful so it doesn’t boil over.
• Cook until sauce has thickened, about five minutes.
• Add the shredded cheese and keep stirring until the cheese is melted. If the sauce seems too thick, add some of the pasta water and stir again.
• Butter the sides and bottom of your oven-safe dish.
• Set your oven to 200 °C (390 °F).
• Add the cooked pasta into an oven-safe thin and pour the cheese sauce evenly over the pasta, use a spatula to even it out more.
• Sprinkle shredded cheese and panko over the pasta and cheese sauce.
• Add to middle of oven and bake for 15 minutes. If you have a grill setting on your oven, use this for the last 3-4 minutes to further brown the top of your mac n’ cheese bake.