homemade baked mac and cheese that comes out rich, cheesy, and with that golden baked top layer.
🧀 Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese
🧾 Ingredients
Pasta:
- 250g (about 2½ cups) elbow macaroni
- Salt (for boiling water)
Cheese sauce:
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups milk (warm is best)
- 1 tsp mustard (optional, enhances flavor)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella (or any melting cheese)
Topping (optional but recommended):
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- Extra cheese for topping
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Cook pasta
Boil macaroni in salted water until just al dente (slightly firm).
Drain and set aside.
2. Make the cheese sauce
In a pan:
- Melt butter on medium heat
- Add flour and whisk for 1–2 minutes (this is a roux)
- Slowly pour in milk while whisking continuously
- Cook until slightly thickened (like a smooth cream sauce)
3. Add cheese
Lower the heat and mix in:
- cheddar
- mozzarella
- mustard, salt, pepper
Stir until fully melted and smooth.
4. Combine
Add cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and mix well.
5. Bake
Pour into a greased baking dish.
Top with:
- breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter
- extra cheese (optional but delicious)
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for:
- 20–25 minutes, until golden and bubbly
🧀 Result
You get a creamy inside + crispy golden top, with stretchy, rich cheese in every bite.
🔥 Tips for best mac and cheese
- Don’t overcook pasta before baking (it will soften more in oven)
- Use a mix of cheeses for deeper flavor
- Warm milk prevents lumpy sauce
- Let it rest 5–10 minutes before serving so it sets nicely
If you want, I can also give you:
- a creamy stovetop-only version (no baking)
- a Pakistani-style spicy mac and cheese
- or a restaurant-level baked mac with chicken or beef
