Baked Macaroni and Cheese

There are so many wonderful variations of macaroni and cheese, but for family get-togethers and holidays I like to stick with the more traditional baked versions.  This Baked Macaroni and Cheese uses a mixture of Colby Jack, Cheddar, and Parmesan, but feel free to play around with the percentages and your personal favorites. Make sure to not boil the noodles too long or they will become overcooked when soaking up the cheese sauce during baking.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Adapted from Everyday Annie

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Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword cheddar, cheese, mac and cheese, macaroni, macaroni and cheese, noodle, pasta

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

Topping:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup panko
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Macaroni and Cheese:

• 1 pound dried medium shape pasta elbows, rotini, fusilli, shells
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
• 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups chicken stock
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 12 ounces colby jack cheese shredded
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a medium skillet, melt the butter for the topping over medium heat. Once melted, fry the panko until golden, 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the parsley, and salt. Let cool.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9"x13" dish.
• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Boil the pasta until it begins to soften, but not yet tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• In the now empty pot, melt the 6 tablespoons butter over medium high heat. Once melted, fry the garlic and ground paprika just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and milk, stirring often until it is thickened, 10-15 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and slowly whisk in the Colby jack, cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses until melted and smooth. Add the salt and pepper to taste (the amount of salt required will depend on the saltiness of your chicken stock-adjust to taste), then toss in the cooked pasta.
• Pour the cheese coated pasta into the prepared dish. Top with cooled panko breading and bake until the panko is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let set for at least 10 minutes before serving.