Creamy Macaroni Cheese Delight (Printer-Friendly)

Tender macaroni in a rich béchamel with melted cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan cheeses, creamy and golden baked or stovetop.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni

→ Béchamel Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
04 - 2 cups whole milk, warmed
05 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Cheese Mixture

06 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
07 - 3/4 cup Gruyère or Swiss cheese, grated
08 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
11 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
14 - Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

→ Topping (for baked version)

15 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
16 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
17 - 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 2-quart baking dish if baking is desired.
02 - Boil elbow macaroni in salted water until just al dente, approximately 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden, avoiding browning.
04 - Gradually whisk in warm whole milk and heavy cream until smooth. Simmer gently, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 4-5 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if using.
06 - Add cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan cheeses in batches, stirring continuously until fully melted and smooth.
07 - Fold cooked macaroni into cheese sauce until evenly coated.
08 - For stovetop preparation, serve immediately, garnished with additional cheese if preferred.
09 - For baking, transfer mixture to prepared dish. Combine panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and Parmesan; sprinkle over macaroni. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The three-cheese blend creates depth that tastes way more impressive than the effort required.
  • You can have it on the table in under an hour, whether you bake it or eat it straight from the pan.
  • It actually improves your life when things feel chaotic, which is basically always.
02 -
  • Using warm milk instead of cold is the single biggest factor in whether your béchamel cooperates or turns into a lumpy disaster—this isn't optional if you want it to actually work.
  • The pasta needs to go in just under perfectly cooked because it keeps cooking in the hot sauce, and overcooked mac and cheese is mushy mac and cheese, which is nobody's goal.
03 -
  • If your sauce ever looks separated or oily, don't panic—whisk in a splash of cold milk and lower the heat, and it'll come back together like nothing happened.
  • Making breadcrumb topping the night before and storing it in the fridge means you can assemble and bake in moments, which is the kind of forethought that makes weeknight cooking feel manageable.
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