Here is the simple and easy baked mac and cheese recipe with bread crumbs that anyone can make at home. Family favorite meatless pasta recipe prepared with creamy cheesy sauce and baked with the topping of panko bread crumbs and mozzarella. Perfect side dish idea to serve with dinner.
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Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe With Bread Crumbs
I always love to make baked mac and cheese as it's an international comforting dinner recipe that people love to have all around the world. It's the best side dish that you can serve with any main course. Here I prepared easy baked mac and cheese with bread crumbs (panko) that makes a crispy crust at top after baking.
There are so many ways of making this recipe and every chef making it by adding own taste but the creamy texture and cheese bit is the universal presentation of mac and cheese. I personally tried this recipe in different ways but the taste comes with cream cheese and mozzeralla topping is my favorite and here I shared the same recipe to share with my lovely readers. Baking creates a special taste to this recipe and there is so much difference in taste between stovetop mac and cheese and the baked one.
For me, homemade baked mac and cheese is the best as you know the calories packed in your baking dish and you have full control to manage it by keeping the taste on place.
It's easy to make homemade baked mac and cheese at home as you have full control to manage calories making variations in cream, cheese and bread crumbs ingredients.
What's Special?
I used the cream cheese while making sauce and topped with panko bread crumbs. You can use parmessan, and mozeralla cheese but cream cheese makes a big difference in a cheesy sauce taste. It's super easy to make and extremely delicious in taste. Baked topping of bread crumbs will give you a crispy and cheesy bite of macaroni.
How to Make Mac And Cheese With Bread Crumbs
It's simple and easy to make homemade baked mac and cheese. If you haven't tried it at home then here is the quick steps that you can follow to make best mac and cheese in your kitchen. Here is the step by step process to make it but I recommend you to watch recipe video to follow the quick steps.
- Boil elbow macaroni in hot water for about 8 minutes.
- After 8 minutes, drain the water and rinse macaroni with tap water to avoid cluttering.
- Cheese Sauce Preparation: In a pan, add butter and let it melt for few seconds.
- Add flour and quickly stir until it forms a thick paste.
- Add milk and make a thick sauce.
- Now season with salt, peppers, and garlic powder.
- Add cream cheese and make the thick cheese sauce.
- Now add boiled macaroni and mix well.
- Set the macaroni in a baking dish.
- Topped with mozzarella cheese.
- In a separate bowl, add panko breadcrumbs and butter and mix well.
- Make a layer of butter panko at the top of macaroni and cheese.
- Bake at 220c and 428F for about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Take it out, serve hot and enjoy!
Easy Tips
- Don't Over Boil the Macaroni: Pasta is delicate and overcooking can make it mushy while eating so you need to careful during boiling. I boiled macaroni for about 8 minutes on the stovetop. It needs to be 95% done and the rest of the 5% will cook while baking.
- When making sauce make sure to manage temperature while adding butter and flour as it will get burn if the temperature is high.
- Stirring is a continuous process while making sauce.
- Many people ask; What is the best cheese combination for mac and cheese? You can use different options of cheese in this recipe. Here I used cream cheese cubes but you can use them as per your availability. Mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan, Monterey Jack, and Colby make the best texture of the cheesy cream sauce. Gruyere is the people's favorite!
- If you don't have panko then use the normal breadcrumbs and make a paste with butter. It will make a crispy crunchy texture after baking.
- Don't over-bake the pasta otherwise it will be dry and the overall taste will be compromised.
Store Leftover
You can place in airtight container and refrigerate for 2 days. Don't store more than that otherwise it will upset the stomach. When you take out from refrigerator then add little bit of milk, mix well and keep it in oven to bake for 4 to 10 minutes or just add in a pan and heated on stovetop.
Watch Video
It's been easy to watch the video recipe of easy baked mac and cheese with bread crumbs to prepare in your kitchen. Simple and quick directions might help if you are trying first time. I'd like to share that my entire kitchen was full of baking aroma and my family was starving to have it.
Q & A
Here are some FAQ's about Mac & Cheese!
No, it's not recommended to cover the baking dish otherwise it will be steamy and the baking crust will not form at the top of the dish.
Here I used panko mixed with butter but you can also use breadcrumbs mixed with butter to make a topping.
Make sure the mac and cheese should not be so liquid in texture. It will dry due to lacking of sauce. If there is sufficient sauce then it will not get dry. Sometimes pasta absorbs the sauce while baking if it's not 100% boiled.
More Pasta Ideas
Best Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe With Bread Crumbs
Ingredients
- 256 g Elbow Macaroni 2 cups
- 3 teaspoon Butter - 3 Tsp
- ½ cup Flour - ½ Cup
- 3 cups Milk - 3 Cups
- ½ teaspoon Salt - ½ Tsp
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper - ½ Tsp
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder - ½ Tsp
- 2 cubes Cream Cheese - 2 Cubes
- Mozzarella Cheese For Topping
- 1 cup Panko Bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoon Butter - 2 Tbsp
- Parsley For Garnish
Instructions
- Boil elbow macaroni in hot water for about 8 minutes.
- After 8 minutes, drain the water and rinse macaroni with tap water to avoid cluttering.
- Cheese Sauce Preparation: In a pan, add butter and let it melt for few seconds.
- Add flour and quickly stir until it forms a thick paste.
- Add milk and make a thick sauce.
- Now season with salt, peppers, and garlic powder.
- Add cream cheese and make the thick cheese sauce.
- Now add boiled macaroni and mix well.
- Set the macaroni in a baking dish.
- Topped with mozzarella cheese.
- In a separate bowl, add panko breadcrumbs and butter and mix well.
- Make a layer of butter panko at the top of macaroni and cheese.
- Bake at 220c and 428F for about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Take it out and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Over boiling can make the Macaroni Mushy: Pasta is delicate and overcooking can make it mushy while eating so you need to be careful during boiling. Boiled macaroni for about 8 minutes on the stovetop. It needs to be 95% done and the rest of the 5% will cook while baking.
- Stove temperature needs to be lowered down when adding butter and flour as high temperature can make it burn which will ruin the taste.
- Continuous stir the sauce otherwise it will sit at the bottom and make like a rubber.
- Best cheese combination for mac and cheese? You can use different options of cheese in this recipe. Here I used cream cheese cubes but you can use them as per your availability. Mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan, Monterey Jack, and Colby make the best texture of the cheesy cream sauce. Gruyere is the people's favorite! Package processed American cheese is also an option to use.
- Here used panko bread crumbs. Simple plain packaged or untoasted crumbs can also be used.
- If you don't have panko then use the normal breadcrumbs and make a paste with butter. It will make a crispy crunchy texture after baking.
- Don't over-bake the pasta otherwise it will be dry and the overall taste will be compromised.
Hinz
Quick and easy homemade baked mac and cheese recipe for foodies to try at home kitchen. Best to serve as side dish with dinner!