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Baked Mac & Cheese with Sharp Cheddar, Gruyère & Toasted Breadcrumbs

Baked Mac & Cheese with Sharp Cheddar, Gruyère & Toasted Breadcrumbs

Updated October 28, 2026

Elbow pasta in a creamy cheddar and Gruyère sauce, topped with buttery toasted panko and baked until bubbling.

Before you start: have a 9x13-inch baking dish ready. Gruyère is traditionally made with animal rennet; for a strictly vegetarian dish, look for a Swiss-style cheese made with vegetarian rennet.

Make ahead: assemble without the crumbs, cool, cover and refrigerate up to 1 day. Add the crumbs and bake about 35 minutes, until hot in the center. For an extra-crisp top, broil 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching closely.

Cook time
1 hr 19 min
Rating
…

Ingredients

Scale
Measurement units
  • 1 lb elbow pasta
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt for the pasta water
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
  • 6 oz Gruyère cheese (shredded)
  • ½ tsp dry mustard powder
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped; optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Cook the pasta
Heat the oven to 375°F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt (1 tbsp). Add elbow pasta (1 lb) and cook, stirring now and then, until still firm in the center, a little short of the package time, about 6 minutes.
Drain well and set aside.
Equipment: large pot and colander
Make the white sauce
Melt butter (3 tbsp) in the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour (3 tbsp) and cook, whisking, until bubbling, about 1 minute.
Slowly whisk in milk (3 cups), a splash at first and then in a steady stream.
Simmer, whisking often, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes.
Equipment: medium saucepan and whisk
Melt in the cheese
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in cheddar (8 oz) and Gruyère (6 oz) a handful at a time until melted and smooth.
Stir in dry mustard (½ tsp), cayenne (¼ tsp), salt (1 tsp) and pepper (½ tsp).
Equipment: medium saucepan and whisk
Toast the breadcrumbs
Melt butter (1 tbsp) in the small skillet over medium heat. Add panko (¾ cup) and stir constantly until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Equipment: small skillet
Assemble and bake
Stir the drained pasta into the cheese sauce until coated, then spread it in the baking dish.
Scatter the toasted breadcrumbs over the top.
Bake until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the top is golden, about 20 minutes.
Equipment: 9x13-inch baking dish
Rest and serve
Let the mac and cheese rest so the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with parsley (2 tbsp) if you like and serve hot.

Tomorrow's Meal

Crispy Mac & Cheese Skillet Cakes

Cold leftover mac and cheese cut into squares and pan-fried until golden and crunchy outside and molten inside.

You'll need to pick up:

2 tbsp oil1/4 cup pankohot sauce or marinara for dippinggreen salad

Quick overview:

  1. 1.Cut the chilled mac and cheese into squares about 1 inch thick
  2. 2.Press both sides into the panko
  3. 3.Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the squares 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and hot in the center to 165°F
  4. 4.Serve with hot sauce or marinara and a salad

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