Five-Star Restaurant-Style Baked Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

Instructions

0 of 6 steps complete

1. 1Heat the oven to 375°F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook 1 minute less than the package's al dente time, about 7 minutes. Drain and return the pasta to the warm pot so the pieces do not glue together.
2. 2Toss the breadcrumbs with the melted butter and 2 tbsp of the Parmesan, spread on a rimmed sheet pan and bake 8–10 minutes, stirring once, until just golden. Set aside — toasting the crumbs first keeps the topping crisp on the finished casserole.
3. 3Melt the remaining 4 tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until foamy and pale; do not let it brown.
4. 4Gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking often, and cook 5–7 minutes until the sauce thickly coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the mustard, paprika, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
5. 5Pull the pan off the heat. Add the cheddar, Gruyère, fontina and remaining Parmesan a handful at a time, stirring until each addition is melted before adding the next. Fold in the drained macaroni until every piece is coated, then spread the mixture evenly into the prepared dish.
6. 6Scatter the toasted breadcrumbs over the top and bake 20–25 minutes, until the edges bubble and the center is steaming hot. The listed cook time estimates 10 minutes to toast the crumbs plus 22 minutes baking. Rest 10 minutes so the sauce sets, then finish with parsley. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours for 3–4 days and reheat covered to 165°F.