Baked Mac and Cheese

Everyone has their favorite baked mac and cheese recipe, and this one is mine. I dug through the archives (aka: mom’s cupboard) to bring you my family’s secret recipe for the gooiest, cheesiest baked macaroni and cheese with the crispiest topping. My recipe is made with cheddar, Swiss, and a secret ingredient– sour cream! I hope you love it as much as I do.

It’s not often that I get permission to share a family recipe with the whole of the Internet, so I’m taking advantage. As soon as I got the green light from my mom, I got right to work perfecting this baked mac and cheese recipe to share with all of you. This macaroni and cheese is thickened with a classic roux and made with two kinds of cheese for a super cheesy flavor. The Panko topping gets soooo crispy in the oven… I’m drooling just thinking about it!

What’s in This Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe?

Pasta: I love classic elbow macaroni, but any short pasta shape will work.
Butter: Unsalted butter adds flavor to the mac and cheese and helps create a crispy topping.
Onion + Garlic: Create a savory base of flavor for the cheese sauce.
Flour: All-purpose flour helps thicken the cheese sauce.
Whole Milk: Creates a rich and creamy sauce.
Sour Cream: My secret weapon for an extra rich, creamy, and slightly tangy sauce.
Cheese: I used a mixture of freshly shredded sharp cheddar and Swiss cheese. Any combination of cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, gouda, or Swiss cheese would work.
Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs create the crispiest topping.
Garlic Powder: Adds savory flavor to the topping.

Tips for Success

I recommend generously salting your pasta water; it adds a lot of flavor.
Cook the pasta al dente; it pasta will continue to cook in the oven.
I like to rinse the pasta thoroughly to remove excess starch and prevent the pasta from overcooking.
Use room-temperature milk and sour cream to avoid curdling the sauce.
Shred your own cheeses for the best consistency. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated in starch to keep them from sticking, but that also makes them more difficult to melt, and the starch can affect the consistency of the sauce.
When adding the cheeses, stir constantly to avoid a lumpy sauce.
You can prepare (but not bake) up to 2 days ahead. Cover the unbaked casserole tightly with aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, let the casserole sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes, then bake as directed.
At the end of baking, I like to broil the casserole for a few minutes for an extra crispy crust.
I recommend letting the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving to give it time to set.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover baked mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating covered with aluminum foil in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

lifting a scoop of baked mac and cheese from a casserole dish with a wooden spoon.

Serving Suggestions

I’m not gonna lie, I sometimes curl up with an extra-large bowl of this baked mac and cheese for dinner. It’s just that good! It’s on my Thanksgiving table every year, but I also love it with St. Louis Ribs and grilled chicken, too!

Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

This is the gooiest, cheesiest baked mac and cheese with the crispiest topping. The secret ingredient will blow your mind!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 783kcal

Author Krista Teigen

Equipment

9×13 Baking Pan

Ingredients

For the Pasta

1 pound dry elbow macaroni (1 box)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter (⅝ stick)
¼ cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3¼ cups whole milk room temperature
½ cup sour cream room temperature
4 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups freshly shredded Swiss cheese

For the Topping

3 tablespoons unsalted butter (⅜ stick)
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish

Instructions

For the Pasta

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a pot of salted water, boil the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.

1 pound dry elbow macaroni
While the pasta cooks, melt 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large oven-safe skillet. Add in the onion and a sprinkle of salt and sauté for a couple of minutes until softened. Then, add in the garlic.

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼ cup minced onion, 2 cloves garlic
Stir in the flour until the mixture becomes pasty.

¼ cup all-purpose flour
Gradually pour in the milk while whisking the mixture over low-medium heat. Continue whisking until the mixture has thickened.

3¼ cups whole milk
Whisk in the sour cream. Then, take the skillet off the heat.

½ cup sour cream
Combine the cheeses, and reserve 2 cups of the mixture.

4 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 2 cups freshly shredded Swiss cheese
Add the remaining cheese to the skillet and stir until melted and combined.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and stir to coat. Transfer the mixture to a 9×13-inch baking pan.

For the Topping

In a small saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Add in the Panko breadcrumbs, salt, and garlic powder, and stir until combined.

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Top the macaroni with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs.
Bake for 15 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are toasted and golden brown. Top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

Chopped fresh parsley

Notes

Storage: Store baked mac and cheese tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese Step by Step

Boil the Pasta: Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a pot of salted water, boil 1 pound (1 box) of elbow macaroni to al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Sauté the Onion: While the pasta cooks, melt 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large oven-safe skillet. Add in ¼ cup of minced onion and a sprinkle of salt and sauté for a couple of minutes until softened. Then, add in 2 cloves of minced garlic.

sauteeing onion in a pan with a wooden spoon.

Stir in the Flour: Stir in ¼ cup of all-purpose flour until the mixture becomes pasty.

flour-coated onions in a pan with a wooden spoon.

Pour in the Milk: Gradually pour in 3¼ cups of room-temperature whole milk while whisking the mixture over low-medium heat. Continue whisking until the mixture has thickened.

pouring milk into an onion roux in a pan with a wooden spoon.

Add the Sour Cream: Whisk in ½ cup of room-temperature sour cream. Then, take the skillet off the heat.

thick and creamy white sauce in a pan with a whisk.

Melt in the Cheeses: Combine 4 cups of freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 2 cups of freshly shredded Swiss cheese. Reserve 2 cups of the mixture. Add the remaining 4 cups of cheese to the skillet and stir until melted and combined.

stirring shredded cheeses into white sauce in a pan with a wooden spoon.

Stir in the Pasta: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and stir to coat. Transfer the mixture to a 9×13-inch baking pan.

stirring cooked macaroni into cheese sauce in a pan with a wooden spoon.

Toast the Breadcrumbs: In a small saucepan or skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add in 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder, and stir until combined.

toasting breadcrumbs in a pan with a wooden spoon.

Top the Casserole: Top the macaroni with the reserved 2 cups of cheese and the breadcrumbs.

breadcrumbs and cheese sprinkled over mac and cheese in a casserole dish.

Bake the Casserole: Bake for 15 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are toasted and golden brown. Top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.