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A dish of baked macaroni and cheese
Baking Casseroles and Enchiladas

Baked mac and cheese

Prep 20 min Cook 30 min Total 50 min Servings 8

By Lukasz Jagiello

Published Oct 11, 2026 · Updated Oct 11, 2026

Photo: Scott Veg, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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About this recipe

I only post recipes that I have tried and verified and are good to my taste — all taste may vary.

A starch-thickened sauce, not a pile of cheese and milk, is what survives the oven. Cheese added off the boil stays smooth.

Ingredients

Method

  1. 01

    Heat the oven to 375°F. Boil the macaroni 2 minutes short of done. Drain.

  2. 02

    Melt 3 tablespoons of butter, whisk in the flour, and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, salt, mustard powder, and pepper. Simmer until it coats a spoon, about 5 minutes.

  3. 03

    Off the heat, stir in the cheeses until smooth. Fold in the pasta. Spread it in a buttered 9-by-13-inch dish.

  4. 04

    Melt the remaining butter, toss with the breadcrumbs, and scatter on top. Bake until the top is brown and the sauce bubbles, 20 to 25 minutes. Rest 10 minutes.

Notes & swaps

  • A handful of the breadcrumbs can be swapped for crushed crackers.
  • Reheat covered, with a splash of milk, at 350°F until the center is 165°F.

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