Description
This easy-to-make old-school macaroni and cheese has a perfectly crispy crust.
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- 3 cups milk
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water
- stirring occasionally
- until tender yet firm to the bite
- about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When butter starts to foam and bubble
- stir in flour; cook on medium heat until flour begins to turn pale yellow
- 3 to 4 minutes. Add thyme
- cayenne
- and white pepper; cook and stir another minute
- then whisk in 1 cup milk until smooth. Pour in remaining milk and whisk again. Bring sauce just to a simmer.
- Stir in salt
- Worcestershire sauce
- and nutmeg. Simmer
- whisking often
- on medium-low heat until thickened
- about 8 minutes.
- Turn heat off
- then add 2 1/4 cups Cheddar cheese; stir until melted and combined. Mix in Dijon mustard.
- Transfer macaroni into a casserole dish
- then pour in cheese sauce; stir to thoroughly combine pasta with sauce.
- Mix together panko bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle mixture over macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown
- about 20 minutes.
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Servings: 6