This macaroni and cheese recipe keeps things practical. Cook the pasta, build a quick cheese sauce on the stovetop, assemble everything in a baking dish and let the oven finish the job. The result is a baked mac and cheese with a lightly browned, crisp top from the breadcrumbs and butter, and a creamy, cheesy interior underneath.
The cheese sauce uses butter, flour and milk as its base, with optional onion for a little background flavour. No specialist ingredients are needed, and the method is straightforward enough to become a regular weeknight option.
About the Recipe
The cheese sauce is built separately before it meets the pasta. Butter and flour go in first, then milk and water are added while stirring until the sauce thickens. The cooked macaroni sits in the baking dish, the sauce is poured over, and grated cheese and breadcrumbs are scattered on top with small pieces of butter dotted across.
Baking at a moderately hot temperature gives the top its colour without drying out the pasta underneath. The onion is listed as optional, so the recipe works either way.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Once you have the sauce under control, very little can go wrong here. The quantities are forgiving, and a small adjustment in water is all it takes to make the sauce thicker or thinner as needed.
The breadcrumb and butter topping is what sets this apart from a plain baked macaroni and cheese. The top crisps up while the pasta underneath stays soft and saucy, so every spoonful has a bit of both.
Cooking Tips
The most common beginner mistake is adding the milk too quickly before the flour has had a moment to cook into the butter. Add the liquid gradually and keep stirring so the sauce thickens evenly without lumps.
If the sauce thickens too much before you pour it over the pasta, stir in a little extra water to loosen it. Do not skip dotting the butter on top before baking. It helps the breadcrumbs colour properly rather than just drying out.
Top Tips
- Boil the macaroni in well-salted water and drain it slightly before it is fully tender, as it will continue cooking in the oven.
- Stir the sauce without stopping from the moment the liquid goes in until it thickens. Walking away even briefly can cause lumps.
- Use a cheese that melts well and has enough flavour, such as cheddar. A mild cheese can make the sauce taste flat.
- Spread the breadcrumbs in an even layer over the top so the crust browns uniformly rather than in patches.
- Let the assembled dish rest for two to three minutes after it comes out of the oven before serving so the sauce settles slightly.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
Serve the baked macaroni cheese straight from the dish while the top is still crisp. It works as a main course on its own or alongside a simple salad or Crispy Onion Rings.
Leftovers keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Reheat in the oven rather than the microwave to help the top regain some crispness. Add a small splash of milk before reheating if the sauce looks too thick.
Similar Recipes
Nutrient Benefits
Macaroni provides carbohydrates for energy through the day. Milk and cheese both contribute calcium and protein, making this a reasonably filling single-dish meal. Butter adds fat-soluble vitamins to the mix.
Macaroni Cheese (Mac and Cheese)
Ingredients
- 100 to 200 g Macaroni boiled in salted water
- 3 tbsp Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Butter - 1/4 cup
- Grated Cheese as required
For Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1 Onion chopped (optional)
- 1 tbsp Plain Flour (Maida)
- 500 ml Milk
- 1 cup Water adjust as required
Instructions
- To make the cheese sauce, heat 2 tblsp butter in a pan.
- Add the chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 tblsp flour, water and milk.
- Keep stirring till the mixture thickens.
- To make the macaroni cheese, arrange the cooked macaroni in a baking dish.
- Pour the cheese sauce over it.
- Cover with grated cheese and breadcrumbs.
- Dot with butter.
- Bake in a moderately hot oven till the top is slightly brown.
- Serve.
Sign up for our newsletter
Add Awesome Cuisine as a Preferred Source
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I stop the cheese sauce from going lumpy?
Keep stirring from the moment the liquid goes into the pan. Add the milk and water gradually rather than all at once, and make sure the flour has been mixed into the butter before any liquid is added. If you do end up with a few lumps, whisk the sauce briskly over low heat and most of them will smooth out.
Can I use any type of cheese for this macaroni and cheese recipe?
A cheese that melts smoothly works best. Cheddar is the most reliable choice because it has enough flavour and melts evenly into the sauce and over the top. Processed cheese slices will melt easily but give a milder result. Avoid very hard or aged cheeses that do not melt well, as they can turn grainy in the sauce.
What does the water in the cheese sauce do, and can I leave it out?
The water adjusts the consistency of the sauce. If the sauce thickens too much with just milk, the water loosens it so it pours over the pasta easily. You can reduce or leave out the water if your sauce is already at the right consistency, or add more if it looks too thick. The instruction to adjust as required means you should use your judgement based on how the sauce looks in the pan.
My breadcrumb topping did not brown. What went wrong?
Two things usually cause this. The oven temperature may have been too low, or the butter was not dotted generously enough over the breadcrumbs before baking. The butter helps the crumbs colour and crisp. If the pasta is heated through but the top is still pale, switch the oven to a grill or broil setting for the last two to three minutes and watch it closely.
Can I prepare the macaroni cheese ahead of time and bake it later?
Yes. Assemble the dish fully, cover it and refrigerate for up to a few hours before baking. Take it out of the refrigerator about fifteen minutes before it goes into the oven so it is not completely cold when it starts baking. You may need a few extra minutes of baking time to ensure it is heated through before the top browns.
The recipe for Mac and cheese does not specify the amount of cheese needed for the dish. Would you please send me via email the quantity required?