The most delicious baked mac and cheese dish! Rich and cheesy on the interior, with crunchy handmade breadcrumbs on the exterior, this dish is ready in 45 minutes. This should be on your list of comfortable winter favorites.

I’m nearly annoyed at myself for not posting this recipe sooner. Baked mac and cheese is my winter go-to, and I’ve been cooking it for as long as I can remember.

I go UHMYGUHRDITSSOGUHD me with a mouthful of hot cheesy pasta every time I cook it and take the first taste (straight out of the baking dish, of course).

Homemade mac and cheese is my default dinner choice

If I had to choose only one item to consume for the rest of my life, it would most likely be mac and cheese, preferably homemade baked mac and cheese. It is also known as macaroni and cheese or mac and cheese.

A person eating mac & cheese could be fed to me in almost any way and I’d be thrilled.

You’re probably astonished that I chose something sweet. My second favorite preference is ice cream, but when I think about all the many varieties of ice cream, I feel overwhelmed since there are so many options, and I get FOMO about picking the incorrect one. What if I pick chocolate over fruit flavors?

What if I choose something with a lot of chocolate-covered ice cream cones and then realize I don’t like them? What if I can’t add cherries and whipped cream on top, and I become bored without them?

These are serious concerns, people.

What kind of cheese should I use for a baked mac and cheese casserole?

NOT VELVEETA. And also ALL THE CHEESE.

Okay, maybe not all of the cheese, but I’m serious when I suggest that using just one kind of cheese lacks depth. I love the combo of cheddar and asiago cheese. Asiago is one of my major weaknesses. (This is why I put it on my garlic bread!)

You might use another melted cheese, such as Gruyere, Provolone, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella. I’ve even done Pepper Jack, which was fantastic.

You’ll finish up with a thick, creamy cheese sauce that perfectly covers the macaroni. Perfection, I assure you.

Ingredients for baked mac and cheese

• 1poundelbow macaroni
• 3sliceswhole wheat bread
• cup+ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter,divided
• 2Tablespoonsall purpose flour
• 1 12-ouncecan evaporated milk
• 1cupwhole milk
• cuponion,minced (or 1 Tablespoon onion powder)
• 1Tablespoongarlic,minced
• 1teaspoonground mustard
• 1 poundscheddar cheese,grated or shredded
• 8ouncesasiago cheese,grated or shredded
• 1egg,room temperature and beaten
• Salt and pepper,to taste

How to make homemade breadcrumbs

I like a little crunch with my mac & cheese, so handmade breadcrumbs are a necessity. But we’re not going to cut up slices of bread, spread them all with butter, and then bake or brown them on the skillet. That is an excessive amount of effort.

To create your own breadcrumbs, toast some bread for breakfast and pulse it in a food processor with a little melted butter.

That’s all! It’s the simplest technique to prepare breadcrumbs when you’re placing them on a cooked dish. But don’t do it if you simply want to create a batch of homemade breadcrumbs. All you’ll have are small squishy chunks of bread that will mold, which I’m sure you don’t want.

What if you don’t have any bread? Then it’s perfectly OK to use store-bought breadcrumbs. In any case, don’t leave them out!

How to make mac and cheese

Begin by preparing your own breadcrumbs so they’re ready to go when you’re through with the rest:

• Preheat the oven at 375°F and coat a 913 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Melt two tablespoons of butter (in a small pot or in the microwave). Toast your bread, then crush the butter and bread together in a food processor until the crumbs are tiny. Place aside.

Now prep the rest of the mac and cheese:

• Cook macaroni according to package instructions until al dente. When the pasta is done, rinse it and combine it with 1 tablespoon butter. Place aside.
• Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk frequently until the flour is mixed and browned.
• Whisk in the evaporated milk and milk until mixed and pretty smooth. Stir in the onion and garlic for a few minutes, until softened. Whisk in the ground mustard to mix. Season with salt and pepper, then bring to a simmer.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheeses until melted and smooth.
• Stir in the beaten egg and season with salt and pepper as required.
• Add the macaroni to the pan and toss to coat and mix.
• Place in prepared baking dish and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
• Bake for 25 minutes, covered with foil. Remove the foil and continue to broil for 5 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden and toasted.