This panko mac and cheese is an easy-to-make, old-school recipe with a perfectly crispy crust.
Ingredients
- elbow macaroni: 1 pack (16 ounce pack)
- butter: 0.25 cup
- all-purpose flour: 0.25 cup
- thyme: 0.25 tsp (dried)
- cayenne pepper: 0.25 tsp
- white pepper: 0.125 tsp
- milk: 3 cups
- salt: 1 tsp
- Worcestershire sauce: 0.25 tsp
- pinch ground nutmeg: 1 piece
- sharp Cheddar cheese: 3 cups (divided, shredded)
- Dijon mustard: 1 tsp
- panko bread crumbs: 0.5 cup
- butter: 1 Tbsp (melted)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
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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.
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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. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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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.
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Stir in salt, Worcestershire sauce, and nutmeg. Simmer, whisking often, on medium-low heat until thickened, about 8 minutes.
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Turn heat off, then add 2 1/4 cups Cheddar cheese; stir until melted and combined. Mix in Dijon mustard. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Transfer macaroni into a casserole dish, then pour in cheese sauce; stir to thoroughly combine pasta with sauce.
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Mix together panko bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter in a small bowl.
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Sprinkle mixture over macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese on top. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
