This Dutch oven mac and cheese is a staple in my home. I sometimes add burger meat or bacon to it to liven it up but it's delicious enough on its own! Regularly served as the main course with just a veggie side, as it can be a bit heavy if you're a mac and cheese lover who can't resist seconds (like me).
Ingredients
- seashell pasta: 1 pack (12 ounce pack)
- salted butter: 4 Tbsp
- all-purpose flour: 4 Tbsp
- milk: 1 cup
- heavy cream: 1 cup
- sharp Cheddar cheese: 1 cup (shredded)
- medium Cheddar cheese: 1 cup (shredded)
- Parmesan cheese: 1 cup (to taste, grated)
- panko bread crumbs: 1 cup (or as needed)
- salt: 0.5 tsp
- garlic salt: 0.5 tsp
- ground black pepper: 0.5 tsp
- onion powder: 0.25 tsp
- taco seasoning mix: 0.25 tsp
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 salted water to a boil. Add shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.
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Heat an oven-safe Dutch oven over medium heat. Melt butter and flour in the hot pot, stirring, until blended; pour in milk and heavy cream, whisking continuously, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to boil, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue to stir until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
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Slowly fold in cheeses until melted and smooth. It is okay to raise the heat if you have to, just remember to keep stirring while the heat is on. Fold in cooked pasta until it is coated with cheese.
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Combine panko bread crumbs, salt, garlic salt, black pepper, onion powder, and taco seasoning in a bowl. Sprinkle macaroni mixture with just enough of the bread crumbs to coat most of the surface; you should still see some pasta underneath the bread crumbs.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Turn on the oven's broiler and continue to cook until crust is golden brown and crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
