Baked One Pot Mac and Cheese
Baked One Pot Mac and Cheese is a comforting and delicious dish combining creamy cheese sauce with tender macaroni pasta, all baked to perfection.
Ingredients
For the Cheese Sauce
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 6 tbsp flour
- 3 cups milk (full or low fat) I used low fat
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt Note 1
- black pepper to taste
For the Pasta and Cheese
- ½ lb dried macaroni (elbow pasta) Note 2
- 2 cups grated tasty or cheddar cheese or any sharp, flavored cheese that melts well
- 1 cup grated provolone dolce cheese or mozzarella or other mild flavored good melting cheese
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs or ordinary breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Melt the butter in a deep fry pan or skillet over medium heat.
- Add the flour and stir until a thick paste (roux) forms. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add half of the milk and whisk to dissolve the roux. It will thicken quickly.
- Add the remaining milk and whisk until smooth.
- Add the water, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Turn the heat up to medium-high and whisk until the mixture starts to steam and thicken (around 2 to 3 minutes).
- Add the macaroni, turn the heat down to medium, and gently stir for 1 minute.
- Cover the fry pan and transfer it immediately to the oven on the middle shelf.
- Bake for 12 minutes. The sauce may seem too thin, but it will thicken later.
- The pasta should be just cooked (al dente) and will continue cooking from the residual heat.
Finishing
- Turn off the oven and switch on the grill/broiler to high.
- Stir through the cheese to melt it and thicken the sauce. Don't stir too much to avoid thickening the sauce excessively.
- Sprinkle the panko and parmesan cheese on top, then place under the grill/broiler for a few minutes to brown.
- Remove from the grill/broiler and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Serve hot, garnished with finely chopped parsley. Pairs well with a green salad or steamed vegetables. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.