Experience the Peak of mac and cheese perfection with this extraordinary homemade recipe! Bursting with rich, creamy cheese flavors and enhanced by a delightful Panko-Parmesan topping, this dish is an unrivaled delight. Comprising a triple-cheese blend and a luscious homemade sauce, this mac and cheese stands as the epitome of cheesy indulgence. Passionate about all things cheesy? You absolutely must not miss out on this culinary masterpiece!
Cooking for teenagers can become a headache every day because they have defined tastes, and many times, they eat anything when they leave school or even at school. This recipe for Mac and Cheese is one of their favorites. So, in the morning before they leave for school, I advise you to prepare something they like for lunch. This way, I prevent them from eating any junk food at school. Of course, they don’t eat this every day at home, but once a week, I decide to prepare this fast food that they like so much, but made at home with the best ingredients.
When they are younger, it’s easier to control what they eat because they will only eat what you offer them. But as they grow up and start handling money, they run to eat that forbidden food that mom struggled to keep them from tasting. So, as the saying goes, “if you can’t beat them, join them.”
This recipe is very easy and has some adjustments different from the original recipe, but it’s a creamy and crunchy pasta because of the mix of butter, parmesan cheese, and panko breadcrumbs on top. I hope you like the recipe and can enjoy it as much as we do!
Ingredients:
1 pack of pasta such as: Elbow Macaroni, Cavatappi, Fusilli, Shells or Tubular Pastas (Ziti, Rigatoni, Penne)
1 1/2 cups of whole milk
1 cup of heavy cream
3 tablespoons of cream cheese
2 cups of sharp cheddar
2 cups of Gruyere
Approximately 4 oz of American or Velveeta (for a creamier cheese sauce)
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
Salt to taste
For the topping:
2 cups of panko or breadcrumbs
1/2 stick of melted butter
1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
- Cook your pasta just until slightly undercooked, or al dente, which means about one minute shy of the recommended cooking time. This is important because the pasta will continue to cook in the homemade cheese sauce while baking in the oven. Overcooked pasta can result in a mushy texture, which is not ideal for baked mac and cheese.
Shell pasta was used in this recipe, but you can use any tubular pasta variety, such as ziti, rigatoni, or penne. Any tubular pasta shape will work well with this cheese sauce.
- At medium heat, in a pot, add the milk, cream, and when warm add the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, American cheese, and gruyere. Mix very well and cook until the cheese is completely melted. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste, and add the pasta you cooked. Mix everything so that the cheese sauce incorporates into the pasta. Place it in an oven-safe skillet. In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs or panko, parmesan cheese, and melted butter, and evenly place it over the pasta. Place it in the previously preheated oven at 380°F for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately!