This easy baked mac and cheese recipe is the perfect side dish or dinner fix. Topped with plenty of crunchy breadcrumbs and perfectly cooked pasta, it will be your go-to recipe at the holidays.
1/4tspcayenne pepper OR several dashes of your favorite hot sauce
2cupsgrated sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bring a large pasta pot filled with water to a boil. Sprinkle several pinches of salt into the water and then add the pasta. Cook the pasta for 2 minutes shorter than the package recommends to avoid mushy mac & cheese. (Between 5 - 8 minutes, depending on your brand of pasta.)
Meanwhile, rub a pat of softened butter around the inside of a 9x13-in baking dish and set aside. In a small bowl, melt 4 tbsp of butter on HIGH heat for 30 seconds. Add the breadcrumbs to the bowl and stir together with a fork until the mixture is evenly damp, set aside.
Drain the noodles and set aside. In the now-empty pasta pot, prepare the cheese sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to stir until the mixture bubbles and turns light brown, about 2 - 3 minutes.
While whisking constantly, slowly pour the milk into the pan. Continue to whisk until the sauce has thickened and no lumps remain, about 2 - 3 minutes.
Add the seasoned salt and cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the pan. Add the shredded cheese and whisk until the cheese has melted.
Add the pasta to the pan and gently stir to combine the noodles with the cheese sauce. Pour the macaroni into your prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Be sure to scrape all the cheese sauce into the dish.
Sprinkle the reserved breadcrumbs over the top of the mac and cheese.
Bake until the mac and cheese bubbles around the edges and the breadcrumbs are toasted, about 15 minutes.