Best 5 Easy Cheesy Mac And Cheese With Optional Crunchy Topping Recipes

HOT CHEESE CRUNCHY MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than the box instructions (it will finish in the oven). Drain and set aside.
• Add the milk and annatto to a 3-quart saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to a low simmer. Place 1 cup cheese snacks in the center of a double-layered square of cheesecloth. Gather the sides together to form a pouch and secure with kitchen twine. Put the pouch in the warm milk and steep for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, then remove the pouch and discard.
• Add the butter to a 6-quart Dutch oven and let melt, then add the flour to make a roux. Whisk until smooth, then cook until blonde in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisking vigorously, slowly add the milk mixture. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, then cook, whisking occasionally, about 2 minutes more. Add the cheeses and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the pasta until fully coated. Transfer the mac and cheese to the buttered baking dish.
• Crush the remaining cup cheese snacks in a resealable bag using a rolling pin. Top the mac and cheese in an even layer with the crumbled hot cheese snacks and bake until bubbly and gooey, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

SIMPLE MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour milk into butter-flour mixture while continuously stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Add Cheddar cheese to milk mixture and stir until cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Fold macaroni into cheese sauce until coated.

CLASSIC BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it's barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It's going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
• Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
• Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
• Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 3-quart or 9 x 13 baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

CRISPY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the bay leaf, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens slightly, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and whisk in the monterey jack, gruyere and cheddar one cheese at a time, allowing each cheese to melt before adding more. Add the pasta and stir until coated, adding the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen (the sauce will thicken as it bakes).
• Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Add the panko, parmesan and a pinch of salt; stir to combine. Scatter over the pasta and bake until the crumbs are browned and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.

SUPER CREAMY AND CHEESY MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook the macaroni and set aside.
• In a pot, melt the butter and mix in salt and pepper.
• Slowly add in the flour, stirring continuously.
• Gradually add the milk and stir the mixture until smooth.
• Add the cheese on a low heat and melt into the mixture.
• Once the mixture is at your desired consistency, mix in the drained macaroni.