This baked mac and cheese has a creamy cheese sauce, tender pasta, and a golden, buttery Parmesan breadcrumb topping. Add an egg for extra richness, and use your favorite cheese sharp cheddar, Velveeta, or a mixture for a bold, comforting flavor.
🧀Ingredients
Pasta—usually traditional elbow macaroni
Butter, Milk, Egg (optional)
Cheese—sharp cheddar, Velveeta, or other
Pantry ingredients—all-purpose flour, dry mustard, paprika, salt, and pepper
Topping—Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, butter
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 🧀Ingredients
- 👨🍳How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese with Breadcrumb Topping—Step-by-Step Instructions
- 👍Ingredient options and variations
- 🥣Topping notes
- ⬇️Making a half size recipe
- 📅Making ahead
- 😊Mac & cheese and other kid-friendly recipes
- ❄️Storing leftovers
- ❓FAQs
- 📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Featured Comment by Chris:
"I'd love this. Had to start taking a statin so I shouldn't, but I love it."
This classic baked mac and cheese recipe uses eggs to create a silky, creamy custard texture. Because of the egg, some might refer to it as Southern-style mac and cheese.
It's a hardy comfort food recipe that's perfect for family dinners, "take-a-dish" events, or make a smaller half recipe if cooking for two.
👨🍳How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese with Breadcrumb Topping—Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Cook the pasta to al denta, drain, and set aside.
2. Make a roux with melted butter and flour over medium heat. Whisk until browned, about 3 minutes.
3. Slowly add milk, whisk until smooth and thickened.
4. Optional: Temper a beaten egg by slowly adding some hot roux mixture. Then mix into the sauce.
5. Mix in the cheese, seasoning, and cooked pasta. Move to a casserole dish.
6. Mix topping of Panko bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and melted butter.
7. Top the casserole with a little shredded cheese, then add the Parmesan Panko topping.
8. Cook until nicely brown, at 165° internal temperature, and the edges bubbling, about 30 minutes.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
Save this recipe!
Enter your email address and we'll send the link straight to your inbox!
👍Ingredient options and variations
Pasta variations
While elbow macaroni is classic, any smaller bite-size pasta, like shells, is a good choice. Always cook to al denta to prevent overcooking in the casserole.
Milk or substitutes
You can use any fat level of milk you have, but cream, evaporated milk, or half and half may be used to replace the milk. More butter fat will increase the creaminess somewhat.
Cheese options
I suggest a mixture of Velveeta and sharp cheddar cheese, but Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or Gouda are good choices. Brand-name shredded cheese will work better than generic. For best results, use freshly grated cheese for better melting.
Other options
Steam vegetables, like broccoli, may be added with the cooked macaroni.
Add some bacon or ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper for mild heat.
🥣Topping notes
We love the buttery Parmesan bread crumb topping. I have accused my wife of using a bigger pan, so there could be more topping. I would call the topping a feature of this recipe—it is just that good.
The panko bread crumbs will be crispy, but for extra crispiness, toast the bread crumbs for a few minutes in a skillet before using.
I like to add a bit of shredded cheese to the mac and cheese before adding the topping, which holds the topping in place after cooking.
Broken-up potato chips are a simple topping. Other choices include Ritz crackers, Panko breadcrumbs, cheddar cheese, or skip the topping.
⬇️Making a half size recipe
This is an easy recipe to cut in half to make it suitable for cooking for two or smaller households. The full recipe makes about 8 large servings, while a half recipe makes only 4 and fits nicely in a standard 6 by 9 casserole dish.
- Use the recipe card and adjust the servings from 8 to 4.
- You can use the whole egg or, after whipping, discard half the egg.
- Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
- The half recipe will fit a 6 by 9 baking dish, but you can also use a 9-inch round or 8-inch square dish.
- Cooking time will be a little less. Watch for good browning and bubbling edges.
📅Making ahead
To make ahead, cover it tightly and refrigerate for 2 days, as long as the sauce reaches 165°F after the egg is added. If you are not sure, 24 hours is the limit. Or it may be frozen for 3 months.
You may add the topping before storing, but it will have a better texture if added just before cooking.
Bake as the recipe directs, but it may take a few minutes longer since it is cold. There will be a slight decrease in the texture.
😊Mac & cheese and other kid-friendly recipes
Other mac and cheese recipes you may enjoy are Creamy One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Roadhouse Mac and Cheese, Uncooked Macaroni Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, and Creamy Crock Pot Mac and Cheese.
A perfect kid recipe to serve with Grilled Chicken Tenders, Baked Chicken Tenders, Healthy Homemade Chicken Nuggets, or Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks.
❄️Storing leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate them for 4 days. The quality will deteriorate slowly. Freeze the leftovers for up to 4 months, but they may have texture issues.
❓FAQs
Eggs make mac and cheese creamier and give it a silky, custardy texture, adding flavor. The egg also helps the mac and cheese hold together more.
To temper an egg, slowly add some hot liquid from a recipe to the egg before adding the egg to a hot liquid.
If you add a cold egg to a hot liquid, you will frequently get the proteins coagulated (think cooked scrambled egg), and it won't mix in a liquid. So, to add an egg to the hot cheese sauce, you will need to raise the temperature to prevent coagulation.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Baked Mac and Cheese with Breadcrumb Topping
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta
- 1 egg - tempered
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2½ cups milk
- 16 oz cheese of choice - I used sharp cheddar and Velveeta
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° if cooking now. Prepare a 9 by 12 baking dish with a light coat of butter.
- Cook and drain 1 pound of elbow macaroni or other pasta, cooking it to al dente according to the package instructions.
- While cooking pasta, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large pan. Add 4 tablespoons of flour to the melted butter and whisk continuously until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of milk and whisk until smooth, then add the remaining 1½ cups of milk. Whisk continuously until thickened.
- In a small bowl, lightly beat one egg. Remove ¼ cup of the hot roux mixture and slowly mix it into the egg.
- Add the egg to the thickened milk mixture while continuing to whisk. Add 2 teaspoons of dry mustard, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, and ½ teaspoon of paprika. Add 3½ cups of shredded cheese and mix until smooth. Bring to 165° for safety.
- Mix in the cooked pasta and then pour the mixture into the casserole dish.
- Mix topping: In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs with ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Add 4 tablespoons of melted butter and mix.
- Top the casserole with ½ cup of shredded cheese, then add the Parmesan Panko topping.
- Cook until nicely browned, with an internal temperature of 165 °, and edges bubbling—about 30 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- This uses a 12X9 casserole dish.
- Instructions for a half recipe are in the post.
- Use the pasta of your choice, but elbow macaroni is recommended. Cook to al dente.
- Use the cheese of your choice, but sharp cheddar cheese and Velveeta are recommended.
- If using the egg, be sure to temper the egg according to the instructions.
- I always make more topping. I love the topping.
- Making ahead instructions and ingredient options are discussed in the recipe post.
- Good refrigerated for 4 days.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally Published March 20, 2017. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Chris says
I'd love this. Had to start taking a statin so I shouldn't, but I love it.
marms says
Oh P.S. I never buy Panko when saltines are less expensive and MUCH better tasting.
DrDan says
I never have saltines but maybe I should.
Dan
marms says
Thanks for adding the "cook for later note. I wonder about "freeze for later".? Have you any thoughts on that? I frequently cook and bake for seniors fundraisers. It has to survive a bus ride home in a shopping bag.
DrDan says
Probably ok to freeze but I worry about uncooked eggs. Be sure the sauce gets to 165° after adding the egg and it should be fine. I'm a food safety guy...
Dan