Absolutely, hands down the BEST mac n’ cheese recipe! This is a guaranteed hit for your next holiday or potluck. Five different smoky, sharp, and melty cheeses combine for a flavorful sauce, layered between even more freshly shredded cheese. Topped with garlic panko breadcrumbs and baked to crispy, creamy, golden perfection.

Baked Mac n Cheese w/ Garlic Panko Topping

This is the Baked Mac n’ Cheese Recipe I brought to this year’s 4^th of July party. It was a big hit and I got so many compliments on the crispy garlic panko topping; everyone wanted the recipe! So of course I’m here to share it. Keep reading for detailed instructions on how to make this recipe and start getting some compliments of your own! Oh, and to see the flavor profiles of all the cheeses in this recipe. Let’s get cheesy!

About the Cheeses

Of course, this is a lot of cheese! But they all play their part in adding different depths of flavor and texture to the recipe. Now I live in Wisconsin and cheese is the state’s pride and joy (did you know we make over 3 Billion pounds of it per year and produce ¼ of the cheese sold in the US and ½ of all artisan cheeses!) I went to a pretty small school and all the cool kids had Dairy and Cheese family names. We also had “Bring Your Tractor To School Day” and when it was time to bring your pet, my classmates brought cows, so that shouldn’t come as much of a shock. It’s what we’re known for, hello Cheeseheads! I even grew up on a Farmette, where we had goats and my mom would make goat cheese, along with many other things. We love our cheese, and we love extra cheese. The kinds I picked were Sharp Cheddar, Muenster, Colby Jack, Smoked Gouda, and Mozzarella and I’m going to tell you about their flavor profiles and why I picked them.

 I recommend all freshly shredded cheese for this recipe, because pre shredded cheese comes with anti-caking additives that make it so that the cheese doesn’t melt as smoothly, and your sauce won’t be as gooey and creamy. I also don’t think you need to spend an arm and a leg on cheese but be sure to buy something of decent quality as this ultimately affects the flavor of the dish.

Sharp Cheddar- As cheese ages, the fats and protein break down resulting in richer, sharper flavors. The longer it’s aged, the tangier the cheese. This cheese has a robust flavor and melts well.

Muenster- Monster cheese! One of my all-time favorites, but I only ate it as a kid because my mom called it Monster cheese. This is a semi-soft cheese, and it melts so creamy. Muenster has a mild, nutty flavor. If the block is too soft to grate, you can always cut it into cubes.

Colby Jack- Mild and slightly sweet, its also a semi-soft cheese which means it’s perfect for melting. Colby Jack is a blend of Colby and Monterey Jack, which is why it’s marbled in color.

Smoked Gouda- This packs so much flavor! I really recommend this cheese if you can get ahold of it. It’s nutty and smoky, almost meaty in taste. I don’t use harder cheeses because we are looking to create a smooth and creamy sauce, so again we have another semi-soft cheese.

Mozzarella- The softest and most mellow flavor, it’s the perfect delicate addition to this heavy dish. It’s one of the best cheeses for melting, and its springy consistency gives you that cheese stretch you’re looking for (think mozzarella sticks.)

To Make This Recipe You Will Need

Pasta- Large Elbow Macaroni Noodles.

Dairy- Whole Milk, Heavy Whipping Cream, Butter.

Freshly Shredded Cheese- Sharp Cheddar, Muenster, Colby Jack, Mozzarella, and Smoked Gouda. (These cheeses are absolutely interchangeable to your liking!)

Seasonings- Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Paprika, Salt and Pepper.

Dijon Mustard

Flour

1. Shred all the cheese and combine in a large bowl.

2. In a saucepan create a roux then stir in milk and heavy whipping cream. Add 1/2 the cheese, seasonings, and Dijon. 

3. Cook the noodles less than al dente, and combine with the cheese sauce.

4. Layer the macaroni with the shredded cheese, similar to a lasagna.

5. Make the panko topping by melting butter in a pan and combining the panko breadcrumbs, garlic and parsley.

Ingredients

Mac n Cheese

• 16 oz Large Elbow Macaroni
• 2 c Whole Milk
• 1 c Heavy Whipping Cream
• 4 Tbsp Salted Butter
• 2 c Sharp Cheddar
• 1 c Muenster
• 1 c Colby Jack
• 1 c Mozzarella
• 1 c Smoked Gouda
• 2 Tbsp Flour

Garlic Panko Topping

• 3 tbsp Salted Butter
• 1 c Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• ¼ c Fresh Parsley

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Shred all of your cheese and combine in a large bowl.
• Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the packaging suggests for al dente. Strain and set pasta aside.
• Heat a sauce pan over medium heat and melt your butter. Once butter is melted, add flour and whisk continuously until the ingredients are combined and turn golden, about 2 mins.
• Add whole milk and heavy whipping cream and whisk together.
• Add roughly half of the cheese mixture, Dijon mustard, and the seasoning to the sauce pan. Stir until combined and cheese is melted and combined. Pour the mixture over the noodles and stir.
• To make the panko topping, melt butter in a saucepan. Add panko, garlic, and parsley. Stir to combine and cook until garlic becomes fragrant.
• Layer the 9x13 cake pan with noodles and the remaining shredded cheese. Make sure you leave enough to fully cover the top with shredded cheese. Top with panko mixture.
• Bake 35-45 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly and the shredded cheese has melted.

Substitutions and Suggestions

Please do not buy the pre-shredded cheese. It has an anti-caking additive and does not melt the same as freshly shredded cheese.

I wouldn’t recommend just any cheese to go in this recipe, but feel free to mix it up! Find cheeses of similar profiles to your liking! Some softer cheeses might be too watery, and cheeses that have been aged that lack moisture also won’t give you the desired consistency. I recommend Gruyere, Brie, mild cheddar, or even cream cheese!

I used Large Elbow Macaroni but this can be made with smaller pasta or shells.

The pasta will continue to cook in oven, after being combined with the cheese sauce so make sure not to overcook the noodles! Slightly less than al dente is perfect, follow the instructions on the package minus 2 minutes.

This recipe calls for a seasoned roux for the cheese sauce. Roux is used to thicken sauces and is made from Flour and Butter. To make roux, simply combine the flour and butter over Medium heat, whisking until turning golden in color.

That's it! Now you have mac n cheese that is packed with flavor. The contrast of the creamy soft noodles against the crispy buttery topping is something dreams are made of. So lets make it happen, and bring this recipe to your next cookout or holiday. Thank you so much for checking out my blog! Feel free to connect on my socials. Leave me a comment if you like this recipe.