White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
This creamy White Cheddar Mac and Cheese is topped with buttery, golden panko breadcrumbs for the perfect mix of rich, cheesy, and crunchy. Kid and adult approved, this from-scratch mac and cheese should be on your table soon!
Creamy Homemade Mac and Cheese
As the mother of two boys, I can’t count the number of times I made “good ‘ole” mac and cheese back in the day. I’ve made numerous homemade versions plus “that boxed powdery mix” that my boys often preferred. Our oldest often chose to eat leftover mac and cheese for breakfast because what’s a better way to start your day?
Everyone needs a basic Mac and Cheese recipe, regardless if you occasionally make that box mix. (Hey, I do too!) THIS one requires only six ingredients (plus seasonings) and is creamy, cheesy, buttery, and everything you’ll need for a delicious pasta side dish. You can also change it up to your liking.
Why we love Baked Mac and Cheese:
- Just six ingredients – Just a handful of ingredients are needed plus seasonings. Make sure you use plenty of salt pepper, and other seasonings you like. We always prefer a hit of heat and use cayenne pepper to add just a little punch.
- Smooth and creamy – Start with a roux, add cheese and pasta, and then season it up. This mac and cheese is the creamiest!
- Comfort food – This stick-to-your-ribs pasta dish is great for growing boys and girls! Plus we adults like it too, right? I mean – it’s mac and cheese!
- Delicious leftovers – The leftovers are just as tasty as the day you serve this creamy pasta.
What You’ll Need:
- Pasta – Use any pasta you prefer. I happen to love using orecchiette for mac and cheese!
- Butter – You’ll of course need a fair amount of butter for this.
- Flour – The flour helps form the roux, which makes a nice creamy sauce.
- Milk – I used 2% milk, but you could go for even more richness with whole milk.
- Cheese – We’re using white cheddar cheese in this mac and cheese. Make sure you shred the cheese yourself to ensure it actually melts. (That pre-shredded stuff doesn’t always melt well, speaking from experience.)
- Seasonings – Just a simple mixture of kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, ground mustard, and onion powder.
- Bread Crumb Topping – You’ll need butter and bread crumbs plus seasonings. We used some cayenne pepper for a little bit of heat. Feel free to use other spices as desired.
Recipe Variations:
- Use different pasta. While I love orecchiette, classic mac and cheese often uses elbow pasta or shells. Use whatever feels good to you. (Mouth feel is huge!)
- Try other types of cheese. White cheddar is perfect in this recipe, but I often mix it with some gruyere or even pepper jack (because I love spicy). Go ahead and play around with different types of cheese.
- Go with other dairy. 2% makes a perfectly good sauce. But you could go with whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream. I don’t recommend using skim EVER.
- Try other seasonings. Ground mustard is pretty classic, but you could change up the taste by using other seasonings. ALWAYS use salt and pepper!
How to make the Mac and Cheese with Panko Topping:
Step 1
Cook pasta. In a stock pot, cook pasta to al dente in some salty water. The salt adds FLAVOR! Strain cooked pasta in a colander.
Step 2
Shred cheese. Use a box grater to shred a block of white cheddar cheese.
Step 3
Make a roux. Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add flour and stir for a couple of minutes. Then add the slightly warmed milk (warm milk will help the sauce thicken faster) and stir until the mixture thickens, approximately 4-5 minutes.
Step 4
Add cheese. Then add the shredded cheese and seasonings. Stir until the cheese is completely melted.
Step 5
Add pasta. Remove the pot from the heat and add the orecchiette pasta. Stir until well combined. Then pour mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish.
Step 6
Make bread crumb topping. In a small bowl, melt butter. Then add bread crumbs and cayenne pepper (or other seasonings). Add bread crumb topping evenly over the mac and cheese.
Step 7
Bake casserole. Bake the Mac and cheese for 25-30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Store leftover mac and cheese in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in microwave. I don’t normally freeze mac and cheese because the texture may change slightly.
Main dish recipes to pair:
Recipe FAQs:
White cheddar has a sharper, tangier flavor than yellow cheddar and gives the sauce a creamy, rich taste without added coloring.
It’s best to shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded varieties often contain anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting.
Use low heat when melting the cheese and add it gradually. High heat can cause the proteins to separate, making the sauce gritty.
Yes! Assemble the dish, cover, and refrigerate up to a day ahead. Add the panko topping right before baking for the best crunch.
Other delicious pasta dishes:
Let’s carb load with some other delicious pasta recipes!
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xoxo ~Sue
White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 12 oz. orecchietti pasta – or other type of pasta
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk – 1%, 2%, or whole milk
- 12 oz. white cheddar cheese (or four cups, after grating) – freshly grated
- 1-2 teaspoons ground mustard
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
For the topping:
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper – we like adding cayenne but Italian Seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder etc works too
Instructions
- Cook pasta. In a stock pot, cook pasta to al dente in some salty water. The salt adds FLAVOR! Strain cooked pasta in a colander.12 oz. orecchietti pasta
- Shred cheese. Use a box grater to shred a block of white cheddar cheese.12 oz. white cheddar cheese (or four cups, after grating)
- Make a roux. Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add flour and stir for a couple of minutes. Then add the slightly warmed milk (warm milk will help the sauce thicken faster) and stir until the mixture thickens, approximately 4-5 minutes.6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 3 cups milk,
- Add cheese. Then add the shredded cheese and seasonings. Stir until the cheese is completely melted.1-2 teaspoons ground mustard, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Add pasta. Remove the pot from the heat and add the orecchiette pasta. Stir until well combined. Then pour mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Make bread crumb topping. In a small bowl, melt butter. Then add bread crumbs and cayenne pepper (or other seasonings). Add bread crumb topping evenly over the mac and cheese.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup panko bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Bake casserole. Bake the Mac and cheese for 25-30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Notes
- Store leftover mac and cheese in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in microwave. I don’t normally freeze mac and cheese because the texture may change slightly.
- It’s best to shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded varieties often contain anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting.
- To make ahead of time: Assemble the dish, cover, and refrigerate up to a day ahead. Add the panko topping right before baking for the best crunch.
The best of the best!
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