Southern Baked Mac and Cheese with

5 from 347 votes

Breadcrumbs
Southern baked mac and cheese with a crunchy, golden brown breadcrumb topping! Made with
gruyere and white cheddar cheese. Creamy, cheesy, and comforting!

Prep Time Cook Time Total Time

25 mins 30 mins 55 mins

Course: Main Course, Sides Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 people
Calories: 566kcal

Equipment
Casserole Pan

Ingredients
1 lb cavatappi pasta

Mac and Cheese Sauce:

6 Tablespoons butter
6 Tablespoons all purpose flour
4 cups whole milk warmed up in the microwave
1 cup diced yellow onions (optional)
16 oz gruyere cheese shredded
8 oz white cheddar cheese shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Breadcrumb Topping:
5 Tablespooons butter
2 cups breadcrumbs use panko bread crumbs for a flakier crust

Optional spices:
½ teaspoon cayenne powder add more or less depending preference
2 teaspoons truffle oil

Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degress F.
2. Boil the cavatappi pasta according to the directions but take it out and drain 1 - 2 minutes
early. The pasta will further cook when it's baking in the oven so we do this to avoid
overcooking the pasta.

Mac and Cheese Sauce

1. Make the roux: Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Once it's melted, add in the flour
and stir quickly using a flat spatula. Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides and continue
stirring for 3 minutes. Make sure the roux doesn't get dark and stays a pale yellow color.
 2. Make the bechamel sauce: Slowly drizzle in the warm milk into the pot while stirring
vigorously with a whisk. Add in the diced onions at this time. Stir continuously for about 5 - 7
minutes until the roux and milk have combined and the sauce has thickened. Make sure to
scrape the bottom and sides. The bechamel should be thick enough to coat the back of a
spoon.
3. Add the cheese: Turn off the heat and add ¾ of the gruyere and cheddar cheese to the pot.
The rest will be used on top of the mac and cheese. Stir the sauce and cheese together until
the cheese has fully melted. At this time, you can taste for salt and pepper. You may not need
any depending on the saltiness of your cheese. Add in cayenne powder if you prefer a little
spice.
4. Add your cooked pasta to a baking dish and pour the sauce over the pasta. Mix it well until
the pasta is completely covered. Top with the remaining ¼ shredded cheese.

Breadcrumb Topping:
1. Melt the butter in a pan and then add the breadcrumbs and toss together until the
breadcrumbs are evenly coated. Add in the optional truffle oil at this time.
2. Spread the breadcrumbs evenly on top of the shredded cheese.
3. Bake the mac and cheese on the center rack in the oven for 30 - 35 minutes. If the
breadcrumbs start to get too dark, cover the mac and cheese with foil and turn down the heat
to 350.

Notes
Make ahead instructions:

Mix the pasta with the cheese sauce and add it to your baking dish, leaving out the shredded
cheese and breadcrumb topping.
Let it cool, cover tightly, and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
When you're ready to bake, add the shredded cheese and breadcrumb topping and bake at
375. It's ready when the edges are bubbly.
Note: Chilled mac and cheese may take longer to bake than the time listed in the recipe. If
you need to bake it longer, you may need to cover the top with foil towards the end to
prevent the breadcrumbs from burning.
For this recipe, I used a casserole pan that measures about 14.5 x 12 x 2.5 inches (length x width x
height). 

Reheating instructions:

Preheat your oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees F. Reheat until the mac and cheese is
warmed through and the breadcrumb topping has crisped up again. If desired, you can add
more breadcrumbs before reheating  for more crunchy texture.
If you find the cheese sauce has separated or to be dry, you can mix in a tablespoon of milk
per serving and stir gently to combine.
You can also microwave the leftovers but the breadcrumbs won't crisp up like in the oven. Add a
tablespoon of milk per serving and stir to combine. Microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute at a
time until warmed through. 
Nutrition
Calories: 566kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol:
86mg | Sodium: 466mg | Potassium: 280mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 865IU | Calcium: 653mg
| Iron: 2mg