Baked Macaroni and Cheese – rich, cheesy, creamy and not to forget kid’s favorite snack/ side dish. This really is the ultimate comfort food. crisp and textured on the outside and gooey and cheesy inside. It’s very easy to make, a simple dish.
Every bite is bliss.  You have to take my word on this 🙂

What really makes this dish truly amazing is the perfect combination of melt in your mouth, free of lumps cheesy sauce + perfectly cooked macaroni, neither too soft nor hard + crisp top crust.

My elder son has been asking me to make this for a long time but I always end up making white sauce Pasta in place of this Baked Macaroni and Cheese. Today I was given an ultimatum to make this so here it is 😉

How to make Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10- 15 minutes
Baking time:15-20 minutes
serves 4

Ingredients:

for macaroni
2 cup Macaroni
water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oil

For Sauce
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp plain flour/ all-purpose flour/ maida
3 cups of milk
salt to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
5 cheese cubes/ 125 grams processed cheese

For Breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp melted butter
bread crumbs 2 tbsp ( if you want less crisp top you can go for 1 tbsp)

Butter for greasing the dish
Indian Basil leaves for garnish ( optional)

To make Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Boil water in a large pan. Add salt and oil to it. when water starts boiling add macaroni. cook till its still slightly firm or Al Dante. Drain the macaroni, run under cold water, and set aside in a colander.

Preheat the oven to 180° C.

Heat a thick bottomed pan. Melt the butter and sprinkle flour. cook the flour till it changes color slightly. Don’t let it turn brown. keep on stirring constantly so that it doesn’t get burned. Pour in the milk slowly while stirring continuously. let it cook till the sauce turns thick. keep the flame on low to medium.  you have to keep on stirring regularly.
It will take around 10 minutes to get thick. Switch off the flame.

Grate Cheese cubes. we are going to add 3 cubes in the sauce. keep side the other 2  cubes for the crust.

Add grated cheese cube to the sauce while still warm. Mix it to melt the cheese. Now add salt and ground black pepper. Add drained macaroni and mix well.
you can have it as it is also if you don’t want to bake.

Add butter in breadcrumbs and mix.
Grease a baking dish with butter and pour the prepared macaroni in it. spread bread crumbs on it and top up with the rest of the grated cheese.

Bake for 15- 20 minutes till the crust gets slightly brown and cheese melts. Take it out of the oven. Garnish with basil leaves.
Serve HOT 🙂

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Other Cheesy recipes kids might like

White Sauce Sandwich

Spinach corn toast

Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna 

Roti Pizza