Baked Macaroni and Cheese

4.5 from 2 votes

If you want an incredibly creamy and cheesy baked macaroni and cheese recipe than this will be the only recipe you ever need! A tangy sharp cheddar cheese sauce coats al dente pasta, and then topped with a surprise pretzel crust!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked mac and cheese

Servings: servings

Calories: 598kcal

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

12 ounces shell pasta or macaroni cooked short of al dente (3 minutes less than the box says)
3 ½ cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
2 ½ cups milk
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 ounces condensed cheddar soup (half of a can)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon ground mustard powder
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon dijon mustard

For the topping:

½ cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup pretzels crushed
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with non-stick spray.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in flour until smooth. Let cook 1 minute, then whisk in in the milk. Cook over medium heat until milk mixture thickens. Add all the seasonings and stir.
Turn off the heat and add 3 1/2 cups of the sharp cheddar and the parmesan cheese. Stir well until all melted. Add in the half can of condensed soup and stir well. Pour the cheese mixture over the cooked pasta and add the pasta to the casserole dish.
Top with the cheddar, crushed pretzels, panko, and parsley. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

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