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Crispy Topped Mac 'n' Cheese

This crispy topped mac 'n' cheese will make your mouth water with the goodness of cheesiness. It’s not complicated and doesn't take many steps to make; it will be all worth it for this amazing dish!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Servings: 5 People

Ingredients

  • 6 Tbsp Butter
  • 1/2 Onion
  • 3 Garlic cloves minced
  • 1/2 cup Flour
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Onion powder
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Dried Parsley
  • 2 Cups Chicken Broth
  • 2 Cups Milk
  • 3-3.5 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese Plus more
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Parmesan
  • 1 lb Ground Beef
  • 16 oz Elbow Macaroni Cooked
  • 1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, lightly oil a 9x13 dish
  • In a skillet, cook the beef, add seasonings to taste then set aside
  • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on low to medium heat. Toss the onion and garlic in, and cook until they start to become soft.
  • Add the flour, whisking as you go, so it doesn’t stick. Let cook for a minute and add all of the seasonings; add the warm liquid and keep whisking. Once it’s bubbling all around the edge, take it off the heat and add the cheeses and ground beef. Stir till combined, it should be pretty thick and cheesy.
  • In a 9x13 greased dish, pour half of the noodles in, then about half of the sauce, mix together. Keep adding noodles then mix, until it’s filled.
  • Once everything is leveled, sprinkle some more cheddar, parmesan, and bacon (if you're using) over the top till covered to your liking; then add the bread crumbs to the top
  • Put this casserole of cheesiness in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees

Notes

  • Warming the liquids before adding to the roux (mixture of fat and flour), will help the sauce to bubble around the edge faster. You still can add cold liquid, but adding cold to a warm roux will just take longer to bring those bubbles.
  • If you don’t have fresh parmesan for the sauce, that will be fine. The sauce will be still super cheesy and tasty. But I do recommend putting it on the top at least, as that’s part of the perfect crunchy top.
  • To get even more crispiness, leave it in the oven with it off for 10-15 minutes, it helps it just settle in. I don't know how it works, but I've tested it, and always comes out more crispy!
  • A tasty addition to the dish is bacon! Cook the bacon till crispy, then add it when you're sprinkling the cheese on top.
  • Crackers are another option instead of bread crumbs! They are more buttery but tend to get soggy.