The Best Mac And Cheese With Crispy Garlic Bread Crumb Topping

Name: The Best Mac And Cheese With Crispy Garlic Bread Crumb Topping
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup Bread Crumb (1 cup bread crumbs (130g) - *see notes to make your own with King's Hawaiian bread); ½ cup Parmesan Cheese (1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (40g)); 8 tbsp Unsalted Butter (4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted + 4 tbsp unsalted butter (56g)); 1 ½ tsp Table Salt (1/2 tsp salt + 1 tsp salt); 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (1 tsp chilli flakes); 2 tsp Garlic Powder (1 tsp garlic powder + 1 tsp garlic powder); 1 tsp Parsley (1 tsp dry parsley + 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley); 1 lb Cavatappi Pasta (1 lb (16oz) cavatappi pasta or elbow macaroni); 1 tsp Black Pepper (1 tsp black pepper); 1 tsp Paprika (1 tsp paprika); 1 tsp Onion Powder (1 tsp onion powder); 3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour (3 tbsp all-purpose flour); 2 oz Cream Cheese (2oz cream cheese, room temp*); 1 ¾ cup Whole Milk (1 3/4 cup whole milk (420g)); 1 cup Heavy Cream (1 cup heavy cream (240g)); 1 lb Mozzarella Cheese (1 lb shredded mozzarella cheese); 1 lb Colby Jack Cheese (1 lb shredded Colby jack cheese); ½ lb Cheddar Cheese (1/2 lb shredded cheddar cheese)

The Best Mac And Cheese With Crispy Garlic Bread Crumb Topping - Dinner / Sides (American)

75 minAmerican

Servings12

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Vegetarian
Pescatarian
Halal
Egg Free

Ingredients

For 12 servings

Bread Crumb1 cup · 1 cup bread crumbs (130g) - *see notes to make your own with King's Hawaiian bread
Parmesan Cheese½ cup · 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (40g)
Unsalted Butter8 tbsp · 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted + 4 tbsp unsalted butter (56g)
Table Salt1 ½ tsp · 1/2 tsp salt + 1 tsp salt
Red Pepper Flakes1 tsp · 1 tsp chilli flakes
Garlic Powder2 tsp · 1 tsp garlic powder + 1 tsp garlic powder
Parsley1 tsp · 1 tsp dry parsley + 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Cavatappi Pasta1 lb · 1 lb (16oz) cavatappi pasta or elbow macaroni
Black Pepper1 tsp · 1 tsp black pepper
Paprika1 tsp · 1 tsp paprika
Onion Powder1 tsp · 1 tsp onion powder
All-Purpose Flour3 tbsp · 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
Cream Cheese2 oz · 2oz cream cheese, room temp*
Whole Milk1 ¾ cup · 1 3/4 cup whole milk (420g)
Heavy Cream1 cup · 1 cup heavy cream (240g)
Mozzarella Cheese1 lb · 1 lb shredded mozzarella cheese
Colby Jack Cheese1 lb · 1 lb shredded Colby jack cheese
Cheddar Cheese½ lb · 1/2 lb shredded cheddar cheese

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Steps

1Prep (do these steps before you start cooking):
2In a bowl, gently mix the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, melted butter and seasonings to make the bread crumb topping. It should have a crumbly texture. Set aside
3Boil the macaroni or cavatappi in salted water following the box instructions to reach al dente (it should be cooked through but not soft or mushy). Strain and set aside
4Shred the three types of cheeses using a grater, and mix them up. Divide them into 2 halves - one half will be incorporated into the sauce, and the other half will be layered during assembly
5In a small bowl, measure and mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder for the mac and cheese.
6Mix the milk and cream in a bowl or jar
7Cooking:
8Preheat oven to 350F (conventional / no fan)
9Melt the butter in a large nonstick pan at low heat. Once melted, add the mixed seasonings (from step 4 under prep) and cook and stir for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. This will toast and bloom the spices to bring out their flavor; make sure to keep the heat on low throughout
10Add the flour and mix it for another minute until combined
11Then add the cream cheese, and use a spatula to press it down and mix it in as much as possible. It's ok if there are some small lumps
12Add about half a cup of the milk and cream mixture, and use a whisk to mix it with the rest of the mixture in the pan. Take your time at this step to break down any lumps of flour or cream cheese so the mixture is completely smooth; you can also remove the pan from the heat if needed
13Then add the rest of the milk and cream mixture. Cook and stir on low heat for a few minutes until the mixture starts to bubble. It will also start to feel thicker around the same time. Once it starts to thicken, move on to the next step
14Now add half of the shredded cheese (from step 3 under prep) to the sauce in 3-4 batches, whisking to incorporate each batch before adding the next. Keep the heat on the lowest setting and only cook until the cheese has melted
15Once the cheese has been mixed in, turn off the heat and add the boiled pasta (from step 2 under prep). Mix it until combined - you should have a very creamy, saucy mac and and cheese
16In a 7x11 or 9x13 casserole dish, add half of the mac and cheese and spread it out. Top with half of the remaining shredded cheese. Then repeat with the rest of the mac and cheese and rest of the shredded cheese
17Finally, add the bread crumb topping on top of the mac and cheese and spread it out
18Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for ~20-25 minutes, until the cheese has melted (you will see it bubbling on the corners or the dish) and the breadcrumb topping is golden brown. If the topping starts to brown too quickly before the cheese melts, add a sheet of foil on top of the dish and continue baking.
19Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh parsley, serve and enjoy!