This lusciously creamy million greenback mac and cheese casserole is made with 3 several types of cheese and a crispy, buttery panko topping. It’s so extremely good, everybody shall be going again for seconds!
Why You’ll Love This Home made Mac and Cheese Recipe
This creamy do-it-yourself mac and cheese recipe is so superior we name it ‘million greenback mac and cheese’ round our home! Right here’s why it’s the very best:
- So Tacky: The lusciously creamy sauce is made with three several types of cheese: cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Gruyere cheese!
- Household Favourite: Nobody can resist do-it-yourself mac and cheese! It’s the final consolation meals that’s all the time successful amongst each the youngsters and adults.
- Easy: Don’t be intimated, it’s simpler than you suppose to make. Simply whisk the sauce till clean and melty, layer all the pieces collectively, and bake till bubbly.
- Versatile: Add lobster, pulled pork, truffle oil, or crispy bacon and so forth. There are such a lot of methods so as to add extra taste.
What Is Million Greenback Mac and Cheese?
Million greenback mac and cheese is a traditional American facet dish. It’s like your favourite mac and cheese recipe, however higher. It’s richer, cheesier, and creamier thanks to 3 sorts of cheese and a splash of milk.
Then it’s assembled in a casserole dish with an additional layer of cheese and bitter cream within the center for a stunning cheese pull when serving. The crispy panko topping additionally provides texture and makes it look significantly spectacular.
On the lookout for a unique model? Attempt my baked mac and cheese, simple stovetop mac and cheese or this pasta free cauliflower mac and cheese.
Recipe Components
Cavatappi pasta and a crispy panko topping elevate this facet dish to new heights. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for actual quantities.
- Cavatappi Noodles: These appear like swirly elbow macaroni noodles. You should utilize common elbow macaroni for those who favor.
- Unsalted Butter: Attempt to keep away from salted butter as a result of the cheese combination is already fairly salty.
- All-Objective Flour: Used to thicken the roux, to make the do-it-yourself cheese sauce.
- Complete Milk: 2% works too, however you need the fats to create the very best tasting sauce.
- Evaporated Milk: Heavy cream is a good swap, if wanted.
- Dijon Mustard: Don’t use American mustard as a result of the flavour may be very sharp and tangy. Should you don’t have dijon mustard, swap it for 1 teaspoon dried mustard.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, salt and pepper.
- Cheddar Cheese: Go for extra-sharp or sharp cheddar cheese. White cheddar can be tasty!
- Monterey Jack Cheese: It may be substituted for Colby Jack or Pepper Jack.
- Gruyère Cheese: Be at liberty to switch it with Gouda or much more cheddar.
- Bitter Cream: Ricotta cheese can even work.
Topping
- Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs will create the very best crispy texture, however common breadcrumbs work too.
- Butter: Go for unsalted to maintain issues from getting too salty.
The right way to Make Mac and Cheese Casserole
The 2 secrets and techniques to any do-it-yourself macaroni and cheese recipe are correctly cooked pasta and a creamy, clean sauce. Scroll to the recipe card at backside of the put up for full detailed directions.
- Boil: Prepare dinner the pasta in accordance with the bundle instructions minus one minute. Drain, rinse with cool water to stop sticking and put aside.
- Roux: Soften the butter in a big saucepan and blend within the flour to create a roux. Whisk within the milk and evaporated milk till clean. Add the mustard and seasonings and simmer till thickened.
- Cheese: Stir within the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, till melted and clean. Fold within the cooked macaroni.
- Assemble: Pour half of the pasta combination into the casserole dish. Sprinkle half of the Gruyere on prime. Unfold the bitter cream on prime. Add the remaining pasta after which sprinkle the remaining cheese excessive.
- Topping: Mix the panko breadcrumbs with melted butter in a small bowl. Unfold excessive.
- Bake: Bake in preheated oven till scorching and bubbly and the topping is a lightweight golden brown.
- Serve: Take away from the oven and let it cool for five minutes. Serve and luxuriate in.
Prepare dinner’s Ideas
Just a few ideas to make sure your mac and cheese recipe seems completely!
- Freshly Shredded Cheese: Whereas it’s simpler to seize already shredded cheese, pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking brokers that act as a thickener. So for those who use pre-shredded cheese, it would overly thicken your cheese sauce. I extremely advocate shredding your personal cheese!
- Don’t Over-Prepare dinner Pasta: Set a timer in your telephone to remind your self to take away the pasta as quickly as it’s al-dente. Over-cooking the noodles will result in a mushy macaroni and cheese.
- One-Pot: Use a big dutch-oven, or a cast-iron skillet, to arrange this recipe so you may go from stove-to-oven and scale back clean-up.
- Make Forward: Let the mac and cheese cool to room temperature when you switch it to the casserole dish. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for as much as 24 hours. Let is ready out at room temperature for half-hour earlier than cooking. Then, prime with breadcrumb combination and bake as directed.
Variations To Attempt
If it’s already a “million greenback” recipe, why not add some truffle oil or lobster?
- Leftover Cheeses: Shred all of the leftover bits of melty cheese in your fridge and use them for this recipe. It’ll be a singular cheese combine!
- Truffle: Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of truffle oil over the casserole for a powerful truffle mac and cheese. You’ll be able to whip up a batch of roasted mushrooms, cube them and stir them into the pasta.
- Seafood: Elevate the dish by including chunks of cooked buttery lobster, or crab meat, for an opulent seafood twist.
- Smoked: If you would like your mac and cheese to have an exquisite smoky taste, swap the gruyere cheese for smoked gouda.
- Garlic: Should you love garlic and wish extra garlic taste, add 3 to five cloves minced garlic once you add the garlic powder.
- Bacon: You’ll be able to add cooked and chopped bacon to the pasta, as a topping, or each!
What to Serve with Mac and Cheese Casserole
This velvety mac and cheese casserole is the proper facet dish regardless of the event. Listed below are some enjoyable pairing concepts:
How To Retailer Leftovers
Don’t freeze this casserole, the sauce will break up and the pasta will grow to be mushy.
- Fridge: Refrigerate it in an hermetic container for as much as 5 days. You may also cowl the casserole dish with foil.
- Reheat: Sprinkle a serving with 1/2 teaspoon milk and microwave in 30-second intervals, till heat. Or bake within the oven at 325°F, calmly coated with foil for quarter-hour, then uncovered for five minutes extra.
Extra Irresistible Tacky Pasta Recipes To Attempt
Yield: 8 servings
Million Greenback Mac and Cheese Casserole
This Million Greenback Mac and Cheese casserole recipe lives as much as its’ title with 3 sorts of cheese and a crispy, buttery panko topping. It’s so extremely good, everybody shall be going again for seconds!
Components
- 1 lb cavatrappi noodles, or elbow noodles
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups complete milk
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 oz cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (about 2 cups)
- 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded (about 2 cups)
- 8 oz Gruyère cheese, freshly shredded (about 2 cups)
- 1 cup bitter cream
Directions
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Warmth the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Put aside.
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Prepare dinner the pasta until al dente, in accordance with the bundle instructions, cooking for one minute lower than the instructions require. (The pasta will prepare dinner extra within the oven, don’t over prepare dinner it!) Drain pasta and rinse with cool water to stop sticking.
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Whereas the noodles prepare dinner, soften the butter in a big skillet. Stir within the flour and prepare dinner for 1 minute.
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Whisk within the milk and evaporated milk until clean. Add the dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley and black pepper, stirring to mix. Convey to a simmer and prepare dinner till the sauce begins to thicken, about 3 minutes.
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Stir within the cheddar cheese and Monterey jack cheese, till melted and clean. Fold within the noodles. (In case your skillet isn’t large enough, you are able to do this in a big bowl.)
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Pour half the tacky noodles into the ready casserole dish. Then evenly prime casserole with half the gruyere cheese. Unfold the entire bitter cream on prime of the gruyere. Add the remaining noodles on prime and sprinkle the remaining gruyere cheese excessive.
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Mix the panko breadcrumbs and melted butter collectively in a small bowl. Evenly unfold over the cheese layer.
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Place within the oven and bake for half-hour, till scorching and bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Let relaxation for five to 10 minutes to arrange, then serve!
Notes
Reheat: Sprinkle a serving with 1/2 teaspoon milk and microwave in 30-second intervals, till heat. Or bake within the oven at 325°F, calmly coated with foil for quarter-hour, then uncovered for five minutes extra.
Make Forward: Let the mac and cheese cool to room temperature when you switch it to the casserole dish. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for as much as 24 hours. Let is ready out at room temperature for half-hour earlier than cooking. Then, prime with breadcrumb combination and bake as directed.
Dijon Mustard: Don’t use American mustard as a result of the flavour may be very sharp and tangy. Should you don’t have dijon mustard, swap it for 1 teaspoon dried mustard.
Freshly Shredded Cheese: Whereas it’s simpler to seize already shredded cheese, pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking brokers that act as a thickener. So for those who use pre-shredded cheese, it would overly thicken your cheese sauce. I extremely advocate shredding your personal cheese!
Don’t Over-Prepare dinner Pasta: Set a timer in your telephone to remind your self to take away the pasta as quickly as it’s al-dente. Over-cooking the noodles will result in a mushy macaroni and cheese.
One-Pot: Use a big dutch-oven, or a cast-iron skillet, to arrange this recipe so you may go from stove-to-oven and scale back clean-up.
Vitamin
Serving: 1 serving, Energy: 636kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 30g, Fats: 50g, Saturated Fats: 29g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g, Monounsaturated Fats: 13g, Trans Fats: 0.4g, Ldl cholesterol: 152mg, Sodium: 710mg, Potassium: 400mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 1511IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 968mg, Iron: 1mg
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