Baked Mac & Cheese with Crunchy Breadcrumb Top

Ingredients

• 170 g Elbow macaroni
• 28 g Unsalted butter
• 20 g All-purpose flour
• 240 ml Milk
• 5 g Dijon mustard(optional)
• 1 tsp Garlic powder(optional)
• 1/4 tsp Salt(optional)
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper(optional)
• 170 g Cheddar cheese (shredded)
• 40 g Breadcrumbs
• 15 g Parmesan cheese (grated)(optional)
• 1 tbsp Olive oil(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Cook macaroni in salted boiling water until just al dente (about 8 minutes). Drain and set aside.

2. 2

   In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, then cook 3–4 minutes until thickened. Stir in Dijon (if using), garlic powder (if using), salt (if needed), pepper, and gradually add cheddar until smooth and melted.

3. 3

   Stir the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and transfer to a small baking dish.

4. 4

   Mix breadcrumbs with Parmesan (if using) and olive oil (if using). Sprinkle evenly over the top.

5. 5

   Bake 20–25 minutes until bubbly and the breadcrumb topping is golden. Rest 5 minutes before serving.