Baked Mac and Cheese

Name: Baked Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 Lb Elbow Macaroni; 6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter; 6 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour; 8 Cups Whole Milk; 24 Oz Sharp Cheddar, Shredded; 12 Oz Gruyere Or Monterey Jack, Shredded; 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard; 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt; 1 Tsp Black Pepper; 2 Cups Panko Breadcrumbs; 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, Melted; 0.5 Cup Grated Parmesan

Creamy, bubbling, hall-approved mac

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 65 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: medium

Creamy, bubbling, hall-approved mac. Sized for a full crew, with timing that still works when the kitchen gets interrupted.

Why crews like it: A hall pick for regular dinner nights — one line, real portions, no drama at the stove.

1381Cal

61gProtein

127gCarbs

69gFat

Ingredients

2 Lb Elbow Macaroni
6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
6 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
8 Cups Whole Milk
24 Oz Sharp Cheddar, Shredded
12 Oz Gruyere Or Monterey Jack, Shredded
2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1 Tsp Black Pepper
2 Cups Panko Breadcrumbs
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, Melted
0.5 Cup Grated Parmesan

Instructions

Par-cook the macaroni: Boil elbow macaroni in well-salted water 2 minutes shy of al dente — it finishes in the oven. Drain thoroughly; wet pasta makes a soupy bake.
Make the cheese sauce: Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk in steady streams until smooth. Simmer until thick enough to coat a spoon, then melt in cheddar and gruyere off the heat. Stir in Dijon, salt, and pepper.
Combine pasta and sauce: Fold drained macaroni into cheese sauce until every piece is coated. The sauce should look slightly loose — pasta absorbs liquid in the oven.
Pan up and add topping: Transfer to buttered hotel pans. Mix panko with melted butter and parmesan; scatter evenly over the top for a crunchy lid.
Bake until bubbling: Bake at 375°F 25–30 minutes until edges bubble and topping is deep golden. If the top browns before the center is hot, cover with foil and continue baking.
Rest and serve: Rest 5 minutes so the bake sets — scoops hold together on the line. Serve with a spatula, not a spoon, for clean portions.

Tonight's spread

Scoop baked mac from hotel pans with a spatula so the breadcrumb lid stays intact.
Keep backup pan warming at 200°F — mac tightens as it holds; splash milk when reheating.

Hall tips

Keep a backup tray warm in the oven for late calls — nothing worse than cold plates after a run.
Taste for salt at the end — hall palates run salty after long shifts.

Leftovers

Cool leftovers in shallow containers within two hours — deep pots stay hot too long.
Label trays with date and reheat to 165°F minimum before second shift.

8-quart stock pot
Hotel pans or large baking dishes
Large sheet trays
Instant-read thermometer
Aluminum foil