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Bangin’ Mac and Cheese recipe made from scratch comfort food just– perfect for potluck dinners.
This recipe is from June 2011, you guys.
This was one of the first recipes I put on the blog.
I was still living in my parent’s house. I just started my first job and started dating Jason.
I figured, why not be an adult and make adult mac ‘n cheese?
There’s truly not much that is “adult” about this recipe except it’s not out of a blue box.
It’s just “from scratch,” but let’s be real — some nights, the blue box mac ‘n cheese is totally needed.
I also named this bangin’ because it has some KICK to it!
Bangin’ Mac and Cheese
This is the richest, creamiest, mac & cheese with a kick, you’ll ever have.
It takes no time at all to prep and has the simplest ingredients that you should already have in your pantry & fridge.
Oh, notice how I never mentioned that this was healthy ;)
This bangin’ mac and cheese recipe is the epitome of the comfort food we all know and love.
Loaded with three types of cheesy goodness, it’s a cheese lovers dream.
You’ll love it so much you might as well go ahead and make two batches. And if you do end up making a large batch, reserve some and make these fried macaroni and cheese balls with them! Oh my gosh, that just sounds amazing
What Makes This Mac and Cheese Bangin’?
There are a few components that make this mac and cheese truly bangin’.
It might just seem like your typical mac and cheese from the outside, but trust me, there are a few things that make this special.
From the perfect blend of cheeses to the dash of spice from the cayenne pepper, all topped off with the crispy brown bread crumbs; there is simply no other way to explain it.
When this first came out of the oven, Jason and I both thought the same thing “eh, what’s the big deal? It’s just pasta and cheese.” WRONG.
Even while I was making this, I was thinking “man, this is so simple, it’s going to suck and just be a flopped dish.”
I’m so glad it was the complete opposite. And best of all: it was made from scratch!
Seriously, I was floored when I had my first bite.
Jason said, “Wow. This.is.awesome.”
So, trust me when I say you absolutely have to give the recipe a try.
What Do I Need To Make This Mac and Cheese Recipe?
- Extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- Colby cheese, shredded
- Pasta shapes (I used shells)
- Whole milk
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Cayenne pepper
- Butter
- Salt
How To Make Bangin’ Mac and Cheese
Don’t let that “made from scratch” line intimidate you, this recipe is still easy enough for mac and cheese lovers of all skill levels.
You don’t need any kind of fancy tools or specially trained skills for this one.
Cook everything according to the directions below!
You’ll definitely want to remember to sprinkle the toasted panko bread crumbs on top before putting it in the oven.
Cover the casserole dish with a lid or foil and bake. Serve & enjoy! :)
Tips For Perfecting This Bangin’ Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Do NOT cook pasta all the way through. cook it 1/2 way — it will finish cooking in the oven
- Use pre-shredded if you want. The more authentic way to make this recipe is to buy blocks of cheese and shred them yourself, but if you want to save a little time, it’s totally fine to cheat and buy the pre-shredded like I did.
- Use whole milk, not skim. Skim milk is too watery to use in this recipe. If you try to use skim milk you won’t end up with the same creamy consistency as I did in the original recipe.
- Remember to let the crumbs brown. The crunchy topping is arguably the BEST part of this entire mac and cheese dish. Make sure you don’t forget the last step to brown the crumbs on top. It will still be fine if you do forget, but the dish will be unforgettable if you remember.
Like This Mac and Cheese? Then You’ll Love These Comfort Food Dishes
Tender Oven-Baked Honey Butter Ribs
Bangin’ Mac and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (454 g) medium shells pasta
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup (60 g) panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup (237 ml) whole milk
- ½ teaspoon (teaspoon) cayenne pepper
- 8 ounces (227 g) freshly shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces (227 g) freshly shredded monterey jack cheese
- 8 ounces (227 g) freshly shredded colby jack cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Spray a deep and large 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large pot, bring water to boil for your pasta. Season water with salt then cook pasta halfway through and drain. Do not cook it all the way through as it will finish cooking in the oven.16 ounces (454 g) medium shells pasta
- While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons (28g) of butter and then add in the panko breadcrumbs, stirring frequently to get a nice, toasty brown color. Pour in a bowl and set aside for later.5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (60 g) panko breadcrumbs
- In the same skillet melt remaining butter then pour in the milk and add the cayenne.1 cup (237 ml) whole milk, 1/2 teaspoon (teaspoon) cayenne pepper
- Dump in all your cheese and melt it to a nice, smooth consistency. It'll be a fairly runny mixture but don't fret – it all thickens up in the oven!8 ounces (227 g) freshly shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, 8 ounces (227 g) freshly shredded monterey jack cheese, 8 ounces (227 g) freshly shredded colby jack cheese
- After the cheese is all melted and everything is mixed evenly, fold in the pasta and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.Salt and pepper
- Pour the pasta in the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the panko breadcrumbs on top.
- Bake covered for 25 minutes.
- For the last 5-10 minutes, remove the lid and let the panko breadcrumbs brown some more.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Photos by Jesse Reilly
Before baking in the oven can I put it into smaller containers & freeze ? If so, do I defrost it before baking it & at what oven temperature & how long to bake ?
yes, you can. if you put them in oven-safe containers, you can put them from frozen straight into the oven after it preheats. i would bake for 375 F for 20ish minutes until it’s all warmed through.
Unfortunately, this turned out very greasy. I used freshly shredded cheese but the sauce never fully combined despite following the recipe directions.
This is a terrible Mac and cheese recipe. Completely disappointed!!!!!
@Kay, completely agree! Would not recommend this!
i respect your feedback and thank you for it but it means nothing when you both don’t back up your reasons as to WHY it was disappointing or WHY it was terrible. a blanket statement of something being terrible doesn’t help anyone.
Could have been ccreamery but still very good
I have made this recipe twice now and it’s really delicious! This time that I made it, I crushed up a bunch of Ritz crackers and mixed those in with the Breadcrumbs and I highly recommend trying that! Adds an even more buttery taste to the topping
Excellent recipe for homemade mac and cheese. I noticed in your summary you mentioned that it is ok to dump all the milk in the roux as long as it was cold. I’m not sure this is wise, as I always bring my milk to room temp and then slowly pour in while whisking. Otherwise the sauce has a grainy texture. Other than that everything was spot on. I did add about 1/4 C grated parmesan cheese to the sauce, to bring a touch of salty/nutty flavor that I love. Thanks so much for sharing!
I’m interested in making this mac ‘n cheese for a book club gathering I’m hosting. Would it be possible to prep any of this the night before and then bake in the oven while everyone arrives? Would greatly appreciate your guidance!
yes! you can actually prep all of it ahead of time but don’t sprinkle the panko breadcrumbs on top until you bake.
It looks very delicious!
Actually, I’ve never made my own Mac and Cheese, I have to try this recipe :)
I made this for dinner tonite and invited my sister and brother in law over. We all loved it! I will admit I wasn’t expecting much because it was just too easy to put together, but I was so pleasantly surprised and now this one is in my keeper recipe box. I had to give my sis a copy before she went home! Thank you for an easy and great recipe. I will make it often. And you’re so right. Don’t leave out the toasty Panko breadcrumbs! They are a definite winner! Yum!
I’m so glad you loved it and were able to share it!!