Sheet Pan Mac and Cheese
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Crowd-pleasing mac and cheese on a sheet pan! Perfectly cheesy and creamy with the maximum amount of crunchy bits. MIND BLOWN.
No one could sit still the day that we were shooting and testing this recipe. NOPE. We all sat there, hoping to get this shot in 10 seconds. That way, we could all grab a fork and immediately dive right in.
Which is exactly what we did. We shot it. We ate it. We ate some more of it. And no one exchanged a single word until we were basically finished with 90% of the sheet pan.
With a combination of being perfectly cheesy, perfectly creamy, and perfectly crispy in every single bite, no one needs to be talking.
The best part about all this? There is no fiddle, no fuss. This comes together fast and quick with minimal clean up, making this a true weeknight hero.
Tools For This Recipe
Baking sheet
Sheet Pan Mac and Cheese: Frequently Asked Questions
All out of elbow macaroni? Cavatappi or fusilli are great substitutes here.
Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) has one of the highest fat contents with about 36-40% fat. Half and half or whole milk are suitable substitutes, but will yield a lighter result.
Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb and can be found in the Asian section of your local grocery store. While both panko and breadcrumbs can be used as a coating for fried foods, panko is much more flakier and yields a crunchier, crispier texture.
Sheet Pan Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound large elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 ½ cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 cup Panko*
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
- Preheat oven to broil on high. Arrange an oven rack 6-inches from the broiler. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and shallot, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in flour and paprika until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, heavy cream and Dijon until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Remove from heat. Stir in 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, Parmesan and pasta until well combined; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- In a small bowl, combine Panko and remaining 2 cups cheddar cheese.
- Spread pasta mixture into the prepared sheet pan; sprinkle with Panko mixture.
- Place into oven and broil, rotating the sheet pan a few times, until golden brown and crispy, about 5-6 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
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