Baked Garlic Parmesan Mac and Cheese

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Melted parmesan, garlicky macaroni on the inside with a crispy exterior. Top with bread crumbs and bake until warm and buttery.

Even though it's weeks away, I'm already starting to think about what I'll make for thanksgiving. If you've ever prepared a thanksgiving dinner before, you might understand. Especially if you like to avoid the boxed and canned stuff like me. I usually cook and freeze things, if needed, throughout the week leading up to thanksgiving so there is less to do on the day of (pie crusts are great to make and freeze ahead). Last week, I made spaghetti squash with a garlic parmesan sauce which I thought would be perfect for mac and cheese.

Honestly, mac and cheese was never on the thanksgiving table growing up. I'm from the northeast, and it seems like mac and cheese at thanksgiving is more of a southern thing? Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm used to more traditional sides like gravy, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. But because my husband grew up with mac and cheese at thanksgiving, most years I make it for him.

I'm in the process of testing out different cheese sauces for mac and cheese, and this was one of my husband's favorites.

Cheesy, Garlicky Mac and Cheese

This mac and cheese reminds me of the cheesy garlic bread that I get when I order Italian food. Except this time the pasta and the garlic bread are all in one meal. Its rich but mild cheesy sauce is to die for. When you bake it, it gets this beautiful golden brown crust that gives it a buttery crunch. I like to garnish my mac and cheese with a little salt, pepper, and fresh parsley.

What You Will Need

1 lb elbow macaroni cooked (I use gluten free)

2 tbsp salted butter

½-1 small head of garlic minced

2 cups heavy cream

½ cup whole milk

3 cups parmesan cheese shredded

1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

½ cup bread crumbs (I use gluten free)

fresh parsley (optional garnish)

Tips for Gluten Free Breadcrumbs

The topping of this mac and cheese is made from gluten free panko breadcrumbs. But you if you don't have gluten free breadcrumbs on hand, you can crush up gluten free crackers until finely crushed. You can either accomplish this with a food processor or you can put the crackers in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin.

How To Make Baked Garlic Parmesan Mac and Cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the garlic for 3-5 minutes until it is fragrant.

Then, add in the heavy cream, milk, 2 cups of parmesan cheese (save the last cup for topping), mozzarella cheese, and spices. Allow the cheese to melt and then remove from the heat. Be careful to consistently stir the sauce to reduce burning.

In a casserole dish, pour out the cooked pasta and spoon out the cheese sauce on top. Mix well.

Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese and bread crumbs on top.

Bake covered in the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the cover and carefully broil the macaroni until slightly browned (about 3 minutes). You'll want to watch the oven for this step, or you might accidently burn your mac and cheese!

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. You can garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Dig in!

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