Creamy Garlic Parmesan Mac And Cheese

Ditch the box stuff and upgrade your mac and cheese game with this super creamy garlic parmesan mac and cheese made with a stunning white creamy cheese sauce, topped with a buttery crispy golden-brown panko topping, oven-baked to a chef’s kiss perfection. It’s truly what you deserve today.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 4 quarts water
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, grated or shredded, divided
• 1 1/2 cups Monterey jack cheese, grated or shredded, divided
• 1 1/2 cups 1⁄2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded, divided
• 1 1/2 cups 1⁄2 cups parmesan cheese, grated or shredded, divided
• fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 10-15 whole garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small-medium onion (minced)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup creamed cheese (room temperature)
• 1 cup white sharp cheddar, grated or shredded
• 1 cup monteray jack cheese, grated or shredded
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
• 4 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs (or plain bread crumbs)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Add 4 quarts (16 cups) of water and 2 tablespoons of salt into a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. 2Add macaroni and reduce heat to medium. Stir periodically to prevent the pasta from sticking.
3. 3Cook for 3-4 minutes less than the packaging instructions. Undercooking the pasta will allow you to enjoy al-dente pasta at the end of the cooking process.
4. 4Once the pasta is done, drain in a colander and run the cooked pasta under cool running water, and set it aside. This stops the cooking process.
5. 5--- How To Make The Panko Topping ---
6. 6In a medium-sized skillet add butter and allow it to melt over medium heat.
7. 7Stir in the panko breadcrumb and garlic and toast in the butter for 1 minute and set aside.
8. 8--- How To Build The Cheese Sauce ---
9. 9Melt butter in a medium-sized pot over medium-low heat.
10. 10Stir in onion and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until onions are translucent and garlic fragrant.
11. 11How To Make The Panko ToppingNext stir in the flour, cajun seasoning, and garlic powder. Allow the flour to cook for 4-5 minutes until the flour is a blondish golden color. Do not cook past this color.
12. 12Stir in the heavy cream and the evaporated milk.
13. 13Next, stir or whisk in the cream cheese and 1 cup of all the grated cheeses and continue to stir until cheeses have melted and the mixture is creamy and gooey.
14. 14Stir in cooked elbow macaroni and toss to combine.
15. 15Once the macaroni is coated, remove the pot from the heat and set it aside.
16. 16--- Assembling the Mac and Cheese ---
17. 17Pour half of the mac and cheese into an oven-safe container.
18. 18Layer the mac and cheese with 3/4 cups of the cheeses.
19. 19Pour the remaining mac and cheese into the container and layer it with the remaining cheeses.
20. 20Top the mac and cheese with the panko-topping. Spread it out evenly across the top.
21. 21Place the dish in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling.
22. 22Increase the oven temperature to the broiler setting or 500 degrees and bake for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is golden-brown (optional) WATCH CLOSELY! This happens quickly.