Macaroni & Cheese with Cheddar Crumbs

Macaroni and cheese with cheddar crumbs is the platonic ideal of baked mac and cheese, the kind that earns its place at every potluck and church dinner. A creamy, mustard-spiked cheddar béchamel coats elbow macaroni evenly, then a craggy topping of butter-soaked fresh breadcrumbs and shredded cheddar bakes into a crisp golden crown.

The topping is what sets this version apart from box mac. Tearing French rolls and pulsing them in a food processor creates rough, irregular crumbs that crisp into shards rather than the uniform fine sand of dried packaged crumbs. Tossing them in melted butter gives every crumb its own little fat bath so they all brown evenly.

Dry mustard powder in the cheese sauce is the often-skipped ingredient that pulls this dish together. It doesn’t taste mustardy in the finished mac, but it sharpens the cheese flavor and prevents the dairy from coming across as flat or one-note.

Pro Tips

• Slightly undercook the macaroni. The pasta keeps cooking in the cheese sauce during the bake, and starting al dente prevents mushy elbows.
• Add the milk to the roux slowly while whisking constantly. Dumping it in causes lumps that won’t smooth out, no matter how long you whisk.
• Use freshly grated cheddar from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in cellulose to prevent clumping, and the coating prevents smooth melting in the sauce.
• Make the breadcrumbs from day-old French rolls. Fresh rolls are too soft and the crumbs go soggy instead of crisping.

Variations

• Add 4 strips of crumbled cooked bacon to the cheese sauce for a smoky-bacon mac.
• Stir in 1 cup of cooked broccoli florets or chopped spinach for color and a vegetable boost.
• Use a mix of Gruyere and cheddar for a more complex, slightly nutty cheese profile.