Cast Iron Mac and Cheese
Creamy, golden-topped mac and cheese baked in a cast iron skillet. Three cheeses, crispy breadcrumb topping.
Comfort Food
4.8
· 27 ratings
🕐 Prep: 15 min
|
🔥 Cook: 25 min
|
⏱️ Total: 40 min
Equipment
Ingredients
- ▸ 1 lb elbow macaroni
- ▸ 3 tbsp butter
- ▸ 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ▸ 2.5 cups whole milk
- ▸ 8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
- ▸ 4 oz gruyere, shredded
- ▸ 4 oz cream cheese
- ▸ 1 tsp mustard powder
- ▸ 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- ▸ 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ▸ 2 tbsp melted butter
- ▸ Salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
Make the Pasta
- 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook macaroni 1 minute short of al dente. Drain and set aside.
Make the Cheese Sauce
- 1. In a saucepan, melt 3 tbsp butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute.
- 2. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- 3. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar, gruyere, cream cheese, mustard powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- 4. Fold in the cooked pasta.
Bake
- 1. Transfer to a cast iron skillet. Mix panko with melted butter and spread over the top.
- 2. Bake 20-25 minutes until bubbly and golden.
Cook's Notes
- 💡 Don't skip the mustard powder — it doesn't taste like mustard but enhances the cheese flavor dramatically.
- 💡 For extra crispy top, broil for 2 minutes at the end.
- 💡 Leftovers: add a splash of milk when reheating to restore creaminess.