Layered Baked Macaroni

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A comforting casserole of perfectly cooked pasta layered with melty cheese and a golden breadcrumb crust. This one-pot recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs elbow macaroni, shredded cheddar cheese, all-purpose flour for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 30 min Serves 6 Comfort Food cuisine 480 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring 4 quarts water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 8 oz elbow macaroni and 1 tsp salt, cooking for 8 minutes until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water.
  2. Step 2: In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Whisk in 3 tbsp all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute until bubbly. Gradually whisk in 2 cups milk, then stir in 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese until smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes.
  3. Step 3: Spread 1/3 of the cooked macaroni in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Pour half the cheese sauce over it, then layer with 1/3 of the remaining macaroni and another 1/3 of the sauce. Top with remaining macaroni, the last 1/3 of sauce, and sprinkle 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs evenly over the top.
  4. Step 4: Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sauce bubbles around the edges.

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