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Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni ¼ cup butter ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon dried thyme ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ⅛ teaspoon white pepper 3 cups milk 1 pinch ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard ½ cup panko bread crumbs 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Nutrition Info

694.8 calories carbohydrate: 72.8 g cholesterol: 94.5 mg fat: 32.3 g fiber: 2.6 g protein: 29.4 g saturatedFat: 19.9 g servingSize: - sodium: 928.4 mg sugar: 8.1 g transFat: : - unsaturatedFat: : -

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through but still slightly firm, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter starts to foam and bubble, stir in the flour, cook on medium heat until flour just begins to turn pale yellow, 3 to 4 minutes. Add thyme, cayenne pepper, and white pepper, cook and stir another minute, then whisk in 1 cup of milk until smooth. Pour in remaining milk and whisk again. Bring the sauce just to a simmer.
Stir in nutmeg, Worcestershire sauce, and salt, simmer on medium-low heat until thickened, about 8 minutes, whisking often. Turn heat off, then add 2 1/4 cups of Cheddar cheese, stir until melted and combined. Add Dijon mustard.
Transfer the macaroni into a casserole dish, then pour in the cheese sauce, stir to thoroughly combine sauce with pasta. Mix panko bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter in a small bowl, and sprinkle crumbs on top of macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup of Cheddar cheese on top.
Bake in the preheated oven until bread crumbs and Cheddar cheese topping are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

6 servings

This easy-to-make old-school macaroni and cheese has a perfectly crispy crust.