Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese
What you will love about dutch oven mac and cheese
Dutch oven mac and cheese is the perfect one pot meal. This easy, baked pasta dish is classic, creamy and a crowd pleaser. Customize it with your favorite cheeses and this will quickly become a go-to recipe for your family.
This recipe is delicious even if you don’t like your mac and cheese baked in the oven. You can skip the oven step if you prefer or are short on time. I have even added the topping and baked the leftovers on a different night.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it
How to make dutch oven mac and cheese
Cook the pasta. Follow the instructions on the package to al denté. Drain it and set it aside.
Make the sauce. Melt the butter in the dutch oven, then whisk in the flour. This should form a paste. Slowly whisk in the milk, bringing up the heat before adding in the cheese. Add the cheese slowly, continuing to whisk until cheese is fully melted.
Return the pasta to the dutch oven. Stir pasta into sauce, until it is well coated. You can stop here if you want and enjoy a delicious, creamy stovetop mac and cheese.
Make the topping. Mix melted butter and bread crumbs together, this should look like wet sand. Sprinkle the mixture over the mac and cheese.
Bake at 350˚F for 20-25 minutes. You want the topping to be crisp and golden. Allow to cool before serving.
FAQs about dutch oven mac and cheese
That’s the best part of this recipe. Cook the pasta in the dutch oven, then drain it and set aside. Making the sauce right in the dutch oven and return the pasta when it’s ready. Then it can go right into the oven to bake the topping.
You should bake mac and cheese uncovered. This will allow the breadcrumbs to reach a nice crispy golden crust.
The pasta in mac and cheese will absorb a lot of the sauce when baking in the oven. If you prefer an extra gooey, cheesy mac and cheese, I would recommend not baking it, unless you double the sauce.
Yes, they are designed to be used on the stovetop and in the oven. You can even use one over a campfire, depending on the kind you have! If you don’t have a dutch oven, I highly recommend you go get one.
More pasta recipes you will love
- Lemon pepper pasta
- White cheddar mac and cheese
- Southern baked spaghetti
- Goat cheese pasta
- Lemon ricotta pasta
Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese
Dutch oven mac and cheese is the perfect one pot meal. This easy, baked pasta dish is classic, creamy and a crowd pleaser. Customize it with your favorite cheeses and this will quickly become a go-to recipe for your family.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta, cooked
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- ¼ teaspoon minced garlic, optional
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded *
- ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs + 2 tablespoons melted butter (for the topping)
Instructions
- Cook and drain the pasta, set aside.
- Melt butter and whisk in flour. Add garlic to butter once melted (if using).
- Slowly whisk in milk, bring to boil and lower heat to medium.
- Add cheese, stirring until melted.
- Return pasta to dutch oven and stir until well coated.
- Mix breadcrumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle over mac and cheese.
- Bake at 350˚F for 20-25 minutes, until topping is golden and edges are bubbly.
- Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
* I used a package of shredded cheese that included 3 different cheddars. You can feel free to use and type of shredded cheese or shred it from a block if you prefer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 398 mg
- Fat: 17.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 48.1 g
- Fiber: 2.1 g
- Protein: 15.8 g
- Cholesterol: 47.9 mg
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You forgot to list how much milk in the ingredients.
Oh thanks for letting me know. It is 2 cups of milk and the recipe has been updated!