By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 4, 2026
Serves 4
281 cal · 30 min
Baked Cheddar Mac 'n Cheese
Recipe GLPR23d3419156573b
Individual-sized baked mac and cheese made with a smooth cheddar cheese sauce blended with butter and milk, topped with crispy golden panko bread crumbs. Perfect as a comforting side dish.
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Ingredients
2 cups cooked macaroni, al dente
1 tablespoon butter, melted
3 slices cheddar cheese, chopped
¾ cup milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly grease four 4-inch ramekins with butter or cooking spray, then divide the cooked macaroni evenly among them.
In a blender, combine the melted butter, chopped cheddar cheese, milk, flour, and salt. Blend on high for about 20 seconds until the cheese is fully incorporated and the sauce turns a rich orange color.
Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the macaroni in each ramekin, stirring gently to coat all the pasta.
Sprinkle about ¾ tablespoon of panko bread crumbs on top of each ramekin, distributing them evenly.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the panko topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling slightly around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes before serving.
Comments
Every ingredient is a staple at every Charlotte-area grocery chain; you could buy them all at ALDI for under $8 total, landing this at roughly $2 per serving. The 30-minute timeline is honest if you're not boiling pasta from scratch—use pre-cooked or heat water while you make the béchamel, though most home cooks will find themselves closer to 40 minutes on a weeknight. This reheats beautifully and feeds four people with minimal fussiness, making it a reliable family meal; the only small drawback is that it needs attention during the baking step and lacks the vegetable bulk that would make leftovers feel like a complete dinner on their own.
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