Three Cheese Mac and Cheese - Baked with Breadcrumbs!

Sharp cheddar, muenster, and asiago makes for an indulgent, three cheese mac and cheese. Sprinkle on homemade breadcrumbs and bake to perfection! Feel to to customize by using any milk of your choice.

This post was first published on May 15, 2021. It was updated on July 27, 2022 [to include new photos and helpful tips.

I've been making this homemade three cheese mac and cheese ever since I was a little girl. In my house, it's named after Cheerful Choices owner ,Mackenzie, and known as "Mack's Mac and Cheese." We've made this recipe countless times and it is always a crowd pleaser! We love serving this dish alongside a light salad or some air fried green beans.

Are there healthier swaps you can do?

Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food dish. It's the perfect combo of creamy, cheesy pasta goodness. However, there are a few things you can do to give it a little bit of a nutrition boost.

• Swap out the white pasta and white breadcrumbs for their whole grain counterparts. "Whole" grains have the bran, germ, and endosperm (AKA all the good parts filled with fiber, vitamins, and minerals) whereas white or "refined" grains undergo a process that removes the germ and bran.
• You can also use skim milk and reduced-fat cheddar cheese because these items provide the same level of protein while reducing the saturated fat content. If you're looking to stay indulgent though, use whole milk and regular cheddar cheese.

Can I make these into bites?

If you're looking for the perfect party appetizer, you can easily turn these into mac and cheese bites! Simply divide them among lined muffin tins, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. I also like to stir in a bit of riced cauliflower with the cheese sauce to pump up the nutrition of this mac and cheese without changing the flavor.

How to make bread crumbs for mac and cheese

Skip the store bought stuff and make your own breadcrumbs. Simply rip up whole grain bread slices into pieces. Then, toast them for 10 minutes at 350 degrees until slightly golden. Finally, use your hands to crush them up into smaller pieces to sprinkle over the mac and cheese before baking.

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Breadcrumb Baked Mac and Cheese

Mackenzie Burgess, RDN

Sharp cheddar, muenster, and asiago makes for an indulgent, three cheese mac and cheese. Sprinkle on homemade breadcrumbs and bake to perfection!

4.67 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 12 servings

Calories 370 kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 cups uncooked whole grain elbow macaroni
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups dairy milk of your choice (skim milk, 2% milk, or whole milk)
• 4 oz Muenster cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces Asiago cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 cups whole wheat breadcrumbs or 3 slices whole grain bread **see note

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Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
• In a large pan, cook macaroni to al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in salt, pepper, and flour until combined.
• Slowly pour in milk and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 2 minutes, then reduce to low heat and stir in all cheeses until creamy. Pour cheese sauce over drained pasta and stir gently to combine.
• Pour macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Notes

** We love to make homemade breadcrumbs. Simply rip bread into medium-sized pieces and pop it into the 350 degrees pre-heated oven for 10 minutes while you prepare the pasta and cheese sauce. Then, pull it out of the oven and crush it up into small pieces to sprinkle over the mac and cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 370kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 16gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 430mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4g

Tried this recipe?Tag us @cheerfulchoices and let us know how it was!

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