The Key To Making The Crispiest Possible Mac And Cheese

It's an all-American staple: Nothing beats a fresh, creamy, steaming bowl of mac and cheese on the dinner table! We all know there are countless ways to make this delicious dish. If you're short on time, a simple boxed version can definitely hit the spot, even though most people have very strong opinions about which boxed version is superior! Our team even reviewed some of the newer boxed options in the grocery store aisle so you don't have to. But in reality, the best way to get a stomach full of delicious mac and cheese is to make it from scratch. There's one specific thing that will make you go back for second and third helpings of your homemade delicacy, and that's a nice, crispy, crunchy layer on top.

Luckily, it's not difficult to do this at home. Make your homemade mac and cheese recipe the way you prefer, but instead of putting it in a casserole dish, spread your mac and cheese on a sheet pan! Then, top it with your favorite breadcrumb topping and pop it in the oven. It's all about surface area compared to a typical casserole dish. The more you spread out the mac and cheese on the sheet pan, the more crunchy morsels you'll have to enjoy.

While a basic breadcrumb topping will go a long way toward a crunchy, melty masterpiece, why not level up your topping, too? We'd recommend combining panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and some salt and pepper in a bowl, and then sprinkling it on the top of the cheesy pasta. The combination of creamy and crunchy is out of this world. If you're feeling particularly adventurous once you've perfected the crispy layer on the top of your mac and cheese, there are plenty of other ways to experiment with the classic dish. You can try everything from broccoli, to bacon, to hatch green chiles, to fried onions, or even chopped pickled jalapenos to mix up the flavor a bit.

If you're still trying to perfect the cheesy pasta itself, try using your blender the next time you make mac and cheese to make it creamier than ever. Or you can get creative and incorporate a delicious and unique parmesan broth into your recipe to make it the cheesiest it's ever been. There are infinite possibilities! Oh, and after a few bowls of mac and cheese, you may want to take our suggestion to balance out that heaviness with a nice, light green salad — especially if you're incorporating mac and cheese into your Thanksgiving menu this year!