Ultimate Gourmet Mac and Cheese Casserole

Ingredients

For the Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cup grated Swiss cheese
- 1 cup grated Havarti cheese
- 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the Casserole:
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
- 1 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 cup cooked sausage, crumbled
- 1 cup broccoli florets, blanched
- 1/2 cup peas, blanched
- 1/2 cup green beans, cut and blanched
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven:
- Set your oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Prepare the Cheese Sauce:
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Whisk in the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and mustard powder. Cook while stirring constantly for about 2 minutes until the mixture is golden.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Cook until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken, approximately 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheddar, Swiss, Havarti, Gruyere, and Parmesan cheeses gradually, stirring until fully melted.
- Season the sauce with seasoned salt and black pepper.

3. Assemble the Casserole:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked macaroni, bacon, sausage, broccoli, peas, and green beans.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni mixture and stir well to ensure even coating.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.

4. Prepare the Topping:
- Sprinkle the panko breadcrumbs evenly over the top of the casserole for a crunchy finish.

5. Bake:
- Place the casserole in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.

6. Serve:
- Allow the casserole to cool for 5 minutes before serving to ensure the cheese is set.

Total Time

PT1H5M
1 hour and 5 minutes

Type of Dish

Dinner

Keywords

Mac and cheese, Casserole, Gourmet dinner, Cheese sauce, Comfort food, Oven-baked, Pasta dish, Family dinner, Hearty meal, Cheesy casserole

Recipe Yield

Feeds 4 adults

Calories

3,600 calories for the entire dish

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