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a thin layer of macaroni in creamy cheese sauce covered with a rough golden breadcrumb crust on a plain rimmed sheet pan
Melissa Hart

Breadcrumb-Topped Sheet-Pan Mac and Cheese

A shallow sheet pan gives almost every serving a share of the crisp breadcrumb top. The macaroni layer is thin, so the sauce starts a little loose and the oven time stays short. Fresh crumbs make a rougher crust than a powdery coating. Toss them with butter before scattering so the dry bits don't stay pale while the rest browns, and serve with a wide spatula to lift sauce and crust together.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz elbow macaroni
  • 1 tbsp fine salt for pasta water
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter for sauce
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt for sauce
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 6 oz fontina cheese grated
  • 4 oz Gruyere cheese grated
  • 2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted, for topping
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp unsalted butter for the pan

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F and grease a rimmed 13-by-18-inch metal baking sheet. Cook macaroni in a large pot of water with the tablespoon salt until 2 minutes short of the package time, then drain.
  2. While the pasta cooks, melt sauce butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour for 1 minute and gradually add milk. Add sauce salt and pepper and simmer for 4 minutes until lightly thickened.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in fontina and Gruyere until smooth. Fold in macaroni and spread in a thin even layer on the prepared sheet.
  4. Toss fresh breadcrumbs with topping butter and garlic powder. Scatter evenly over the macaroni without packing down.
  5. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the crumbs are golden and the sauce bubbles between the noodles. Rest for 5 minutes, then lift servings with a wide spatula.