Best ever macaroni cheese with crunch crumb

Health score
28%
Best ever macaroni cheese with crunch crumb
100 min.
5
1168kcal

Suggestions


Looking for the ultimate comfort food that will leave your taste buds dancing with joy? This Best Ever Macaroni Cheese with Crunch Crumb is exactly what you need! It’s a rich and indulgent dish with a creamy cheese sauce that perfectly coats every bite of tender macaroni. The magic happens when you add a crispy, golden topping made from pancetta, spring onions, and crunchy bread cubes that give each serving an irresistible texture contrast.

What makes this recipe stand out is its careful infusion of flavors. A slow-steeped bay leaf and leek milk base brings out deep savory notes, creating a sauce that’s bursting with taste. The extra mature cheddar and parmesan deliver a punch of flavor that’s truly decadent. And if you're someone who craves that perfect crispy top, this macaroni cheese has just the right balance of crunch and gooey cheese, making it a guaranteed hit at any meal.

Perfect as a main course, lunch, or side dish, this recipe is versatile and guaranteed to please a crowd. Whether you're serving it for a family dinner or as a cozy weekend treat, this dish is sure to become a favorite. Plus, with the option to chill or freeze it ahead of time, it's both convenient and delicious. Don’t miss out on this ultimate comfort food that’s easy to make but full of flavor!

Ingredients

  •  bay leaves fresh
  • large leek washed and roughly chopped
  • 1.2 milk 
  • 100 butter salted
  • 100 flour plain
  • tsp dijon mustard english
  • 280 extra sharp cheddar cheese grated
  • 50 parmesan finely grated
  • 450 .5 oz. macaroni 
  •  spring onion finely chopped
  • 70 pancetta 
  •  bread white thick cubed
  • servings olive oil for drizzling

Equipment

  • frying pan
  • oven
  • whisk

Directions

  1. Put the bay leaves, leek and milk in a pan, and gently heat until steaming but just below boiling point. Take off the heat and set aside to infuse for 1 hr.
  2. Drain the milk and discard the leek and bay. Wipe out the pan, then add the butter, flour and mustard powder.
  3. Heat, stirring, until the butter has melted, then cook to a paste for 1 min. Splash in some milk gradually and stir until smooth and completely incorporated.
  4. Add the rest of the milk, a little at a time at first, then gradually add more as the mixture gets saucy. (If you get any lumps, give it a vigorous whisk to remove them.)
  5. Heat, stirring all the time and scraping the bottom of the pan so it doesnt catch, until the sauce is bubbling and nicely thickened.
  6. Remove from the heat and stir in 200g of the cheddar and 25g of the parmesan. Season really well keep tasting, as it will need a generous amount of salt.
  7. Cook the macaroni following pack instructions, until it is almost tender but still has a bit of chew to it.
  8. Drain well, then stir into the cheese sauce with three-quarters of the spring onions.
  9. Scrape into a large ovenproof dish or several individual ones.
  10. Scatter the remaining cheddar over the macaroni, then alternate between draping over pancetta slices (bunching them up a bit) and scattering with the bread cubes and remaining spring onions. (If you keep swapping between ingredients youll get a nice mix of everything on the top.)
  11. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and add a very little drizzle of oil holding your thumb over the bottle so just a trickle comes out. Can now be cooled, covered and chilled for up to 1 day, or frozen for up to 1 month.
  12. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas
  13. Bake for 40 mins until bubbling, and crunchy and golden on top (if using individual dishes, check after 30 mins).

Nutrition Facts

Calories1168kcal
Protein14.41%
Fat49.65%
Carbs35.94%

Properties

Glycemic Index
60.33
Glycemic Load
15.29
Inflammation Score
-9
Nutrition Score
34.431739195533%

Flavonoids

Apigenin
0.01mg
Luteolin
0.02mg
Kaempferol
0.67mg
Myricetin
0.04mg
Quercetin
1.55mg

Nutrients percent of daily need

Calories:1167.85kcal
58.39%
Fat:64.41g
99.09%
Saturated Fat:29.85g
186.59%
Carbohydrates:104.9g
34.97%
Net Carbohydrates:100.33g
36.48%
Sugar:16.65g
18.5%
Cholesterol:134.19mg
44.73%
Sodium:1010.17mg
43.92%
Alcohol:0g
100%
Alcohol %:0%
100%
Protein:42.06g
84.12%
Selenium:94.25µg
134.64%
Calcium:864.35mg
86.43%
Phosphorus:788.84mg
78.88%
Manganese:1.25mg
62.49%
Vitamin B2:0.94mg
55.25%
Vitamin K:50.69µg
48.28%
Vitamin A:1831.38IU
36.63%
Zinc:5.27mg
35.11%
Vitamin B12:2.09µg
34.77%
Vitamin B1:0.46mg
30.39%
Magnesium:112.54mg
28.13%
Folate:108.03µg
27.01%
Vitamin E:3.43mg
22.86%
Vitamin B3:4.33mg
21.66%
Potassium:730.03mg
20.86%
Iron:3.46mg
19.25%
Copper:0.38mg
19.04%
Vitamin B6:0.38mg
18.83%
Vitamin B5:1.83mg
18.32%
Fiber:4.57g
18.29%
Vitamin C:5.36mg
6.5%
Vitamin D:0.44µg
2.95%