Chef John's Baked Mac and Cheese
Chef John's Baked Mac and Cheese is rich and ultra-creamy, with a sharp Cheddar sauce layered with Dijon, thyme, and a warming hint of cayenne and nutmeg. A golden panko topping adds a crisp, buttery contrast to the tender elbows, making every bite balanced and comforting. Ideal for weeknight dinners, potlucks, or holiday sides when you want classic, crowd-pleasing comfort.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook45 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's Baked Mac and Cheese, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 50 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 7 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 46 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 28
- Heart Health
- 63
- Metabolic
- 29
- Digestive
- 22
- Inflammatory
- 30
- Performance
- 32
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- 2
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until slightly firm, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- 3
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam and bubble, stir in the flour; cook over medium heat until the flour turns pale yellow, 3 to 4 minutes.
- 4
Add thyme, cayenne, and white pepper; cook and stir for another minute, then whisk in 1 cup milk until smooth.
- 5
Pour in the remaining milk and whisk again. Bring the sauce just to a simmer.
- 6
Stir in salt, Worcestershire sauce, and nutmeg. Simmer over medium-low heat, whisking often, until thickened, about 8 minutes.
- 7
Turn off the heat, then add 2 1/4 cups Cheddar cheese; stir until melted and combined. Mix in Dijon mustard.
- 8
Transfer the macaroni to an 8x8-inch casserole dish, then pour in the cheese sauce; stir to thoroughly coat the pasta with the sauce.
- 9
In a small bowl, mix together panko bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter.
- 10
Sprinkle the mixture over the macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese on top.
- 11
Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Calories 648.2 kcal High 32%
- Protein 25.68 g Good Source 51%
- Carbohydrate 80.01 g 29%
- Total Fat 25.05 g High 32%
- Saturated Fat 15.59 g High 78%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 66.73 mg High 22%
- Sodium 384.86 mg Moderate 17%
- Dietary Fiber 3.44 g Moderate 12%
- Total Sugars 8.14 g --
- Added Sugars 0.08 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 500.28 mg Good Source 38%
- Iron 2.89 mg Moderate 16%
- Potassium 354.48 mg Low Source 8%
- Vitamin A 79.02 mcg Low Source 9%
- Vitamin C 0.05 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin D 1.46 mcg Low Source 7%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
About This Recipe
Chef John's Baked Mac and Cheese is made with 13 ingredients and serves 6. It takes about 1 hr and is rated easy. Key ingredients include All Purpose Flour, Butter, Cayenne Pepper, and Dijon Mustard. Each serving provides about 648.2 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John's Baked Mac and Cheese made of?
- The main ingredients are All-Purpose Flour, Butter, Cayenne Pepper, Dijon Mustard, Dried Thyme. The full list of 13 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chef John's Baked Mac and Cheese?
- About 1 hr in total: 15 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 648.2 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John's Baked Mac and Cheese easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 13 ingredients and 11 steps.
- Is Chef John's Baked Mac and Cheese healthy?
- Chef John's Baked Mac and Cheese has an easyChef Pro health score of 35/100. Per serving, it provides 648.2 calories and 25.68 g of protein, or 51% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of calcium. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 384.86 mg (17% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 15.59 g (78% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat and Gluten, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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