Our creamy Italian Mac & Cheese is loaded with flavor from garlic, basil, and seasoned breadcrumbs. With three cheeses, including mozzarella, fontina, and parmesan, this cozy baked mac and cheese is perfect for cheese lovers!
I make this homemade mac and cheese when I'm craving comfort food. It's super cheese, creamy, and full of flavor.
It's a bit more labor-intensive than some of my other recipes, but only because you must baby the sauce. You can't rush a cheese sauce; all the ingredients need to be added slowly and incorporated before you add more.
Ingredients
- penne
- butter
- flour
- fresh garlic
- milk
- mozzarella cheese
- fontina cheese
- ground nutmeg
- dry mustard
- fresh basil
- black pepper
- salt
- grated parmesan cheese
- panko breadcrumbs
- garlic powder
- dried basil
Variation: If you're in a rush, skip the breadcrumb topping, or toast the breadcrumb mixture in 1 teaspoon of butter in a small skillet over medium heat until golden brown and sprinkle on top of the pasta.
More Mac and Cheese Recipes
Love mac and cheese? Try one of these delicious recipes next time:
Italian Mac & Cheese
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Ingredients
- 16 oz. penne
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 2½ cups milk
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 2 cups fontina cheese shredded
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil plus more for garnish if desired
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Topping
- 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
- Cook the pasta accoding to the directions on the package. Drain and set aside.16 oz. penne
- In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients; set aside.2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Grease a 9x13 baking dish or casserole dish. Preheat the oven to 350F.
- In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.¼ cup butter
- Add the garlic and cook about 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly golden.1 tablespoon fresh garlic
- Sprinkle the flour in and whisk to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.¼ cup flour
- Slowly drizzle in the milk a little at a time, whisking constantly. Once the milk and flour mixture is smooth, cook until the mixture is hot and starts to bubble gently.2½ cups milk
- Add the cheeses a little at a time, whisking in between.1 cup mozzarella cheese, 2 cups fontina cheese, ½ cup parmesan cheese
- Once the cheeses are all incorporated, remove the sauce from the heat. Mix in the seasonings and fresh basil.1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 tablespoon fresh basil, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt
- Fold the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce.
- Transfer the mac and cheese into the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle the top of the mac and cheese with the topping.
- Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Remove and serve hot with extra parmesan and or basil on top.
Equipment
- Sauce Pan
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