🍀🧀 Irish Pub Baked Mac & Cheese (Ultra Creamy + Crispy Top!)

This Irish Pub Baked Mac & Cheese is the ultimate comfort food—rich, velvety cheese sauce wrapped around tender pasta, baked until bubbling with a golden, buttery crunch on top. Every bite is loaded with sharp cheddar, nutty Gruyère, and savory parmesan, creating that perfect balance of creamy and bold flavor you’d expect from your favorite cozy pub.

No beer needed—just simple ingredients transformed into a decadent, crowd-pleasing dish that feels indulgent, nostalgic, and completely irresistible. It’s the kind of recipe that steals the show at dinner, disappears fast at gatherings, and gets requested again and again.

🛒 Ingredients

• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Gruyère (or Swiss), shredded
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Topping:

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese

🔪 Instructions

1. Cook pasta
   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Make the roux
   In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until smooth and lightly golden.
3. Build the sauce
   Slowly whisk in milk and heavy cream. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth.
4. Season
   Stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
5. Add the cheese
   Reduce heat to low and add cheddar, Gruyère, and parmesan. Stir until fully melted and creamy.
6. Combine
   Add cooked pasta to the sauce and stir until evenly coated.
7. Assemble
   Pour into a greased baking dish.
8. Make topping
   Mix panko, melted butter, and parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over the top.
9. Bake
   Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes until hot, bubbly, and golden brown.

✨ Optional Add-Ins

• Crispy bacon 🥓
• Caramelized onions 🧅
• Extra cheese melted on top in the last 5 minutes

🍀🧀 Irish Pub Baked Mac & Cheese (No Beer, Extra Creamy!)

This Irish Pub Baked Mac & Cheese is the ultimate comfort food—rich, velvety cheese sauce wrapped around tender pasta, baked until bubbling with a golden, buttery crunch on top. Every bite is loaded with sharp cheddar, nutty Gruyère, and savory parmesan for that cozy, pub-style flavor everyone loves—no beer needed.

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 cup Gruyère or Swiss, shredded
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• Topping:
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese

Method

 

1. Cook pasta
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Make the roux
4. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until smooth and lightly golden.
5. Build the sauce
6. Slowly whisk in milk and heavy cream. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth.
7. Season
8. Stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
9. Add the cheese
10. Reduce heat to low and add cheddar, Gruyère, and parmesan. Stir until fully melted and creamy.
11. Combine
12. Add cooked pasta to the sauce and stir until evenly coated.
13. Assemble
14. Pour into a greased baking dish.
15. Make topping
16. Mix panko, melted butter, and parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over the top.
17. Bake
18. Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes until hot, bubbly, and golden brown.

Notes

✨ Optional Add-Ins

• Crispy bacon 🥓
• Caramelized onions 🧅
• Extra cheese melted on top in the last 5 minutes

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💡 Pro Tips

• Use freshly shredded cheese for the creamiest texture
• Don’t overcook pasta—it finishes baking in the oven
• Broil for 1–2 minutes at the end for an extra crispy top 🔥