There’s a lot to love about macaroni and cheese, but a lot of people will say that their favorite part about the dish is the crispy bits on top. The browned pasta edges, the baked breadcrumbs, the melted, then charred cheese — what’s not to love? And Giada De Laurentiis came up with a recipe for those of us who love the crispy top. It’s a sheetpan mac and cheese, which means there’s so much surface area for things to get crispy.
“My favorite thing about these sheetpan pastas is the crispy bits on the top,” De Laurentiis said in a recent video posted to her Instagram feed, calling this dish the “ultimate creamy, crispy Thanksgiving side” in her caption. And she’s right — it totally is!
This dish, which is exclusive to Giadzy members, is all about the topping, which is a panko breadcrumb base. To the panko, add grated parmesan, kosher salt, a bit of olive oil, and when it’s all laid out on top of the mac, you can place canned datterini tomatoes throughout to add some zest.
You can get the crispy effect when you use your favorite tried-and-true mac and cheese recipe paired with De Laurentiis’ topping and bake it on a seasoned sheetpan. But you can also use De Laurentiis’ simple mac and cheese recipe, which is a blend of whole milk, flour, unsalted butter, garlic powder, Fontina and mozzarella cheese, and salt, all poured over a short pasta, like elbows, Cavatappi, or De Laurentiis’ recommended Taccole. But, of course, you can use the cheeses you like and add extra seasoning of your choice.
The secret is in the sheetpan. Spread your mac and cheese mixture evenly on a buttered sheetpan, then add your panko topping. Bake until everything is golden brown and bubbling and then allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving. Everyone at the table will get a crispy bite and you’ll have a new favorite recipe to include in your weekly rotation. Giadzy members can check out the full recipe here.
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