Of course, Breadcrumb Bake is about more than just the breadcrumbs. The filling is a delightful, almost mac-and-cheese-like filling of tender pasta and oh-so-much sharp, melty cheddar cheese, and that’s certainly worth talking about, too! But the crunchy and delightfully herbaceous breadcrumb topping truly is something special! The Breadcrumb Bake is one vegetarian dish that even the most committed carnivore can’t turn down!
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) box large elbow macaroni, large shells, or cavatappi pasta
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, plus 2 tablespoons, melted, divided
- 1/3 cup yellow onion, grated
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups milk
- 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 8 ounces extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese, 1/2 shredded and 1/2 diced, divided
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, 1/2 shredded and 1/2 diced, divided
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- fresh herbs, optional, to taste, of your choice, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Lightly coat a 9×13-inch ceramic baking dish with nonstick spray.
Step 3 –In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 4 –In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter.
Step 5 –Add the onion, the mustard, the salt, the black pepper, the nutmeg, and the cayenne and cook, while stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Step 6 –Add the flour and cook, while stirring constantly, until it is golden-brown and smooth, about 2 minutes.
Step 7 –Gradually add the milk and the heavy cream to the onion mixture and bring it to a boil, while whisking occasionally.
Step 8 –Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the cream mixture, while whisking constantly, until it slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
Step 9 –Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine.
Step 10 –Transfer the saucepan from the heat.
Step 11 –Add 4 ounces of the shredded yellow cheddar and 4 ounces of the shredded white cheddar and stir until melted.
Step 12 –Add the pasta, the remaining diced yellow cheddar, and the remaining diced white cheddar and stir to combine.
Step 13 –Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 14 –In a bowl, add the panko, the remaining melted butter, the sage, the thyme, and the rosemary and stir to combine.
Step 15 –Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the casserole.
Step 16 –Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
Step 17 –Bake until the casserole is bubbly and golden, about 30 minutes. The topping should be crisp.
Step 18 –Transfer the bake to a wire rack to cool, about 15 minutes.
Step 19 –Serve garnished with the fresh herbs.
