Easy Baked Mac and Cheese with Potato Chip Topping

Potato chip mac and cheese in a bowl with a serving spoon.

Easy Baked Mac and Cheese with Potato Chip Topping

Creamy baked mac and cheese made with a cheddar and gruyere sauce and topped with a buttery, crunchy potato chip crust. Perfect for Thanksgiving and potlucks!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword baked mac and cheese, gruyere mac and cheese, make ahead side dish, potato chip mac and cheese, thanksgiving mac and cheese

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Cool Time 10

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 602kcal

Author Erin Antoniak

Ingredients

16 oz noodles uncooked, small noodle like elbow or shells
5 tablespoon butter
¼ cup flour
3 cups whole milk
1 cup half & half
1 teaspoon ground mustard
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
2 cups freshly grated gruyere cheese

Potato Chip Topping

2 cups crushed potato chips
2 tablespoon melted butter
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Heat oven to 350F and spray 9x13 glass casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Cook the pasta (16 oz) according to package, on the lower end of timing as it will bake more in the oven. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
In a large saute pan or dutch oven, heat the butter (5 tbsp) over medium heat until melted. Whisk in the flour (¼ cup) until smooth and let cook for one minute.
Slowly add in the milk (3 cups) and half & half (1 cup) until all whisked together. Whisk in the ground mustard (1 tsp), smoked paprika (½ tsp), garlic powder (½ tsp), salt (1 tsp), and pepper (½ tsp) as well. Let bubble for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
Turn off heat and add in the cheddar cheese (3 cups) and gruyere cheese (1 cup). Whisk until melted.
Add noodles to a large bowl and then pour cheese mixture over top of noodles, stirring until completely coated in cheese.
Pour half of the noodles into greased 9x13 pan, top with the remaining cheddar (1 cup) and gruyere (1 cup), and top with the rest of the noodles.
In a small bowl, mix together the crushed potato chips (2 cups), melted butter (2 tbsp), parmesan cheese (¼ cup), and salt (¼ tsp). Sprinkle evenly over top of mac and cheese mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes. Broil for last 2-3 minutes or until topping is nice and golden brown.
Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

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