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Ingredients
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Pasta
Cheese Sauce (Béchamel-based)
Topping (optional)
Method
Pasta
Bring 4 cups water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbsp salt. Add 12 oz elbow macaroni and cook until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute less than package instructions), stirring occasionally.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.
Cheese Sauce (Béchamel-based)
Make the roux
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter. Add 4 tbsp all-purpose flour and whisk continuously for 1.5–2 minutes until the mixture becomes pale golden and smells slightly nutty; do not brown.
Add milk
Gradually whisk in 2 cups whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream, adding a little at a time to avoid lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer while whisking; it will thicken in 3–5 minutes into a smooth béchamel.
Season the sauce with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, and 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Reduce heat to low. Remove the saucepan from the heat source briefly (or keep on very low) and whisk in half of the shredded cheeses first to melt smoothly: add 1 cup sharp cheddar and 1/2 cup Gruyère, whisking until incorporated, then add the remaining 1 cup sharp cheddar and 1/2 cup Gruyère, stirring gently until you have a glossy, homogeneous cheese sauce. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in up to 2–4 tbsp of reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.
Combine & Bake
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) if you plan to bake. Lightly butter a 9x9-inch or equivalent baking dish.
Combine the drained pasta and cheese sauce in the pot or a large mixing bowl. Stir gently to coat all the pasta. Transfer the mac & cheese to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
Topping (optional)
Make the topping by mixing 0.75 cup panko breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp melted butter, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, and 1 tbsp chopped parsley until evenly moistened.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the mac & cheese. Bake in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 18–22 minutes, until the topping is golden and the sauce is bubbly around the edges. For a deeper brown crust, run under the broiler for 1–2 minutes—watch carefully to prevent burning.
If not baking, simply sprinkle 2 tbsp Parmesan and 1 tbsp parsley on top and serve immediately while hot.
Allow the dish to rest 5 minutes before serving to set slightly. Serve warm.