Sourdough Mac and Cheese with Sourdough Breadcrumb Topping
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The creamy comfort of mac and cheese with a delightful twist! Sourdough Mac and Cheese is made with sourdough discard, packed full of melty cheese, and topped with a crispy sourdough breadcrumb topping!
Sourdough Mac and Cheese is a delicious twist on the classic favorite. It’s a wonderful balance of creamy, tangy, and cheesy flavors, making it a must-try for sourdough enthusiasts and mac and cheese lovers alike.
To make the creamy sauce, you’ll create a roux using sourdough discard, which adds a unique depth of flavor and acts as an excellent thickener.
We take the cheese sauce up a notch by combining shredded cheddar and gruyere cheese, resulting in a rich and melty goodness that perfectly coats the macaroni.
But the magic doesn’t stop there – Sourdough Mac and Cheese is topped with a crispy sourdough breadcrumb topping, adding a delightful crunch and even more sourdough goodness to every bite!
It’s a wonderful balance of creamy, tangy, and cheesy flavors, making it a must-try for sourdough enthusiasts and mac and cheese lovers alike. The blend of textures and tastes in each forkful will leave you craving for more. It’s a comforting and indulgent choice for any mealtime!
Whether you’re enjoying it as a side dish or a main course, Sourdough Mac and Cheese is sure to become a family favorite!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
Cheesy with some Crunch
Chewy noodles, smothered in silky smooth cheese sauce and topped with crispy sourdough breadcrumb topping, what more could you ask for?
Crowd-Pleaser
This Sourdough Mac and Cheese can easily be the star of the show as a main dish or complement any dinner gathering as a delicious side dish. You can’t go wrong!
Great way to use up Sourdough Discard
Sourdough discard is a great thickener for recipes like soups and this Sourdough Mac and Cheese recipe.
Ingredients
Sourdough Mac & Cheese
Uncooked Pasta – I used the classic elbow pasta, but be free to select your favorite type of noodle. Boil them for 1 minute less than the al dente time given in the box directions.
Butter – Unsalted or Salted butter works the same for this recipe.
Flour – All-purpose flour is added to make a roux for an extra creamy cheese sauce.
Unfed Sourdough Starter – Sourdough discard is a great thicker! Mix it in the milk till smooth for an extra creamy cheese sauce.
Dairy – I used a combination of milk and half and half for this cream sauce, but you could also do 1 cup of heavy cream and 5 cups of milk.
Shredded Cheese – I used a combination of cheddar and gruyere cheese, but you can experiment with other melty cheeses like fontina, mozzarella cheese, or Monterey jack.
Salt & Black Pepper – Season to taste
Sourdough Breadcrumb Topping:
Sourdough Breadcrumbs – Find instructions below on how to make your own sourdough breadcrumbs!
Butter – Helps the sourdough bread crumbs crisp up during the bake.
Parmesan Cheese – Who doesn’t love a little extra bit of cheese on top of their sourdough mac and cheese?
Paprika – Or swap with garlic powder or mustard powder. If you like some heat, sprinkle in a dash of cayenne pepper instead!
Supplies
Heavy Large Pot
Whisk
Wooden Spoon
Cheese Grater
How to Make Sourdough Breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Add cubed pieces of sourdough bread, fresh or stale, into a food processor. Process on high for 30 seconds for coarse sourdough breadcrumbs or for 1-2 minutes for fine sourdough breadcrumbs.
Spread the breadcrumbs on a large rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and place into the preheated oven.
Bake for 5 minutes, stir, and then bake for an additional 10 minutes. The breadcrumbs should turn to a golden brown color and be dry to the touch.
Continue to bake for a few extra minutes, if necessary.
Remove the sourdough breadcrumbs from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes.
Return the crunchy sourdough breadcrumbs to the food processor and process again if you desire more fine breadcrumbs.
How to Make Sourdough Mac and Cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 3 qt. baking dish.
Combine the two shredded cheeses in a bowl and set to the side.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta 1 minute shy of al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and drizzle with a touch of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking. Place in a bowl and set aside.
In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and sourdough discard until smooth.
Heat a heavy large pot, Dutch Oven, or large saucepan to medium-high heat. Melt the butter and then sprinkle in the flour. Whisk until dissolved and continue to cook for 1 minute.
Slowly pour in about half of the half and half into the flour mixture, whisking constantly until smooth. Continue to slowly add in the remainder of the half and half and milk/discard mixture. Continue to whisk and cook until the mixture begins to bubble and it coats the back of a spoon. Whisk in the salt and pepper.
Remove the pot from the heat. Sprinkle 2 cups of the shredded cheese into the smooth sauce. Whisk until smooth before adding another 3 cups. Stir until completely melted and smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the cheese sauce and the cooked pasta. Mix until thoroughly combined. Layer half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish, top with the final cup of grated cheese, then pour the remainder of the homemade mac and cheese.
In a small bowl, combine the sourdough breadcrumbs, melted butter, parmesan cheese, and paprika. Mix with a spoon and then sprinkle the crunchy sourdough bread crumbs on top of the creamy mac and cheese mixture.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve hot and enjoy!
Tips:
Opt for freshly grated cheese over pre-shredded cheese for the smoothest, creamy cheese sauce.
Cook the pasta 1 minute shy of al dente. Since this is a baked Sourdough Mac and Cheese recipe, the pasta will continue to cook.
How to Store
Store leftover Sourdough Mac and Cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, pour in a little extra cream or milk and heat until warm in the microwave. Stir often.
FAQs:
What kind of shredded cheese should I use?
I love the combination of shredded cheddar cheese and shredded gruyere cheese. The nuttiness and melty qualities of both cheeses are dynamite. But they can easily be swapped for cheeses like fontina, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack cheese.
Do you have to use sourdough breadcrumbs for the topping?
If you are low on time, you can substitute panko bread crumbs 1:1.
Happy baking!
More Recipes Like This:
Homemade Sourdough Fried Chicken Tender
FULL RECIPE TUTORIAL
Sourdough Mac and Cheese Recipe
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Equipment
- 3 Qt baking dish
Ingredients
Sourdough Mac and Cheese
- 16 oz uncooked elbow pasta
- 57 grams unsalted butter 1/4 cup
- 35 grams all-purpose flour 1/4 cup
- 140 grams sourdough discard heaping 1/2 cup
- 360 grams milk 1 1/2 cups
- 600 grams half and half 2 1/2 cups
- 440 grams cheddar cheese, freshly shredded 4 cups
- 220 grams gruyere, freshly shredded 2 cups
- 9 grams salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 2 grams black pepper 1/2 teaspoon
Sourdough Breadcrumbs
- 160 grams sourdough breadcrumbs 1 1/2 cups
- 57 grams unsalted butter, melted 4 Tablespoons
- 50 grams parmesan cheese, freshly shredded 1/2 cup
- 1 gram paprika 1/4 teaspoon
Instructions
How to Make Sourdough Breadcrumbs
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Add cubed pieces one loaf of sourdough bread, fresh or stale, into a food processor. Process on high for 30 seconds for coarse sourdough breadcrumbs or for 1-2 minutes for fine sourdough breadcrumbs.
- Spread the breadcrumbs on a large rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and place into the preheated oven.
- Bake for 5 minutes, stir, and then bake for an additional 10 minutes. The breadcrumbs should turn to a golden brown color and be dry to the touch.
- Continue to bake for a few extra minutes, if necessary.
- Remove the sourdough breadcrumbs from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes.
- Return the crunchy sourdough breadcrumbs to the food processor and process if you desire more fine breadcrumbs.
How to Make Sourdough Mac and Cheese
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 3 qt. baking dish.
- Combine the two shredded cheeses in a bowl and set to the side.440 grams cheddar cheese, freshly shredded, 220 grams gruyere, freshly shredded
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 1 minute shy of al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and drizzle with a touch of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking. Place in a bowl and set aside.16 oz uncooked elbow pasta
- In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and sourdough discard until smooth.360 grams milk, 140 grams sourdough discard
- Heat a heavy large pot, Dutch Oven, or large saucepan to medium-high heat. Melt the butter and then sprinkle in the flour. Whisk until dissolved and continue to cook for 1 minute.57 grams unsalted butter, 35 grams all-purpose flour
- Slowly pour in about half of the half and half into the flour mixture, whisking constantly until smooth. Slowly add in the remainder of the half and half, then the milk/discard mixture. Continue to whisk and cook until the mixture begins to bubble and it coats the back of a spoon. Whisk in the salt and pepper.600 grams half and half, 9 grams salt, 2 grams black pepper
- Remove the pot from the heat. Sprinkle 2 cups of the shredded cheese into the smooth sauce. Whisk until smooth before adding another 3 cups. Stir until completely melted and smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the cheese sauce and the cooked pasta. Mix until thoroughly combined. Layer half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish, top with the final cup of grated cheese, then pour the remainder of the homemade mac and cheese.
- In a small bowl, combine the sourdough breadcrumbs, melted butter, parmesan cheese, and paprika. Mix with a spoon and then sprinkle the crunchy sourdough breadcrumbs on top of the creamy mac and cheese mixture.160 grams sourdough breadcrumbs, 57 grams unsalted butter, melted, 50 grams parmesan cheese, freshly shredded, 1 gram paprika
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Tips:
- Opt for freshly grated cheese over pre-shredded cheese for the smoothest, creamy cheese sauce.
- Cook the pasta 1 minute shy of al dente. Since this is a baked Sourdough Mac and Cheese recipe, the pasta will continue to cook.
- If you are low on time, you can substitute panko bread crumbs 1:1.
If I wanted to make this a day ahead, or for the freezer, would I stop after layering pasta with cheese sauce and shredded cheese then cover and either refrigerate or place in freezer till ready to bake? And then when ready to bake, add bread crumbs and continue the recipe?
P.S. I’ve made this a few times now and it has become my go to recipe. Now I am preparing for thanksgiving and meal prepping since I have a toddler and a newborn to chase after. Thank you!
Aww thank you so much — I’m so glad this has become your go-to! And meal-prepping with a toddler and a newborn is no small feat.
Yes, you’re exactly right! To make it ahead or freeze it:
▪️ Prepare the pasta + cheese sauce, layer it with the shredded cheese, then cover tightly.
You can refrigerate overnight or freeze at this stage.
▪️ When you’re ready to bake:
Let it come to room temp (or thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen), add the breadcrumb topping, and bake as directed. You may need to add an extra 5–10 minutes if it’s still a bit chilled.
Enjoy!
could this be frozen like stouffers Mac and cheese?
Love the idea of using both sourdough discard AND breadcrumbs! What a great way to use what you have for the bread maker! Those pictures look so yummy. I’ve just recently tried homemade mac and I’m sure it will become a common meal. Thanks for the idea!