Baked Mac 'N' Cheese

Sometimes you need mac and cheese and you need it now.

This shortcut version uses cream of cheddar soup as the sauce base, so you skip the roux entirely and go straight to the good part: hot, bubbly, cheese-drenched noodles with a crunch of bread crumbs on top.

A hit of mustard in the mix adds just enough bite to keep things interesting.

It makes a small batch, enough for two as a main or four as a side, which means no sad leftovers drying out in the back of the fridge.

Kitchen Tips

• Use shell pasta instead of elbows if you want more sauce trapped in every bite.
• Swap the bread crumbs for crushed butter crackers for an even richer, crunchier topping.
• Add a handful of shredded sharp cheddar on top before the bread crumbs for extra cheese pull.