Solar Recipe: Creamy Sun-Baked Mac & Cheese

A creamy, three-cheese baked mac and cheese finished in My Solar Oven — pasta stays tender, cheese bubbles at the edges, and the panko topping turns golden from sunlight alone.

There's something deeply satisfying about pulling a bubbling casserole out of an oven powered entirely by the sun. This gemelli mac and cheese is one of our favorite recipes to solar cook because the low, steady heat of My Solar Oven is exactly what a good baked mac wants — no scorched edges, no dried-out middle, just even heat that lets the cheese sauce settle into the pasta while the panko topping slowly toasts.

At a glance

• Prep time: 20–25 minutes
• Solar cooking time: 60–90 minutes (depending on sunlight)
• Servings: 4–5

What you'll need

Cookware

• My Solar Oven
• Medium baking pot or casserole dish (dark/black preferred)
• Large pot for boiling pasta
• Medium saucepan
• Colander
• Whisk
• Mixing spoon or spatula
• Small bowl for the breadcrumb topping

Ingredients — pasta & sauce

• 8 oz gemelli pasta (or similar short pasta)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2½ cups whole milk
• 1 tsp fine salt
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp mustard powder (optional)
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• ¼–⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Ingredients — topping

• ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• Light dusting of paprika (optional)
• Chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)

Instructions

Step 1 — Preheat My Solar Oven

Set up My Solar Oven in direct sunlight and let it preheat while you prep everything else. Aim for full sun with the reflectors angled at the sun. The hotter it is when the pot goes in, the better your cook time will be.

Step 2 — Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gemelli and cook 1–2 minutes short of al dente the pasta will keep cooking in the solar oven, so you want it firm. Drain in a colander and toss with a tiny pat of butter to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Step 3 — Start the roux

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Whisk in 2 tbsp flour and cook for about 1 minute, whisking constantly, until the mixture looks smooth and smells faintly nutty. Don't let it brown.

Step 4 — Build the béchamel

Slowly pour in the 2½ cups milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Continue cooking over medium heat for 4–7 minutes until the sauce gently steams, small bubbles form around the edges, and it coats the back of a spoon.

Step 5 — Melt in the cheese

Lower the heat to low (or remove from heat entirely). Stir in the 2 cups cheddar, 1 cup mozzarella, and ¼–⅓ cup Parmesan a handful at a time until smooth. Season with salt, garlic powder, and mustard powder (if using).

Important: Keep the sauce slightly looser than you think it should be, it will tighten considerably during the solar cook.

Step 6 — Combine and assemble

Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and fold gently until every piece is coated. Transfer to a black baking pot or casserole dish, filling it about ¾ full. Smooth the top lightly — don't pack it down!

In a small bowl, toss ¼ cup panko with 1 tbsp melted butter until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Scatter ½ cup shredded cheddar over the mac and cheese first, then sprinkle the buttered breadcrumbs unevenly across the top (uneven coverage gives you better texture contrast). Finish with a light dusting of paprika if using.

Ready for the oven. Topped and waiting for the sun to do its work!

Step 7 — Solar cook until bubbly

Carefully place the pot into the preheated My Solar Oven and close it up. Cook in direct sunlight for 60–90 minutes, the exact time depends on outdoor temperature, cloud cover, and sun intensity. It's ready when:

• The edges are bubbling
• The cheese is fully melted
• The breadcrumbs are lightly toasted

Step 8 — Rest and serve

Remove the pot using oven mitts (the dish will be very hot). Let it rest for 5 minutes, this lets the sauce set slightly so it doesn't run when you scoop. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired and serve.

Out of the oven — golden top, bubbling edges, no electricity required.

Solar cooking tips for this recipe

• Track the sun. Check the sun's position every 30 minutes and rotate the oven for even cooking.
• Use a dark pot. Cast iron or dark enameled cookware absorbs more heat and cuts down on cook time.
• Plan for clouds. On partly cloudy days, aim for the longer end of the window (90+ min) and start earlier in the day when the sun is strongest.
• Gentler browning is normal. Solar ovens brown more gently than conventional ovens. If your top isn't deeply golden at the 90-minute mark, the flavor is still there.

Make-ahead note

You can assemble the dish the night before, refrigerate, and pull it out about 30 minutes before loading into My Solar Oven to take the chill off. This makes it a great option for lunch cooks when the midday sun is at its best.

Have you tried this recipe in your own solar oven? We'd love to see it — tag us on social or leave a comment below.