Baked Macaroni And Cheese
A perfectly cheesy and creamy baked macaroni and cheese that doesn’t use processed cheese. Amazing flavor, sure to be a favorite of yours!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Baked macaroni and cheese has been a staple across dining room tables for as long as I can recall.
With that said, for most of my life growing up, our macaroni and cheese came out of a box.
In fact, one of the things that remind me of my childhood was my favorite dish: macaroni and cheese with hotdogs in it. Is that weird? My wife thinks (thought) so.
When we got together for the holidays, there would always be real baked macaroni and cheese. It was always a treat.
I would respond with, “wow, the real deal.” Invariably, while good, it always seemed drier and less gooey cheesy than the standard ‘Velveeta mac and cheese.’
We decided to set out with creating our own mac and cheese that offered up that gooey goodness.
Leigh was adamant that this would have to be accomplished without using processed American cheese. I wasn’t convinced that it could be done.
We also wanted to make this dish using simple ingredients. No fancy cheeses or toppings. Just straight-up macaroni and cheese.
There is always room to get fancy, but we wanted to start with a super creamy and yummy version that anybody would be wanting to make.
Well, we did it. Honestly, this baked macaroni and cheese is gooey. It is cheesy. And most importantly, it is NOT dry.
It is the best homemade baked mac and cheese I have ever had. No more boxed stuff!
If you were like us, kind of off-put by attempting a deliciously creamy and cheesy homemade baked macaroni and cheese because of past failures, rest easy.
This recipe is rock solid and will not disappoint.
This makes a great side dish to any meal, or make it the main dish.
We like to throw this together when we’re doing up some barbecue, such as our smoked pork butt, Smoked Meatloaf, or our dynamite BBQ chicken thighs.
Ingredients Needed
As we decided to keep this recipe’s ingredients fairly basic, you may already have these ingredients. You will need the following:
- Elbow macaroni (pasta) – Feel free to mix this up for fun.
- Butter and flour – For the roux, that will thicken the cheese sauce.
- Whole milk, half and half, mild cheddar cheese, and sharp cheddar cheese – The cheese sauce itself. Do not use pre-shredded cheese, as it is coated in cellulose, an anti-caking agent, and won’t give you that creamy sauce you’re looking for.
- Salt and pepper – Season as you like
We like to prepare our ingredients beforehand. As such, I would recommend that you get the cheeses prepared before cooking. This way, you’re not in a panic trying to get that done before the pasta is ready.
How To Make Baked Macaroni And Cheese
Grate both the cheddar and sharp cheddar cheeses and combine together in a bowl.
Divide the cheeses into three groups.
- One group will make up the sauce – 3 cups
- Another group will be added in between layers of the macaroni and cheese – 1 1/2 cups
- And the last group will top the dish – 1 1/2 cups.
Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot.
Add the pasta and cook until al dente, usually about 1 minute less than the package directs to cook pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 3-quart baking dish and set it aside.
Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly add the flour in and whisk to combine. Continue to whisk and cook for about a minute.
Combine the milk and half and half into a large measuring cup.
Slowly pour in 2 cups of the half and half/milk mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk until smooth.
Slowly pour in the remaining half and half and the whole milk, whisking constantly until smooth.
Whisking very often, continue to cook until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper.
Add the cheese portion that makes up 3 cups. First, add half of it and mix to combine.
Once melted, add the additional 1 1/2 cups to the cheese mixture and continue to stir until melted and smooth.
Put the drained pasta in a large mixing bowl and add the cheese sauce. Stir until completely combined.
Pour half of the macaroni mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of cheese evenly across the macaroni mixture.
Add the remaining pasta mixture evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cup of cheese evenly across the pasta mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F until the top is lightly golden brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow it to set up for 10 minutes before serving.
If you’re looking for that super yummy, gooey, cheesy mac and cheese experience, this is it. This is a great basic recipe that will be a go-to anytime.
Plus, you can play around with it. You can add different cheeses. You can add some bread crumbs on top for that crunchiness that some people like.
There are multiple ways to tweak this recipe to your particular tastes!
Whatever you decide, you will not be disappointed with this. It’s the best macaroni and cheese I’ve ever had. Baked mac and cheese is comfort food at its best.
Making Mac And Cheese Ahead Of Time
Make the macaroni and cheese as directed but do not bake. Let cool to room temperature, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking. You might need to add 5 to 10 minutes of additional baking time.
Storing And Freezing Leftover Mac And Cheese
Storing – Cool to room temperature, store in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freezing – We don’t recommend freezing macaroni and cheese. But you can freeze it if absolutely necessary. NOTE that it will not be the same creamy consistency. It tends to be much thicker and becomes clumpy.
Tips And Variations
- A fun way to mix this up is to use different types of cheese, such as Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, white cheddar, or even Pepper jack, for an extra kick.
- If you change up the cheeses, make sure to use cheese that melts well. A good mac and cheese needs that creamy cheese sauce.
- Adding a cup of panko crumbs mixed with two tablespoons of butter to the top will give you a super crispy topping. Alternatively, you could do the same with crushed Ritz crackers.
- Adding cooked, diced, crispy bacon bits to the mix, either in the mac and cheese itself or on top, is always a good idea to me!
- Need a little kick, add a few dashes of cayenne pepper.
FAQs
Any cheese that melts easily and doesn’t clump. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Fontina, Parmesan, and Gruyere are great options.
Whole milk and half and half make a creamier sauce that makes mac and cheese creamy, and not dry.
It either lacks enough sauce, or the pasta has absorbed all the sauce.
Other Delicious Side Dishes You Will Enjoy
Baked Macaroni And Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb Elbow macaroni
- 1/2 cup Butter unsalted
- 1/2 cup Flour All purpose
- 1 1/2 cup Half and half
- 2 1/2 cup Whole milk
- 3 cup Cheddar cheese grated, divided
- 3 cup Sharp cheddar cheese grated, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Grate both the cheddar and sharp cheddar cheeses and combine together in a bowl.
Cheese Division – Divide into three groups
- One group will make up the sauce – 3 cups
- One group will be added in between layers of the macaroni and cheese – 1 1/2 cups
- Last group will top the dish – 1 1/2 cups
- Set groups of cheese aside.
Pasta Cook And Prep
- Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot.
- Add the pasta and cook until al dente, usually about 1 minute less than the package directs to cook pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 3-quart baking dish and set it aside.
- Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Cheese Sauce
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Slowly add the flour in and whisk to combine. Continue to whisk and cook for about a minute.
- Combine the milk and half and half into a large measuring cup.
- Slowly pour in 2 cups of the half and half, whisking constantly. Whisk until smooth.
- Slowly pour in the remaining half and half and the whole milk, whisking constantly, until smooth.
- Whisking very often, continue to cook until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper.
- Add the cheese portion that makes up 3 cups. First, add half of it and mix to combine.
- Once melted, add the additional 1 1/2 cups and continue to stir until melted and smooth.
Putting It Together
- Place the cooked pasta in a large mixing bowl and add the cheese sauce. Stir until completely combined.
- Pour half of the macaroni mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of cheese evenly across the macaroni mixture.
- Add the remaining pasta mixture evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cup of cheese evenly across the pasta mixture.
- Bake at 350 degrees F until the top is lightly golden brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to set up for 10 minutes before serving.
This recipe was super easy to follow. This is seriously THE best mac & cheese I have ever made. Rich and creamy! My family absolutely loved it. This will always be my go to for mac & cheese!