The Best Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe
Get ready, my food-loving friends, because this Baked Mac and Cheese is here to rock your world! This is no ordinary mac and cheese – oh no – this is a creamy, cheesy, ooey-gooey pot of absolute heaven. Imagine tender pasta, bathed in a rich and luscious cheese sauce, and then baked until it’s golden and bubbly. It’s comfort food taken to the next level, a dish that will make your taste buds dance with delight. But we’re not done just yet, my friends. What makes this dish really sing is its beautifully baked top layer. As this sumptuous mac and cheese bakes, the top becomes slightly crisped and golden, creating a subtle contrast with the creamy, cheesy pasta underneath. Each bite is a harmonious blend of rich, gooey cheese and tender pasta, creating a symphony of flavors that will have you going back for seconds… and thirds… and, well, you get the idea. Whether you’re looking to impress at a potluck, want to treat your family to a special dinner, or simply need to satisfy that comfort food craving, this Baked Mac and Cheese is the answer. Trust me, one taste and you’ll be hooked – it’s comfort food at its finest!
Elbow Macaroni – No mac and cheese is complete without the macaroni. While elbow macaroni is the classic pasta used, use your favorite small pasta! Butter – I love to use unsalted butter. Butter is important and a key ingredient to make a roux. Flour – You’ll need all purpose flour for the roux. Milk – I recommend using whole milk for the sauce so it’s nice and rich, however, I have made this with skim milk and lactose free milk. Cheese – Go ahead and use your favorite cheeses. I used provolone and cheddar cheese, but other great cheeses you can use are gouda, gruyere, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, mozzarella, or Swiss. Worcestershire Sauce – This is a secret ingredient that will add tangy, sweet, savory and salty flavors to your sauce! It makes all the difference. Smoked Paprika – This is a personal favorite of mine, but I love adding a bit smoked paprika on top of my mac and cheese, totally optional though.
Making Mac and Cheese is incredibly easy. There are basically 3 parts to it, the roux, the cheese sauce and baking it.
Make The Roux
Don’t let the name scare you, it’s simply a French term for something that’s quite basic and simple. Roux, pronounced “roo”, is a mix of equal parts melted butter and flour, whisked together and cooked for a couple minutes over medium heat. This Roux is the start of any cheese sauce, and its purpose is to thicken the sauce. To it, milk is whisked in, and the end result is a creamy and rich bechamel sauce.
Make The Cheese Sauce
The bechamel is just the start of the cheese sauce, to which we add plenty of cheese. The key to a good cheese sauce for your mac and cheese is obviously the cheese. I always choose one cheese for flavor, and one cheese for gooey stretchiness. You can add as many different types as you want, as long as it equals 6 cups in total. I also like to add Worcestershire sauce to my cheese sauce, think of it as your je ne sais quoi secret ingredient. Trust me on this one, a little goes a long way and it will add another flavor dimension to your sauce.
Bake Until Bubbly
Once your sauce is all done and you’ve added your macaroni, I like to add more cheddar cheese on top and another one of my secret ingredients, smoked paprika. Not only does it give your mac and cheese a gorgeous color, but it also adds a little smokiness to it. Once all that is done, pop that skillet in the oven and bake it for about 15 minutes until the cheese melts and you can see the sauce getting all nice and bubbly.
Add Ins For Mac And Cheese
The options are endless here!
Can I Freeze Mac And Cheese?
While technically you can freeze mac and cheese, I don’t recommend it because after you thaw it out and bake, the creamy consistency is gone. However if you really wan to freeze it, before the baking step, transfer the mac and cheese to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it out, then transfer it to a skillet or 9×13 inch baking dish and bake it as instructed.
Do I Have To Bake This?
Absolutely not! I like my mac and cheese unbaked as well, but there’s something to be said about a cheesy bubbly sauce.
Do I Have To Cover The Mac And Cheese With Foil Before Baking?
No, do not cover it. If you cover it, it will steam the inside instead of giving it a crunchy topping.
Can I Make A Breadcrumb Topping For It?
Absolutely! I know some people love their mac and cheese with breadcrumbs and some don’t, it’s totally up to you. To make a breadcrumb topping, simply combine a cup of breadcrumbs such as Panko with a ¼ cup of melted butter and simply top your mac and cheese with it. Then all you have to do is bake as instructed.
More Macaroni Recipes To Try
Chili Mac and Cheese Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake Macaroni Salad Italian Mac And Cheese Instant Pot Mac And Cheese Baked Mac and Cheese
title: “Baked Mac And Cheese” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-07” author: “Michael Propst”
Be sure to check out all of my Mac and Cheese recipes!
Baked Mac and Cheese
Nothing beats a casserole dish filled with this creamy 3-cheese Baked Macaroni. This recipe ensures that there is absolutely no shortage of that delicious cheese sauce. (It’s amazing how much sauce the macaroni continues to absorb when it bakes, but this recipe completely factors that in.) I love the combination of cheddar, gruyere, and gouda, but the cheese combinations are endless. Feel free to keep it simple and stick to cheddar, or add in as many additional cheese combinations as you want!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour and use a silicone spatula to stir continuously for 2 minutes. Add the milk/heavy cream in small splashes, stirring continuously. Let it heat through and thicken while you continue to stir for 5 minutes. Add the seasonings and hot sauce and remove from heat.
Gradually sprinkle in 4 cups of shredded cheese, stirring continuously until smooth. Meanwhile, boil the macaroni for 1 minute less than al dente.
Combine the drained macaroni and the cheese sauce and transfer to a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
Top with 2 cups of shredded cheese and bake at 325° for 25 minutes. Broil at the end for a few minutes if desired, then serve!
Make Ahead Method
Pro Tip: If making ahead, I recommend using a little less than the full pound of pasta to ensure that there is an extra abundance of cheese sauce, as the macaroni will absorb more of it during storage. Assemble and Store: Cook the macaroni for 1-2 minutes less than al dente. Assemble the macaroni as outlined but do not bake. Let it cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Bake: Let it sit out for 30 minutes prior to baking, then bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes. Note that the consistency won’t be quite as creamy as when prepared and served immediately.
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can freeze leftovers, however they don’t restore quite back to their original consistency.
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Tried This Recipe?
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9 x 13-inch Casserole Dish: This is the one pictured in this recipe, this is a less expensive one, and disposable tins can be used as well. Box Cheese Grater– Grating/Shredding cheese from a block will also give you the best flavor and consistency. Pasta Strainer– I have this one and love it. Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer. Pinch Bowls– for measuring out seasonings ahead of time.
