Baked Macaroni And Cheese Recipes

This baked mac and cheese is a family favorite recipe, loved by both children and adults. It uses a combination of cheeses, layered in the dish as well as melted into a rich and creamy cheese sauce, for the ultimate in cheesy deliciousness! Perfect for a comforting dinner or as a holiday side dish!

Baked mac and cheese. It’s nearly the universal comfort food, and there are SO many variations! In fact, I almost didn’t post this recipe, as there are SOOOO many mac and cheese recipes available, and most people already have their favorite way of making it.

Of course, there’s no “right” way or “wrong” way, so I’m here sharing the way I like to make my mac and cheese (the way my family loves it too).

Creamy Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese

This baked mac and cheese is a family favorite recipe, loved by children and adults.

Prep: 20min

Total: 35min

Yield: 8

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 665 kcal, Carbohydrate 43 g, Protein 28 g, Fat 41 g, Saturated Fat 25 g, Cholesterol 126 mg, Sodium 700 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 3 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. dried elbow pasta
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 1/2 cups half and half
• 4 cups shredded medium sharp cheddar cheese (divided (measured after shredding))
• 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (divided (measured after shredding))
• 1/2 Tbsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. paprika

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3 qt baking dish (9×13″). Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.
3. While water is coming up to a boil, shred cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles. Approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.
4. Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often. Slowly pour in about 2 cups or so of the half and half, while whisking constantly, until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining half and half and the whole milk, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.
5. Continue to heat over MED heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency. It should almost be the consistency of a semi thinned out condensed soup.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth.
7. In a large mixing bowl, combine drained pasta with cheese sauce, stirring to combine fully. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheeses, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.
8. Sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until cheesy is bubbly and lightly golden brown.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

A traditional mac and cheese. Bake it with your favorite cheeses, veggies or meats for a one-dish wonder.

Prep: 15min

Total: 55min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 395 kcal, Carbohydrate 33 g, Protein 16 g, Fat 21 g, Saturated Fat 13 g, Cholesterol 62 mg, Sodium 514 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 5 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni (shells or cavatappi)
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 cups milk (not skim)
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar and Swiss, or freeze dried (see Note 3))

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil; add a generous sprinkling of salt the pasta.
3. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a skillet or pot large enough to hold the pasta when it’s done.
4. Add the flour and stir over medium heat until the mixture is lightly browned; 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the milk and whisk to remove any lumps and add the salt and pepper.
6. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce thickens and starts to bubble. About 6 minutes.
7. Stir in the cheese and whisk until smooth and melted. Turn off the heat.
8. When the pasta is almost done but still firm, drain it and add to the sauce.
9. Stir the pasta into the sauce and bake in a greased 2 quart dish (or an 8×8 pan works pretty well) 20-25 minutes until browned and bubbly. You can also skip baking it if you want it super creamy and just put it under the broiler to brown the top (keep an eye on it) and then serve.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

FAQ

What are the 3 best cheeses for mac and cheese?

• Cheddar. Cheddar is a staple for countless recipes. …
• Parmesan. Parmesan is a salty cheese with complex flavors. …
• Gruyere. Update your mac and cheese recipes to something more mature with Gruyere. …
• Brie. …
• Smoked Gouda. …
• Monterey Jack. …
• Fontina. …
• Sausage Mac and Cheese.

Why is my baked mac and cheese not creamy?

Should you cover macaroni and cheese when baking in the oven?

Why do people put egg in baked mac and cheese?