Homemade Mac And Cheese Recipe

Classic Homemade Mac and Cheese made with bite-size pasta, cheddar cheese, and a simple creamy sauce all baked to perfection in the oven. This recipe includes tips, tricks, and photos for making PERFECT baked mac and cheese.

This mac and cheese recipe has many similarities to another of my favorites; One Pan Baked Ziti. They are both creamy, and dreamy, comfort food that gets baked to cheesy, bubbly perfection in the oven.

Mac and Cheese:

Classic Homemade Mac and Cheese with a simple, creamy cheese sauce, baked to perfection in the oven.

Prep: 15min

Total: 30min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 559 kcal, Carbohydrate 42 g, Protein 24 g, Fat 33 g, Saturated Fat 20 g, Cholesterol 98 mg, Sodium 693 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 5 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• ½ lb uncooked elbow macaroni (, about 1 ½ cups)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cup milk (, any kind)
• 3/4 cup half and half
• 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (*)

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease a square baking dish.
2. Cook the macaroni to al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Blend in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Slowly add the milk and half and half, stirring constantly, and cook over medium-low heat for a few minutes until the mixture is just barely thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup shredded cheese, stirring just until melted.
5. Add the cooked macaroni noodles and toss to coat. Pour half or the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over the top. Add remaining pasta and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted on top.
7. Serve with your favorite vegetable or a side salad.

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.

How To Make The Best Baked Mac And Cheese

FAQ

What are the best cheeses for homemade mac and cheese?

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.

What can I add to homemade mac and cheese to give it more flavor?

1. Add extra cheese to your dish.
2. Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n’ cheese.
3. Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
4. Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
5. Add spices and fresh herbs to your dish.

What makes mac and cheese taste good?