This best baked mac and cheese recipe cooks perfectly every time with the perfect amount of creamy cheese. Great as a holiday side or weekday main dish. Kids and adults alike will devour it!
Why This Recipe Works
This is going to sound crazy, but my mom makes THE BEST mac and cheese on the planet. Every time I say that out loud it seems odd because isn’t all mac and cheese delicious?
Yes, this is true, but hers contains that mom magic and it is above and beyond the average batch. This is one of the recipes I ask her to make any time I see her.
Of course I’ve never been able to replicate hers (because MOM MAGIC!), but I have tried. Read on for a handful of my favorite attempts and also some of the most popular content on my blog.
Macaroni and cheese is a hit in nearly every family and for every holiday meal. You can’t beat it, with all of that dreamy cheese and pasta. It’s a warm, heaping bowl of comfort food.
50+ Make-Ahead Recipes For Your Holiday Table
Do you feel overwhelmed just thinking about planning a holiday menu? Then you anticipate the exhaustion that comes after the meal has been eaten?
Within each recipe in this ebook are tips for making the recipe ahead of time to open up space for the people you’re excited to spend the holiday with. Sample menus included, along with mouth-watering photos and tried-and-tested recipes!
Recipe Ingredients
Macaroni – Have fun selecting your favorite pasta shape if you don’t wan tot .
Cheeses – No need to stick with the types of cheeses mentioned in the recipe card, but try to stick as close to the amounts as possible. Great cheese options include: sharp cheddar, white cheddar, Parmesan, American, Velveeta, colby jack, monterey jack, mozzarella, Gruyere and provolone.
How To Make The Best Baked Mac and Cheese
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add elbow pasta and cook 2 minutes shy of until al dente. Drain, rinse and add the cooked pasta to the prepared pan in a single layer.
Step 2
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until combined. Pour in 3 cups milk to add to the butter and flour then whisk until mixture is creamy and thickened, approximately 3 minutes.
Toss in 2 cups cheddar, 2 cups Gruyere or mozzarella, salt, pepper and paprika to the pan and stir until cheese has melted.
Step 3
Pour the cheese sauce over the top of the pasta in the pan. Mix it slightly with a spoon and top with reserved cheddar and Gruyere/mozzarella. Top with Parmesan cheese.
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is very lightly golden brown around the edges. Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes
- Shredding cheese just before adding it to the recipe is always the tastiest option.
- This makes a large batch of mac and cheese! It will easily feed 8 hungry people as a main dish or 12 people as a side dish or party food. This is a great dish for pot lucks!
- Add cooked ham or bacon pieces to add flavor and when serving as a main dish!
- Add fresh, minced garlic (or 1 teaspoon of garlic powder) to the butter before adding the flour for an added punch of flavor.
More Delicious Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese – Healthify Mac and Cheese by adding cauliflower! Kids won’t suspect a thing and you’ll secretly be adding nutrition to a favorite comfort food.
- Looking for a new way to enjoy comforting mac and cheese? Make these baked mac and cheese bites for a fun and perfect finger food to serve to kids and adults.
- Add pumpkin to your next batch of mac and cheese so it’s more delicious and more creamy. This pumpkin mac and cheese recipe is 100% kid-friendly and done in 30 minutes!
- This chili mac recipe is the perfect marriage of two of the most comforting comfort foods of all time. Delicious way to use up leftover chili!
Can I Make Macaroni and Cheese In My Crock Pot
Yes! This recipe is one of the top recipes on this website FOR GOOD REASON. Head over to this Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese Recipe for details.
Can I Make Mac and Cheese In My Instant Pot
Yes! This recipe is one of the top recipes on this website FOR GOOD REASON. I’ve made the Instant Pot version a handful of times and I could rave about it forever. Head over to my Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe for the details!
What Goes with Mac and Cheese
Everything! My personal favorites are steamed veggies such as broccoli or cauliflower. Green beans and asparagus are delicious, too, as well as a delicious chopped salad. Or how about roasted tomatoes or Instant Pot Mushrooms?! YUM! You really can’t go wrong!
How Many Calories In Mac and Cheese
There are approximately 395 calories in 3/4 cup of mac and cheese.
Can You Freeze Mac and Cheese
You can definitely freeze mac and cheese! Place in a freezer resealable bag or air-tight container and store in the freezer for 3 to 4 months. When defrosting it, let it thaw in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours before heating.
How To Reheat Mac and Cheese
To reheat mac and cheese, pour it into a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk and stir. Place the saucepan on a stove top over medium-low heat and stir until consistency is smooth and noodles are warmed through.
If microwaving, heat in 1-minute bursts, stirring after each, until cheese has melted and the noodles are heated through.
Another method for reheating would be just to stick the entire pan in a 300-degree oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through. This method may dry out the noodles, but it is quick and easy.
Easy Comfort Foods Warm You and Fill You Up
- The Best Meatloaf – You need to make this classic meal. It is my mother’s delicious recipe with an added touch of delicious sauce. This dinner recipe will quickly become a favorite family meal!
- Easy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole – Creamy vegetables and chicken baked into a buttery crispy crust that is comfort food perfection especially during the fall and winter months.
- Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole boasts flavor and creaminess over a bed of steaming egg noodles. This casserole is just like your mom’s recipe but so much more!
- Instant Pot White Turkey Chili – Packed with turkey meat, white beans and veggies, this comfort food is super flavorful and delicious.
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole combines all of the tastiest flavors you will ever eat in a single bite. Bacon, chicken, creamy alfredo sauce and pasta all make dinner a hit in less than 30 minutes!
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Best Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded, reserve 1/2 cup for topping
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded, or gruyere cheese, reserve 1/2 cup for topping
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 2 minutes shy of until al dente. Drain, rinse and add the cooked pasta to the prepared pan in a single layer.
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until combined. Add milk and whisk until mixture is creamy and thickened, approximately 3 minutes. Add 2 cups cheddar, 2 cups Gruyere or mozzarella, salt, pepper and paprika to the pan and stir until cheese has melted.
- Pour the cheese mixture over the top of the pasta in the pan. Mix it slightly with a spoon and top with reserved cheddar and Gruyere/mozzarella. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is very lightly golden brown around the edges. Serve immediately!
Notes
- No need to stick with the types of cheeses mentioned in the recipe card, but try to stick as close to the amounts as possible. Great cheese options include: sharp cheddar, white cheddar, Parmesan, American, Velveeta, colby jack, monterey jack, mozzarella, Gruyere and provolone.
- Shredding cheese just before adding it to the recipe is always the tastiest option.
- This makes a large batch of mac and cheese! It will easily feed 8 hungry people as a main dish or 12 people as a side dish or party food. This is a great dish for pot lucks!
- Add cooked ham or bacon pieces to add flavor and when serving as a main dish!
- Add fresh, minced garlic (or 1 teaspoon of garlic powder) to the butter before adding the flour for an added punch of flavor.
This is very yummy. Per my wife’s request will add some blue cheese in for a little extra adult tang.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing that.