This Homemade Baked Mac & Cheese is easy, delicious and cheesy making a perfect side to any meal! Made by creating a homemade cheese sauce for the noodles, layering in more cheese, and baking to perfection, this will become a family favorite.
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Macaroni and cheese made a perfect side to nearly any meal growing up, and it was definitely a comfort food! It wasn’t until I was older that I discovered there was such a thing as BAKED mac and cheese, and I haven’t gone back.
All the flavor and creaminess from the sauce and cheese is more enhanced by the process of baking. Also, for me, I enjoy the bubbly cheese crust on top.
This is our family’s favorite recipe, and my kids get so excited when we are having mac and cheese!
Ingredients for Baked Mac and Cheese
- Macaroni noodles
- Butter
- Flour
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Milk
- Cream
- Cheddar Cheese
Tools you will need to make Baked Mac & Cheese
- Large Pot (I really like to use a Dutch Oven for anything on my stovetop)
- Medium saucepan
- Mixing Spoon
- Whisk
- 8×8 baking dish
How to make Mac and Cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a square 8×8 baking dish.
Noodles: In a large pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Add uncooked macaroni and cook until macaroni is al dente.
Drain, and set aside (but do not rinse!) The starch from the noodles is going to help stick to the cheese sauce.
Sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Once melted, add the flour and whisk in with the butter to create a roux.
Slowly add in the milk and cream, whisking constantly, and cook for a 3 – 5 minutes until the milk mixture thickens. (Once it thickens, you will see it starting to look more a like a gravy consistency).
Add in the salt and pepper; add more if needed for taste.
Incorporating Cheese: Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, until melted.
Add the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce, and stir in until all the noodles are coated.
Preparing to Bake: Pour half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish.
Then, spread 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top.
Add the remaining pasta on top of the cheese.
To finish, top the pasta with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
Baking: Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted on top.
When the cheese is melted on the macaroni and cheese, and while the pan is still in the oven, turn the oven on broil.
Leave the macaroni and cheese in the oven on broil for 2 – 4 minutes, until the cheese on top is bubbling and lightly browned. (Watch your mac and cheese very carefully during this step!)
Remove the macaroni and cheese from the oven, and let it sit a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Tips for successful Baked Mac and Cheese
Boiling Pasta – Make sure to boil your pasta only until they are al dente (cooked, but firm to the bite). Since the pasta will continue cooking in the oven, you don’t want to overcook your noodles at first.
Cheese – There are different cheeses you can use for baked mac and cheese, the best results I have are with medium to sharp cheddar cheese that are not pre-shredded. I know it’s an extra step to shred your own cheese, but it makes a more creamy and cheesy result.
Sauce – As you make the sauce, use cold milk and cream for whisking into your roux mixture of flour and butter. Cold ingredients will ensure less flour lumps in the end result.
Variations of Baked Mac and Cheese
Bacon – Adding bacon makes everything great, right? As you prepare the mac and cheese for baking, add the chopped bacon in the middle layer with the cheese.
Spice & Herbs – Incorporating spices herbs into any meal brings a variety of new flavors and additional health benefits! For mac and cheese, I especially like adding any of the Italian herbs like oregano or basil, and spices like garlic powder or onion powder. I usually use a 1/2 teaspoon of herbs and 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of spices, like the ones I mentioned. Stir them into the cheese sauce before you add the noodles to incorporate them throughout the mac and cheese.
Breadcrumbs – Adding breadcrumbs on top can bring change in texture, and incorporate more flavor. Store bought or homemade breadcrumbs will work to add 1/2 – 1 cup on top of the last layer of pasta but under the last layer of cheese before you bake it. That way you still have the bubbly layer of cheese on top of your mac and cheese, without burnt breadcrumbs.
Making it ahead of time
This baked mac and cheese is easy to make ahead of time!
Simply prepare it as normal but instead of baking it, let it cool for a little bit before covering, and placing in the refrigerator.
When you want to bake it, take it out of the refrigerator and uncover it while the oven preheats. Then, bake as directed.
What goes good with Baked Mac and Cheese?
Since mac and cheese is so versatile, the possibilities of things that go well with mac and cheese are endless!
I have served my baked mac and cheese right along any meat we might have – baked chicken, ribs, and BBQ sandwiches to name a few.
Some vegetables we enjoy as a side with baked mac and cheese include roasted vegetables, sweet potato fries or a simple coleslaw.
What are good cheeses for Baked Mac and Cheese?
Cheddar is probably the best and most popular cheese to use with mac and cheese. I prefer medium cheddar for my baked mac and cheese the most, because it has a smooth melting texture and not as sharp as some of the sharp cheddars out there.
Parmesan is a great addition as well. I add parmesan every once and while when I feel like doing something a little different. There are other cheeses like Gruyere and Gouda that melt well and add a lot of creaminess to this baked mac and cheese!
The possibilities of mixing cheeses to create the level of creaminess and cheese that you want are endless!
What are your favorites?
What about you? How do you like your baked mac and cheese?
I would love to hear about it in the comments!
And if you try this recipe and love it like my family does, I would love it if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you!
Homemade Baked Mac & Cheese
Cheesy and delicious, enjoy this baked macaroni & cheese as a perfect side to any meal!
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. uncooked macaroni noodles
- 3 T. butter
- 1/4 c. flour
- 1/2 - 1 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 1 3/4 c. milk
- 1/2 c. cream
- 2 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a square 8x8 baking dish.
- In a large pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Add uncooked macaroni and cook until macaroni is al dente. Drain, and set aside (but do not rinse!)
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk in with the butter.
- Slowly add in the milk and cream, whisking constantly, and cook for a 3 - 5 minutes until the milk mixture thickens into a sauce. Add in the salt and pepper; add more if needed for taste.
- Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, until melted.
- Add the cook macaroni into the sauce, and stir in until all the noodles are coated.
- Pour half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Then, spread 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top.
- Add the remaining pasta on top of the cheese. To finish, top the pasta with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted on top.
- When the cheese is melted on the macaroni and cheese, and while the pan is still in the oven, turn the oven on broil.
- Leave the macaroni and cheese in the oven on broil for 2 - 4 minutes, until the cheese on top is bubbling and lightly brown.
- Remove the macaroni and cheese from the oven, and let it sit a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
1. To prepare ahead of time: Prepare the mac & cheese by putting everything in the 8 x 8 baking dish and then simply cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until you need to bake it. Take it out thirty minutes before you need it to get the oven preheated, and then remove the foil or plastic wrap before baking as directed.
2. To get a variation of flavors in your mac & cheese, try mixing in other shredded cheeses like gruyere or parmesan.
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