Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese
The Chunky Chef09/30/2019
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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!
Looking for other comfort food dishes? Check out my Homemade Sloppy Joes, Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Crockpot Meatloaf, and Homestyle No-Boil Mashed Potatoes!
BAKED MAC AND CHEESE
Baked mac and cheese. Its nearly the universal comfort food, and there are SO many variations! In fact, I almost didnt 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, theres no right way or wrong way, so Im here sharing the way I like to make my mac and cheese .
Best Cheese For Baked Mac And Cheese
Dont be scared when using cheese for this recipe. I used three types of cheeses to grace every noodle of this dish. For the best flavor, I highly recommend adding a sharp cheddar to your baked mac and cheese. Just a warning though, dont use the pre-shredded bagged cheese as it has preservatives that make it drier compared to fresh-grated cheese.
Sharp cheddar cheese, mozzarella, jack cheese, are my top fave. Or you can also use pepper jack cheese, gouda, fontina, and Gruyere.
Cheese And Other Stories
I’ve used a variety of cheeses in my experiments parmesan, as espoused by Mrs Beeton, is too aggressively strong. Simon and Lindsay’s Lancashire, on its own, is too lactic and sharp I like the sweet nuttiness of the gruyère that Martha uses, but it’s overpowered by her “sharp white cheddar”.
Instead, I go for a nuttier, more mature cheddar that works perfectly with the pinch of nutmeg which is the one concession to spice I’m allowing it’s sweet and comforting, rather than hot, or sour like the mustard that Kerstin and many others include. English mustard powder however, adds a subtle kick without any accompanying acidity.
The copious amounts of garlic Jamie Oliver throws into his “killer mac n’ cheese” in Jamie’s America jars like the onion in the Prawn Cocktail Years recipe: macaroni cheese should slip down easily, it’s not about strong flavours. Grilled tomatoes and Martha’s buttered breadcrumb and cheese mixture are enough to save the dish from blandness without stealing the limelight from the pasta, although I’ve substituted parmesan for the cheddar on top its salty savouriness is more welcome in small amounts.
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What Temperature Do You Reheat Macaroni And Cheese In The Oven
Oven Place the macaroni & cheese into an oven-safe dish. Make sure to only take out what youre going to use. Add 1 tablespoon of milk per cup of mac and cheese and mix to incorprate as much as possible. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.
Can I Freeze Macaroni And Cheese
I get asked that a lot and my answer is always no. As the pasta and cheese sauce sit, it will thicken and when you thaw it and bake it, the creamy consistency is just gone. Its thick and gloppy. Plus if you freeze it and its still a bit warm, water crystals will form and then thaw into your dish and could make it separate when you bake it. Besides, its so fast to make, theres not really a reason to freeze your macaroni and cheese.
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How To Make Homemade Macaroni And Cheese:
- Boil the noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water really well. Add the noodles and cook until just before al dente. The noodles need to have some bite so they dont turn to mush while baking in the sauce later.
- Make the cheese sauce. The cheese sauce is made by mixing flour and seasonings into melted butter. Whisk in some milk and cook until nice and thick. Once removed from the heat, add in the cheese and cream cheese.
- Bake. This helps the cheese bake into the macaroni noodles. A couple minutes under the broiler gives a nice crisp cheese topping.
How To Make Oven Baked Mac And Cheese
Its just about a requirement that all Americans love macaroni and cheese in some form and at some time in their lives, Im no different. Growing up, my mother made a creamy homemade mac and cheese with a sauce that was smooth as silk and permeated every particle of perfectly cooked macaroni. It was my brothers favorite so she usually made it every Sunday.
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Oven Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe Was Born
Then a few years ago I realized something I missed my mac and cheese. I needed to reacquaint myself with it. While my mothers mac and cheese is to die for, I longed for a stringy, cheesy, casserole, version in my adult years. Something as far from the boxed stuff as I could get without introducing things my children would consider weird.
Ingredients you will need for this Mac and Cheese Recipe:
- Cheddar cheese
Simple ingredients amazing Mac and Cheese recipe!Everything Ive ever wanted in mac and cheese is pictured right there! Oh to be a kid again :).
Southern Baked Macaroni And Cheese
Creamy baked southern-style macaroni and cheese, a cheesy baked casserole and soul food classic.
Ive lived in St. Louis for some time now, and as Ive said before, its very southern here in terms of cooking. One of our favorite soul food restaurants had the best mac and cheese, and that would be Sweetie Pies. Miss Robies recipe is easily found on the web and the local paper has published a paired down recipe for the home cook.
Im pretty sure the location we went to in The Grove neighborhood has closed and I dont understand all the drama surrounding the closing. It was the subject of a reality TV show at one point. I just know we went often and always, always had her macaroni and cheese.
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Everyones favorite classic mac and cheese! Super simple, super easy and super quick. Youll never want the boxed stuff ever again!
Greetings from Chicago!
We did it. We finally moved to the Midwest after 20 years of living in California.
It almost feels a bit surreal as we cope with the 22 degree weather. I mean, it was 65 degrees when we left LA!
But honestly, it feels like home. Except home is filled with 17 unopened boxes filled with my kitchen stuff.
So I need to unpack as fast as possible so I can never leave my Chicago house and instead, nest inside with my new electric blanket and the coziest homemade mac and cheese ever.
This is your classic mac and cheese there are no surprises here and theres no fuss at all. Its simple, its quick, and its completely made from scratch.
Its perfectly cheesy without being too gummy, and the crunchy tops are just to die for before you get into that creamy heaven underneath.
You can of course choose to bake these in individual ramekins to avoid any kind of sharing or you can dump the entire mixture into a 2-qt baking dish.
Either works. Its just that sharing can be a bit difficult on this one.
How To Make Baked Mac And Cheese:
- Preheat oven, prepare baking dish: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 13 by 9 or 12 by 8-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Toast panko: Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko and spread even, let toast, tossing frequently until golden brown. Set aside in bowl.
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni just to al dente according to package instructions. If its done early before sauce toss with a little olive oil so it doesnt stick together.
- Make roux and sauce: In a large saucepan or medium pot melt remaining 5 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly 1 1/2 minutes. While whisking slowly pour in warmed milk and half and half. Season with 1 tsp salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook until thick: Cook mixture stirring constantly until thickened .
- Stir in cheese off heat: Remove from heat let cool 1 minute then stir in 2 cups cheddar and 1 cup gruyere .
- Toss pasta with sauce: Pour drained pasta into a bowl, pour in sauce and remaining 1 cup gruyere cheese. Toss to evenly coat with sauce.
- Layer in baking dish: Pour into prepared baking dish, spread into an even layer. Sprinkle panko over top and gently spread into an even layer.
- Bake: Bake in preheated oven until edges are just barely bubbling, about 20 minutes .
- Let cool just a few minutes and serve warm.
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Homemade Macaroni And Cheese: What Kind Of Cheese Should I Use
I honestly use different cheese combinations almost every time I make this mac and cheese recipe but the one I always come back to is sharp cheddar and Gruyere. If you cant find Gruyere, Jarlsberg Swiss cheese is the best substitute. Other cheese that work: mozzarella, jack cheese or pepper jack for a little zip, American and Velveeta as well for a creamier cheese sauce. This baked mac and cheese uses 6 cups of cheese so just
To add even more flavor to my homemade mac and cheese, I add Parmesan to the Panko topping so good!
Tips For The Best Mac & Cheese
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Freshly grated cheese dont use pre shredded. They have anti caking agents that can make the sauce grainy
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No bloated overcooked pasta Cool macaroni slightly and lightly coat in butter. This stops the macaroni from absorbing more liquid while baking, resulting in bloated overcooked pasta and less sauce
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Stir constantly once you add the milk to ensure your sauce is silky smooth
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Plenty of sauce Because I like my Mac and Cheese saucy, not dried up so you can cut it like cake!
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Can you make Mac and Cheese ahead of time? Most recipes are not suitable for making ahead, but this recipe is! The best way is to cool pasta then toss with sauce and adding breadcrumb topping. Cool, refrigerate or freeze then bake on the day of.
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How long can Mac and Cheese stay in the fridge? This Macaroni Cheese recipe is good for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Most will not keep well because theres not enough sauce so it gets absorbed by the pasta and youre left with dry, sauceless pasta.
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Freezing? Yes! Assemble, cool, do not bake, just freeze it. Thaw then on the day of, bake per the recipe.
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Add ins? This recipe is great as it is, but theres tons of add-in options. Add shredded chicken, sautéed onion and bell peppers/capsicum, bacon, hot sauce , dried herbs of choice
Also Check: How To Make Velveeta Cheese Sauce
Tips For The Best Macaroni And Cheese Youll Ever Eat
Feel like you may still need some help? If you have time, jump over to this post for the juicy details: 18 Secrets to the Richest, Creamiest Mac and Cheese Youll Ever Eat or focus on these tips:
Never stop stirring your milk once it hits the pan. If your skillet is too hot or you walk away and for a minute you could scorch the white sauce and it will curdle. It doesnt really hurt the taste, but it will look sort of clumpy. Some readers have called it grainy. It only takes 5 minutes. Just hang out and stir until that sauce is thick enough to coat the back of your spoon.
Use good cheese in your baked macaroni and cheese. That means avoiding bagged, pre-shredded cheeses because they contain cellulose that can in some cases cause your cheese not to melt as it should. -And speaking of cheese, you have so many options! My favorite is sharp cheddar and Swiss.
-Try to choose a melting cheese and a flavor cheesefor the best flavor and texture in your baked macaroni and cheese.
Do taste as you go. Taste your cheese sauce before you add your pasta. Is it bland? That can be because of the cheese you used or even the kind of salt you seasoned with. If it doesnt have enough flavor, add a pinch more salt, stir it in and taste it again until it suits you.
-Feel free to add more pasta if you want to. Some people say that this recipe doesnt have enough noodles in it, but Ive never had that problem. And yes, you should cook your pasta before adding it to the cheese sauce.
Making Mac And Cheese Ahead Of Time
- Make as directed , transfer to baking dish and cool completely. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate 1-2 days ahead.
- Before baking, let dish sit on counter for 30 minutes.
- Bake at recipe temperature for 25-35 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
As a caveat, this recipe, as with most mac and cheese recipes, loses some of its creaminess when made ahead. This dish has been tested when made right away, which yields the best results.
I would increase the amount of sauce slightly if you need to make this recipe ahead of time.
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How To Make This Soul Food Classic
Its really easy, heres how:
Tips For The Best Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese
- Use block cheese and shred, do not buy the pre-shredded cheese. The pre-shredded cheese is great for so many things but not macaroni and cheese. Its coated and wont melt properly. You need to shred it yourself for the best result.
- Cook your pasta to slightly less than al dente, about one minute shy is perfect. The reason is that this is baked mac and cheese so the pasta will continue to cook in the homemade cheese sauce in the oven. You dont want soggy macaroni.
- I used elbow pasta but really, any tubular past will work.
- This mac and cheese recipe starts with a roux. The roux is super important to getting the creamiest cheese sauce of your life. Here is what you need to look for:
- The roux is whisked together until bubbly and golden.
- Whisk in cold milk not warm to prevent the flour from clumping.
- Cook the roux until you see bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes before adding the cheese.
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How To Make The Crispy Topping
I decided to use panko breadcrumbs for this crispy topping because the texture of them cant be beat. Theyre so light!
But they also need a little help to get nice and golden.
Grab a skillet and melt a couple more tablespoons of Challenge salted butter. Add in the panko and toast, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until the panko is golden brown.
Keep a close eye on the panko, though, and definitely dont walk away we want the breadcrumbs to be golden, not burnt!
As soon as the panko is beautifully golden, immediately remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the mac and cheese. Bake the whole thing for about 30 minutes or until the tops and edges are golden brown and delicious.
Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese
There is absolutely nothing I love more than cheese. And when you add pasta to it? Fuggetaboutit.
Mac and cheese is one of those recipes that can take on so many different forms. I love it anyway I can get it but baked mac and cheese is my very favorite and Ill tell you why The topping. I use breadcrumbs for my topping occasionally, but, a Panko topped mac and cheese is just that much better.
I mix in Parmesan, butter, and paprika with the Panko so it crisps up beautifully and gets a nice golden brown color when this amazing homemade mac and cheese is baked.
Im going to be honest here. When I make mac and cheese, its the mac to cheese ratio that I am most concerned about. I love it when the mac and cheese is oeey gooey and the cheese sauce is just so creamy. GIMME.
With all this cheese going on in this macaroni and cheese recipe, I need a little help from my KitchenAid Deluxe Stand Mixer and its handy dandy Fresh Prep Slice/Shredder attachment. I picked up this beauty at Walmart this past week and I am in LOOOOOVE. I was torn between the options: SILVER | COBALT | PISTACHIO. But, when I pictured them in my kitchen, I knew I had to go with the cobalt its just stunning!
I use my stand mixer about 954 times each week. Being a food blogger and mom means Im in my kitchen a lot baking up goodies and whipping up amazing dinners like this homemade baked mac and cheese. I am always, always looking for help in the kitchen and the Kitchen Aid Deluxe Stand Mixer is the answer.
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