Soul Food Baked Macaroni And Cheese
There are many variations of the classic dish macaroni and cheese. One such variation is Southern baked mac and cheese the soul food way!
This recipe is made with rich, creamy cheese sauce and Southern comfort soul food flavorings baked til the edges are crispy and browned to taste like someone stewed over it in the kitchen all day!
We call this Black folks baked mac and cheese an authentic soul food dish easy for anyone to make and everyone to love!
Tips For The Best Baked Macaroni And Cheese
Grate your own cheese. Yes, it’s worth the extra time to take a block of cheese and grate your own. Shredded cheese is handy, but it’s often coated with a very fine powder to keep the shreds from sticking together in the bag. That powder coating also happens to keep the cheese from melting as well as it could. But freshly-grated cheese will melt like a dream.
Cook the pasta to al dente. Since the mac and cheese has to bake for a bit longer in the oven, you don’t want to risk the pasta turning to mush. Cook the pasta to al dente so that it finishes cooking to the perfect texture while the mac and cheese bakes.
Warm the milk. Don’t skip the step of warming milk before you add it to the flour and butter mixture. Cold milk with make the flour mixture seize and turn clumpy. It will be difficult to get it smooth again before the next step.
Whats The Difference Between Manwich And Sloppy Joes
Technically Manwich is a pre-made sauce thats used to make sloppy joes. Im not sure exactly whats in it, and have never tried it myself, so I cant say that my recipe tastes similar or not. Manwich is marketed as a easy way to make sloppy joes but in reality, homemade sloppy joes are JUST as easy to make!
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Is It Ok To Eat Macaroni And Cheese Left Out Overnight
Generally, temperatures around room temperature are most dangerous. Food should be kept boiling or in a fridge. Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F cooked macaroni and cheese should be discarded if left for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
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Why Is My Baked Mac And Cheese Dry
Might back off a tablespoon of the flour too, which just thickens it to glop. The starch in the macaroni without any flour should thicken it fine if youre baking it. If you want a creamier mac n cheese, put in more milk or water than you think, and after baking it will thicken up from the starch in the pasta.
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How To Make Mac And Cheese In The Crockpot
This is just an overview the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
Bone Broth Gives The Mac And Cheese Plenty Of Umami
Most boxed mac and cheese instructions tell you to cook the noodles in boiling water before making the cheese sauce. But if you want to add deeper, more savory flavor notes to your finished dish, replace some of the cooking water with bone broth or stock.
I always have some homemade bone broth in my freezer, so whenever I want to add a little boost of nutrient density and depth of flavor to a box of mac and cheese, Ill use half water and half broth for my pasta cooking liquid, says BuzzFeed Tasty test kitchen manager and Belly 2 Baby Nutrition co-founder Karlee Rotoly.
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To Bake Or Not To Bake:
You dont have to bake the mac and cheese in this recipe. Everything gets fully cooked and is essentially ready to eat after the cheese and noodles are added. However, I love the extra gooeyness that comes when the cheese is baked and I think baking it adds a level of sophistication you just dont get without.
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What Toppings Can You Put On Baked Mac And Cheese
The options for macaroni and cheese toppings are endless.
From crunchy to creamy, spicy to sweet, theres a topping out there for everyone!
Take a look at some top favorite combinations.
- Sour cream:
If you want something creamy but not too heavy on the stomach, sour cream is your best bet.
This will add texture and enhance the flavoring.
- Creamy pesto sauce:
If you love pasta dishes that have pesto in them, then this topping may be just what youre looking for!
Pesto can add both flavor and color so keep that in mind when choosing toppings.
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Does Macaroni And Cheese Go Bad In The Box
Unlike fresh food or fresh pasta, which can deteriorate after a while, dry pasta has a longer shelf life. However, cooked macaroni and cheese can go bad and when they do, youll know it. Rotten and cooked pasta and cheese smell bad.
How to make good mac and cheese from the boxWhat is the best homemade Mac and cheese recipe? Assembly Prepare the macaroni and cheese. Drizzle on a baking sheet. Add the poblano to the pasta. Put the dried noodles in a saucepan. Add cheese sauce and pasta. Toast the slices of Tuscan bread in the oven until lightly toasted. Top with pasta and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbles form. Arrival in 15 minutes. This equates to 13
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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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To avoid lumps in your sauce, stir constantly as you slowly pour the milk in and keep stirring once the milk is all added. If necessary, switch to a whisk to get rid of stubborn little lumps!
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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? Unlike most, this Macaroni Cheese recipe is good for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Most Mac and Cheese 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 Note 5 in 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.
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Can You Make Macaroni And Cheese In The Slow Cooker
Mac and cheese is also one of the easiest dishes to make, but when you hear slow cooker, your first thought might be that it would take all day.
Not so! Slow cookers are a great way to make macaroni and cheese. You can have mac and cheese ready in less than an hour if you use the right ingredients and follow these simple instructions.
The best part about this recipe is that it requires only one pot. There is no need for multiple dishes and pots just your slow cooker !
For baked mac and cheese, the extra baking step is necessary to achieve that golden bubbly texture!
Variations Of This Recipe
- PROTEIN Feel free to add in some shredded chicken, pulled pork, or some crispy bacon for an extra protein punch.
- VEGGIES Trying to get your veggies in? Stir in some steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
- TOPPINGS If you love a topping on your mac and cheese, transfer the cooked cheesy mac to a baking dish and top with either some extra cheese, buttered panko breadcrumbs, or buttered crushed Ritz crackers. Broil a few minutes until crispy.
- COOKING LIQUID If you prefer to use all chicken broth, or all water feel free to do that. Just make sure there are 4 total cups of liquid.
- DIFFERENT CHEESES Gruyere, Gouda, Fontina, Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Colby, or all Cheddar. These are all good melting cheeses and will give you a smooth sauce. However, feel free to play around with different combinations that you like!
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What To Serve With Easy Baked Mac And Cheese
Serve this easy oven baked mac and cheese as a lunch or main-dish dinner and your family will be thrilled. It’s total comfort food! Just add a house salad, tomato salad, or Caesar salad, roasted broccoli, Southern-style green beans, or collard greens on the side. We also love a basket of flaky biscuits, blueberry muffins, apple bread, cornbread, or corn sticks on the table to round out the meal.
If you’re serving the homemade mac and cheese as a side dish, here are some entrées that go well with the casserole:
Can You Freeze Baked Mac And Cheese
If you want to get ahead for a busy weeknight, you can make a dish of this mac and cheese in advance. But don’t bake it. Instead, follow all the steps, assemble it, and cook it completely. Then cover it with aluminum foil, and put it in the freezer.
When you’re ready to bake it, thaw it in the fridge for 24 hours, then bake it. You may need to add 5 to 10 minutes of cook time for the casserole to be completely done. But just monitor it for a bubbly, browning top. That’ll be your cue it’s ready to come out of the oven.
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
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- Step 2
Microwave milk at HIGH for 1 ½ minutes. Melt butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in warm milk, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened.
- Step 3
Whisk in salt, black pepper, 1 cup shredded cheese, and, if desired, red pepper until smooth stir in hot cooked pasta. Spoon pasta mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish prepped with cooking spray top with remaining cheese. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
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How To Make Instant Pot Mac And Cheese
Easy Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe
Despite the countless versions of macaroni and cheese on the internet and around the world, I always find myself making the same baked mac and cheese recipe whenever the craving hits. Almost as easy to make as boxed macaroni and cheese, this baked version tastes a million times better and is made with real, simple ingredients like elbow macaroni, four different types of cheeses, butter, milk, half-and-half, and flour.
Of course, even this simple recipe can be jazzed up a bit with a crunchy, buttery, breadcrumb topping or a little bit of bacon! So dont hesitate to use this delicious baked mac and cheese recipe as a base for your own version of cheesy macaroni and cheese perfection.
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Easy Macaroni And Cheese
Why Is Black Folks Mac And Cheese The Ultimate Comfort Food
Mac and cheese is warm, gooey, and cheesy everything you want on a chilly evening.
But baked mac and cheese has a bonus crunchy texture on top with a yummy cheesy, creamy texture in the middle.
And when you make Southern mac and cheese the Black way theres the unrivaled addition of delicious, heart-warming soul food flavors!
Just when you think youve mastered mac and cheese, it seems like theres always new toppings and techniques to try out!
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Ultra Creamy Crockpot Mac And Cheese
The Chunky Chef07/14/2021
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This ultra creamy Mac and Cheese recipe is made right in your slow cooker! Loved by both kids and adults, its perfect for parties, potlucks, and more!
This is one of my Pasta recipes I know youll want to keep on hand!
Ever since I posted my baked mac and cheese, you guys have loved it. And Im talking, winning contests with it, winning over family holidays with it the whole deal.
You guys have been requesting a crockpot version, and years ago I did develop one that was cooked entirely in the crockpot.
But it didnt have that same level of ooey gooey creaminess, and since the pasta cooks in the crockpot, it can be a bit on the mushy side.
So Ive been hard at work coming up with the best the ultimate version.
In all my testing and developing, I realized the best texture came from pre-boiling the pasta. I know it can be a hassle, but it can be done ahead of time!
This version also uses both traditional shredded cheese , and some cubed Velveeta.
I know that isnt a hugely popular ingredient, but it really yields the absolute best creamy, cheesy, mac.
Without further adieu, lets get crackin on this so you can be on your way to some amazing mac and cheese!
Can You Cook Macaroni Ahead Of Time
You can cook your noodles hours before serving time. All you need is some olive oil, a large Ziploc bag, and your favorite pasta. With a bit of oil, a Ziploc bag, some water, and your favorite pasta, you can cook noodles a day in advance and forget about them until a few minutes before serving. Less anxiety.
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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.
