Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Baked macaroni and cheese doesn’t have to be complicated with layers of ingredients to be the soul-warming food you crave. This homemade baked macaroni and cheese is my most favorite and has pleased crowds, small families, kids and picky eaters alike–give it a try and you’ll see why.
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Key Takeaways
- Stir constantly so the sauce doesn’t split and keep the heat down low.
- Use strong flavored cheeses like Swiss and sharp cheddar grated from a block and never bagged pre-shredded.
- Make sure to taste the sauce before baking and adjust with more salt or a dash of red wine vinegar to your preference.
- You can make this mac and cheese up to three days in advance and bake it later.
- It will get dry and mushy in a slow cooker. I don’t recommend one.
- Prep and bake later: Just let it cool down, put some plastic wrap right against the surface of the mac and cheese (to keep it from forming a skin) and stick it in the fridge. When ready to bake, cook until the edges are bubbling and the center is warm.
- To freeze: Can’t freeze it.
Other 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 doesn’t 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 (an anti-caking agent) that can cause your cheese not to melt as it should.
- Try to choose a melting cheese and a flavor cheese for the best flavor and texture in your baked macaroni and cheese. Sharp cheddar and Swiss are my favorites but you can go as bold as you want!
- 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 doesn’t 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 doesn’t have enough noodles in it, but I’ve never had that problem. And yes, you should cook your pasta before adding it to the cheese sauce.
Try a dash of vinegar for more zing
Because of the fat in the dairy, mac and cheese often needs some acid to bring the flavors to life. I love adding 1-2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar to the sauce before stirring in the pasta. Avoid strong vinegars like apple cider or white distilled.
To measure the pasta: Please follow the volume instructions and measure your pasta dry in a measuring cup meant for dry items (not a liquid one). Small pastas like ditalini or little wagon wheels can go up to about 2 cups and be fine in the recipe, and large ones like bow tie or cellentani can as well. If you will stick to elbow pasta until you get the hang of things you’ll be better off.
To double, triple or quadruple: Simply multiply the recipe below (look for the 1x, 2x or 3x on the right side of the recipe to double or triple the ingredients). Then place it in a 9×13. The bake time should be close to the same. Just bake until the center is hot and the edges bubble.
Other macaroni and cheese recipes you’ll want to devour:
- Lobster mac and cheese
- Spicy baked macaroni and cheese
- Creamy ham and sage macaroni and cheese
- Three cheese stovetop ultra creamy mac and cheese
- The best baked macaroni and cheese with tomatoes
- Truly easy microwave easy mac and cheese
- Super Creamy gluten free mac and cheese
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni shells or cavatappi
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk not skim
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheese I like 1 cup each of sharp cheddar and Swiss
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil; add a generous sprinkling of salt the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a skillet or pot large enough to hold the pasta when it’s done.
- Add the flour and stir over medium heat until the mixture is lightly browned; 1-2 minutes.
- Add the milk and whisk to remove any lumps and add the salt and pepper.
- Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce thickens and starts to bubble. About 6 minutes.
- Stir in the cheese and whisk until smooth and melted. Turn off the heat.
- When the pasta is almost done but still firm, drain it and add to the sauce.
- Stir the pasta into the sauce and bake in a greased 2 quart dish (or an 8×8 pan works pretty well) 20-25 minutes until browned and bubbly. You can also skip baking it if you want it super creamy and just put it under the broiler to brown the top (keep an eye on it) and then serve.
I just made this with whole wheat pasta. I sprinkled garlic powder, paprika and a little chili powder on the top and broiled it for a few minutes after it was bubbling. It was amazing and my daughter loved it! Easy, delicious recipe!
I made it my own. Yet amazing and delicious. I used a Mexican 4 cheese blend but also I added fried bacon and prosciutto bits to this and then put half a bag of a 4 cheese Italian blend on the top. It was a massive hit tonight. This is a recipe I enjoyed working with.
So…you had 8 cheeses in yours then Steven! That sounds really over the top and delicious! I’m glad you enjoyed it even if you did warp it in to something I’d have trouble recognizing. 🙂 –Rachel
Im thinking Gruyere & Vermont White Cheddar .. Maybe even a dash of Panko to top pff the dish.. Give it a little crisp on top.. Thx, BOOOMER SOOOONERR !!!
Yep–panko is really popular! Sounds delicious! –Rachel
Thanks for the recipe we are making it as I type this. FYI- On your youtube video you state to bake at 400 F but your recipe above states 325 F. Thanks, Dave
I know I did Dave–shootin’ from the hip without my recipe over on Youtube–but honestly it bakes at either temp just fine. The goal is just to get it hot and bubbly so you’ll just get there faster at 400 than you will at 325. 😉 –Rachel
What a great simple recipe! Loved it. It came out particularly well. I tasted the sauce before adding the pasta and noted it was lacking something so added about a tablespoon of garlic powder which did the trick and gave it a great defining taste. Wonderful recipe!
Way to make it your own! Sounds great. –Rachel
Continue to use this recipe, it’s perfect. I do admittedly add some cut up bacon and extra cheese tho.
Add whatever you like Brandon–I won’t knock you for it. I’m just glad you like it! –Rachel
Would I be able to make the macceroni then leave it in the fridge for a bit then throw some cheese on it and put it in the oven? I havent tried the recipie but it looks super delicious and simple!
Hey Emma–I assume you mean make it all the way through but just don’t bake it. If that’s what you mean then yes you sure can. Put some plastic wrap right against the surface so it doesn’t form a skin. It may take a few minutes longer to get hot all the way through but that’s okay. It will be just fine! –Rachel
I tried this recipe today and it was a hit! I was always intimidated by macaroni and cheese and I decided to finally make some. Your recipe is so easy! I don’t think I’ll ever try another one. Barilla pasta is the only pasta I use as well. I also saw you mentioned Fontina cheese. I might have to give it a try ?! Thank you for keeping it simple and easy.
You’re very welcome Tamara! It really is easy–I’m always telling the truth when I say that cooking from scratch is simple. 🙂 And fontina is a great melting cheese–you’d want to pair it with a bold flavor cheese as well so you can get the most flavor. Try it with something spicy (like a super hot pepper jack) or even blue cheese. YUM! –Rachel
Rachel,
I have made this recipe countless times now. I use vermont extra sharp cheddar block and a little bit ot plain old shredded cheddar for a bit more cheesy. It is delicious each and every time. I never use another recipe, as theres no need. Thank you for keeping it simple! Of course, I add some stewed tomatoes on the top because I love those tastes together!
Regards,
Maryanne
Maryanne I LOVE stewed tomatoes on mine too! Have you seen my baked mac and cheese with tomatoes recipe here on the blog? Same thing really. So good! I’m so glad you like it no matter what you put in! –Rachel
Made this with tonight with Gouda and smoked old cheddar; added some crispy hickory bacon and garlic. Delicious. A family favourite!