My simple Baked Mac and Cheese recipe has all of the creamy consolation meals nostalgia with an additional cheese twist. We swap the everyday breadcrumb topping for a cheese topping that the youngsters choose, and it retains the casserole further moist and gooey.
This mac and cheese casserole is ideal for birthday events and is common for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas!
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After we’re searching for one thing heat and comforting, our household loves this Baked Mac and Cheese, together with our Spaghetti and Meatballs, Meatloaf, Hen Pot Pie, and Sloppy Joes. These recipes fill you up, feed a crowd, and are available collectively with out a lot fuss.
Baked Mac and Cheese Video Tutorial
Watch me prepare dinner up this extra-cheesy Baked Mac and Cheese recipe in only a few steps. It’s simple to make and simple to share. It additionally retains and reheats properly and is ideal for a potluck or to pack up and produce to a brand new mother or a good friend who wants a tacky spoon of consolation.
Simple Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
I really like the gooey texture of Baked Mac and Cheese, however not everybody loves the normal breadcrumb topping, and I discover it truly dries out the pasta whereas it bakes.
My daughter isn’t a fan of bread crumbs on prime and I obtained bored with scraping off the topping for her, so I reimagined a baked cheese topping that will seal within the moisture of the pasta and create an additional stretchy layer of cheese. It’s the form of dish individuals gush over when plating—earlier than they’ve even tasted it!
I first printed this recipe in my Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook as a result of I knew it could be an absolute hit! Nobody can resist tacky, gooey Mac ‘N Cheese, and also you’ll discover many extra of my favourite recipes within the guide.
Components for Baked Mac and Cheese
- Pasta – we use conventional elbow macaroni, however you may swap it with bowties or any small pasta form. You’ll want to reserve among the starchy pasta water to skinny the cheese sauce after cooking.
- Dairy – butter, entire milk, and heavy cream make the casserole wealthy and creamy and guarantee it reheats properly.
- Pasta Cooking Water – don’t overlook to order a few of your cooking water – it provides taste and starch to the sauce. Should you overlook, add extra milk and a bit further salt.
- Cheese – we mix traditional medium cheddar cheese and low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese. For a fancier Mac and Cheese, you should utilize sharp cheddar cheese or swap the mozzarella cheese for Gruyere (it offers a little bit of an elevated nutty taste to the sauce), or attempt Pepper Jack or Colby Jack.
- Flour – we use all-purpose flour to assist thicken up the sauce, stabilize the cheese and create a smoother texture.
- Seasonings – salt, paprika, floor mustard (or substitute floor mustard with 2 tsp of Dijon mustard), garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. For a spicier kick, you may attempt a little bit of cayenne pepper.
Professional Tip:
Should you choose to not shred the cheese on a field grater, you should utilize a meals processor with a shredding disk attachment which makes the method tremendous quick and simple. I choose to not use pre-shredded cheese because it has components that may have an effect on the consistency of the sauce.
The right way to Make Baked Mac and Cheese
It’s simple to make Do-it-yourself Baked Macaroni and Cheese in a couple of steps. Prepare dinner the pasta, make the creamy cheese sauce, and bake within the oven. It’s easy!
- Prep – preheat the oven to 350°F after which grease a 3-quart or 9×13-inch casserole baking dish. This feeds 10, so you can too break up the recipe into two 1.5 quart dishes to freeze half for later.
- Prepare dinner the Pasta in a big pot of salted water. The water ought to style like salt water (I exploit 1 Tablespoon). Preserve 1/2 cup of the water, drain the pasta, after which toss with oil to cease it from sticking.
- Combine the cheeses and put aside.
- Make the roux – warmth a big pot on the range (we are going to combine every thing right here earlier than baking) after which soften the butter till foamy. Add flour and proceed whisking till it smells nutty and browns barely (2 minutes). This cooks off the uncooked flour style.
- Slowly whisk within the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Break up any lumps of flour, till it’s creamy and almost boiling.
- Season with the paprika, mustard powder (or Dijon mustard), garlic powder, onion powder 1/2 t of salt, and pepper, scale back the warmth to low, and whisk for two minutes. The sauce will thicken to a gravy texture.
- End the Cheese Sauce – Add simply 3 cups of the cheese combination and stir. When it’s melted add one other 3 cups and stir. Preserve the remaining 2 cups for the topping. When every thing is gooey, add the cooked pasta, and punctiliously fold it in so the pasta doesn’t break aside. Flip off the oven and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the tacky pasta combination into the casserole dish. Prime with the reserved cheese combination, after which bake uncovered for Quarter-hour. For a extra golden topping, set the oven to broil for the final 2 minutes of baking, however watch that the cheese doesn’t burn. Serve heat.
What to Serve with Baked Mac N Cheese
We prefer to serve Baked Mac and Cheese as a principal dish with these roasted veggies or crisp salads, however you can too serve it as a aspect dish for Pan-Seared Steak, Baked Hen Breast, Prompt Pot Ribs, and even your Thanksgiving dinner!
Make-Forward Ideas
It’s really easy to assemble the Baked Mac and Cheese forward of time and prepare dinner if you’re able to serve.
To organize forward: As soon as the mac and cheese combination is within the casserole dish, sprinkle on the cheese and funky to room temperature. Cowl with plastic wrap, and retailer it within the fridge for as much as 2 days till it is able to bake. Then, observe the instructions for baking, including 10-Quarter-hour of baking time.
The right way to Retailer and Reheat Macaroni and Cheese
This baked mac and cheese reheats like a dream, so I’m at all times blissful when there are leftovers.
- To Refrigerate: cool fully and retailer cowl leftovers in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days.
- Freezing: freeze for as much as 3 months to protect the tacky texture
- To Reheat: thaw within the fridge in a single day and take away a portion to a plate or bowl. Then sprinkle some water excessive and microwave till heat, stirring each 20 seconds.
The additional tacky topping on this Baked Mac and Cheese sends the recipe excessive! It serves a crowd, and we all know you’ll get tons of rave evaluations. Inform us within the feedback the way you just like the topping in comparison with conventional breadcrumbs.
Extra Pasta Recipes
This Baked Mac and Cheese is one in all our favourite consolation pasta dishes. Attempt these different pasta recipes that our youngsters love – they’re like a heat hug in a bowl.
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Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
This Baked Mac and Cheese recipe is one in all our favourite consolation meals to share with others because it’s a crowd-pleaser and it reheats very well. It is also from my Natasha’s Kitchen cookbook! We’ve swapped the normal dry breadcrumb topping for a tacky layer that the youngsters choose. The cheese crust retains the pasta moist and gooey.
Servings: 12 individuals (1 cup servings)
Stop your display from going darkish
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 3-quart or 9×13-inch casserole dish and put aside.
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Carry a big pot of water to a boil over excessive warmth. Add 1 Tbsp of the salt and the pasta and prepare dinner in accordance with the package deal directions, till al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water after which drain the pasta. Instantly drizzle the noodles with the oil to forestall sticking and put aside.
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In a big bowl, stir collectively the cheddar and mozzarella and put aside (you need to have about 8 cups complete).
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In a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven or giant pot over medium warmth, soften the butter. When the butter foams, whisk within the flour. Proceed whisking for about 2 minutes, till the flour simply begins to show golden in shade.
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Whereas whisking, slowly stream within the milk, cream, and reserved pasta water. Proceed whisking till the combination is creamy, easy, and simply starting to boil.
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Add the paprika, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Whisk to mix, then scale back the warmth to low and simmer, persevering with to shish, for two to three minutes, till the sauce has thickened to a light-weight gravy consistency.
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Add 3 cups of the cheese combination to the pan and stir till melted. Add one other 3 cups of the cheese combination (you need to have about 2 cups remaining for topping the dish) and stir till melted. Stir within the pasta to coat. Flip off the warmth and season with extra salt and pepper, if wanted.
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Pour the mac and cheese evenly into the ready casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of cheese excessive and bake for Quarter-hour, till the cheese is melted and bubbly. For an much more golden-brown topping, set the oven to broil for the final 2 to three minutes of baking. Serve heat.
Make Forward: Assemble the casserole, let it cool to room temperature, cowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for as much as 2 days. When able to bake, add 10-Quarter-hour to the baking time.
Storing Leftovers: Cool fully after which retailer in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days or within the freezer for as much as 3 months. Thaw within the fridge in a single day. To reheat, sprinkle parts with water, then microwave and stir in 20-second increments till heated.
598kcal Energy37g Carbs26g Protein39g Fats
Diet Details
Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
Quantity per Serving
% Every day Worth*
* % Every day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie weight loss program.
