This is the BEST baked macaroni and cheese recipe! Once you’ve made it, you will never use another recipe. Promise!
Evan constantly asks me to make him mac & cheese with the caveat “The one NOT from a box!” I experimented with several recipes but had trouble finding one we loved. After trying out the standard, normal, non-weird, kid friendly mac & cheese recipe from The Mac + Cheese Cookbook by Allison Arevalo and Erin Wade, we had a clear winner.
Super Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Oh my goodness….this recipe is DECADENT and delicious. So much so, that it is my go-to recipe whenever we have company.
In fact, it’s become a dish I am known for. If you visit on a weekend, you will probably get served this mac and cheese with my favourite Crock Pot BBQ Ribs recipe, Brown Sugar & Coke Glazed Ham or Traeger Smoked Pork Chops. Yum!
Looking for other must try side dishes? May I suggest, Honey Harissa Roasted Carrots, Turnip Puff and Snap Peas and Mushrooms in Black Bean Sauce.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups whole, homo milk
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tsp seasoning salt
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 3/4 pound dry macaroni, ~375 grams
- 2 1/4 cups grated old cheddar, one entire 200 g pkg
- 3/4 cups Pecorino cheese, similar to parmesan, grated
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the macaroni.
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk until just bubbling. Remove from heat.
In a separate, heavy bottomed, medium to large saucepan, melt the butter.
Once the butter is just melted, sprinkle the flour on to the butter.
Whisk the butter and flour together and cook until light brown (about 3 – 5 minutes). Remove from heat.
Add the milk to the butter/flour mixture a cup at a time. When you add the first cup it will immediately become thick and clumpy…DON’T PANIC!
Continue to add the milk to the flour mixture while stirring. The clumps should melt away.
Once everything is mixed together, place pan on medium high heat and cook for 3 – 5 minutes until the sauce looks smooth and silky and when a spoon dipped in to the sauce sticks to the spoon instead of sliding off.
Add seasoning salt and dried mustard to the sauce and stir.
Add dry macaroni to the boiling water and cook until just slightly less done than al dente.
If your sauce pan is large enough to hold sauce and mac, add cheeses to the sauce and heat until melted. If not, pour sauce in a larger pan, add cheese and heat until melted.
Drain macaroni and rinse it with cold water, draining again.
Add cooked and drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir until the noodles are completely covered.
Pour mac and cheese into prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the panko bread crumbs.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until the panko crumbs are lightly browned.
Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Super Creamy Baked Mac & Cheese
The BEST baked macaroni and cheese recipe you will ever make. Once you try it, you will never use another recipe.
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole, homo milk
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tsp seasoning salt
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 3/4 pound dry macaroni, ~375 grams
- 2 1/4 cups grated old cheddar, one entire 200 g pkg
- 3/4 cups Pecorino cheese, similar to parmesan, grated
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the macaroni.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the milk until just bubbling. Remove from heat.
- In a separate, heavy bottomed, medium to large saucepan, melt the butter.
- Once the butter is just melted, sprinkle the flour on to the butter.
- Whisk the butter and flour together and cook until light brown (about 3 - 5 minutes). Remove from heat.
- Add the milk to the butter/flour mixture a cup at a time. When you add the first cup it will immediately become thick and clumpy...DON'T PANIC!
- Continue to add the milk to the flour mixture while stirring. The clumps should melt away.
- Once everything is mixed together, place pan on medium high heat and cook for 3 - 5 minutes until the sauce looks smooth and silky and when a spoon dipped in to the sauce sticks to the spoon instead of sliding off.
- Add seasoning salt and dried mustard to the sauce and stir.
- Add dry macaroni to the boiling water and cook until just slightly less done than al dente.
- If your sauce pan is large enough to hold sauce and mac, add cheeses to the sauce and heat until melted. If not, pour sauce in a larger pan, add cheese and heat until melted.
- Drain macaroni and rinse it with cold water, draining again.
- Add cooked and drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir until the noodles are completely covered.
- Pour mac and cheese into prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the panko bread crumbs.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until the panko crumbs are lightly browned.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Amount Per Serving: Calories: 398Saturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 275mgSodium: 574mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 19g
You will not regret making this baked macaroni and cheese recipe for family and friends as often as possible!
Love this recipe and want more yummy side dishes? Check these out!
Perfect Side Dishes for Company!
When you have company coming, break out these delicious side dishes for your table!
Turnip Puff
Who knew that turnips could be delicious? Turnip Puff is the only turnip recipe you will ever need. Even turnip haters love it!
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The BEST baked macaroni and cheese recipe you will ever make. Once you try it, you will never use another recipe.
Sweet and Savoury Holiday Spaghetti Squash
Check out this Sweet and Savoury Holiday Spaghetti Squash recipe! It's easy, delicious, lactose free and vegan friendly!
Brown Sugar and Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
A Southern favourite. We have this every Thanksgiving!
Southern Cornbread Dressing
Cornbread Stuffing is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or any turkey dinner.
Carrot Raisin Salad with Apples
Carrot Raisin Salad with Apples is a Southern side dish favourite.
Garlicky Caesar Salad Dressing
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Kathy
Thursday 14th of August 2014
Oh it's ever so much easier than this. Skip the flour. To the cooked noodles add a couple TBS butter, about 1 cup half and half (or heavy cream if you want to be really decadent) and your cheese, some salt and pepper, and a small dash hot sauce (makes cheese cheesier, you can skip it). Bring it all to a low boil and stir till cheese is all melted. The half and half thickens without flour! Better to start with 1 cup H&H you can add more if it seems too thick. You can then bake it, but I can never wait that long. Also using H&H instead of milk in boxed mac/cheese and other boxed pasta sides will give you a dish you will swear is as good, almost, a homemade.
Bridgett
Monday 7th of July 2014
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Natasha In Oz
Friday 11th of April 2014
Thank you so much for joining in with the Say G'Day Saturday linky party! I've just shared this on Google+ and Pinterest.
Hope to see you again this Saturday!
Best wishes, Natasha in Oz
Merry
Friday 11th of April 2014
Thank you! :)
paula schuck
Wednesday 9th of April 2014
I might explore this recipe this evening. I have no planned meal for this evening and I know my kids would LOVE it. This means I need to run out and get some cheese fast.
Merry
Wednesday 9th of April 2014
It's yummy! Tell me how it goes if you decide to try it!
SamiJoe
Saturday 5th of April 2014
Oooh I need to make this!
Merry
Saturday 5th of April 2014
You totally do. It is sooooo good!