This baked mac and cheese is a blend of tender noodles in a rich and creamy cheese sauce, topped off with more cheese and baked to perfection. The ultimate macaroni and cheese recipe that always gets rave reviews!
My kids are big fans of mac and cheese, they’re always requesting slow cooker mac and cheese, stovetop mac and cheese and this ultra decadent baked version. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with mac and cheese!
Macaroni and cheese is a timeless recipe for a reason – it’s incredibly delicious! This baked mac and cheese is the ultimate version of this popular comfort food dish. It features hearty corkscrew pasta in a super smooth and creamy sauce, with plenty of melted cheese for good measure. It’s the best mac and cheese you’ll ever taste. Serve this side dish recipe with other comfort food classics such as slow cooker short ribs, spiral ham or roasted cornish hen.
Table of Contents
Baked Mac And Cheese Ingredients
To make this homemade mac and cheese, you will need butter, flour, water, milk, pasta, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese.
How Do You Make Baked Mac And Cheese?
Start by making a roux with butter and flour, then whisk in milk and water. Add pasta and spices to the milk and bring the mixture to a simmer. No need to drain the noodles, as they will cook in the sauce. When the noodles are tender or al dente, stir in two types of shredded cheese. The final step is to transfer your mac and cheese to a casserole dish, top it with more cheese, then bake everything to gooey and melted perfection.
Tips for Baked Mac and Cheese
- I use corkscrew pasta in this recipe, it’s sometimes called cavatappi or cellentani. These noodles are heartier than standard elbow macaroni noodles and don’t get mushy as they bake. If you want to use elbow macaroni or a different type of short pasta, that will also work just fine. If you use elbow macaroni, you may need to reduce the cook time.
- I recommend using freshly grated cheese for this recipe. The bagged pre-shredded cheeses are coated in anti-caking agents and just don’t melt as smoothly.
- I find that whole milk works best for the creamiest sauce. That being said, you can make this recipe with other types of milk with good results. For a richer dish, use part milk and part heavy cream.
- You can assemble this dish ahead of time. Simply transfer the cooked pasta in cheese sauce to the baking dish, add the cheese on top, then cover it and store it in the fridge for up to 6 hours. The pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it sits in the fridge, so the end result will not be quite as saucy as mac and cheese that is freshly baked.
Quick Tip
This is a thick and cheesy dish! If you prefer a thinner sauce, you can stir in a little extra milk at the end to get to your desired consistency.
Recipe FAQs
Cheddar cheese is my favorite choice for macaroni and cheese. It’s flavorful, melts great and gives the mac and cheese its traditional orange color. That being said, make sure you’re using a regular mild, medium or sharp cheddar cheese and not a cheddar cheese that’s extra sharp or aged. The aged cheeses can separate when melted and you won’t get a smooth and silky sauce. I often add in small amounts of other types of cheese for extra flavor, like parmesan, jack cheese or mozzarella. For this recipe, I’ve added some mozzarella because I love the creamy flavor it adds to this dish. Feel free to experiment with other types of cheese that melt well such as fontina, gouda, pepper jack, colby jack or gruyere.
Spices are a great way to accentuate the flavor of the cheese sauce. I typically add salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika to my macaroni and cheese. You could also use regular paprika, mustard powder, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic salt, or chili powder.
I bake my mac and cheese uncovered. This recipe calls for a shorter baking time, which means the pasta won’t have time to get dry, and baking it uncovered produces a better crust of melted cheese over the top of the dish. If you’re planning to bake your mac and cheese for an extended period of time, I would cover it, then uncover during the last 15 minutes.
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Flavor Variations
I am a purist, and I love my mac and cheese simply with the noodles and cheese sauce, sometimes with a little parsley for garnish. But there are countless ways to dress up your macaroni and cheese. Some suggestions are:
- Protein: Try adding some smoked ham, crumbled cooked bacon, grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp or Italian sausage.
- Herbs & Spices: You can stir in some fresh parsley or chives for added flavor and color. Dried Italian seasoning is also a great addition, as well as mustard powder, Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning.
- Vegetables: Mix in some cooked veggies such as sauteed kale, roasted cherry tomatoes, grilled broccoli or sauteed mushrooms.
- Topping: Feel free to mix 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter, then sprinkle the mixture over the top of the mac before it goes into the oven.
I typically serve this baked mac and cheese as a side dish, but my kids often eat it as a main course! Here are some entree and side dish suggestions to go with your mac and cheese.
Pair Your Mac & Cheese With
This is a must-make recipe in my house, and I hope your family loves it as much as mine does!
Baked Mac and Cheese Video
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Baked Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 4 cups milk I use whole milk
- 1 pound corkscrew pasta uncooked, such as cavatappi or cellentani
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 5 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided use
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 3-4 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour, then whisk until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the water and whisk until smooth and just thickened.
- Add the milk and whisk until combined.
- Stir in the pasta, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and pepper, then bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.
- Turn the heat to low, then stir in 4 cups of cheddar cheese and the mozzarella. Keep stirring until the sauce is smooth.
- Spread the pasta mixture into an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheddar cheese over the top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and pasta is bubbling. Serve immediately.
Notes
- I use corkscrew pasta in this recipe, it’s sometimes called cavatappi or cellentani. These noodles are heartier than standard elbow macaroni and don’t get mushy as they bake. If you want to use elbow macaroni or a different type of short pasta, that will also work just fine. If you use elbow macaroni, you may need to reduce the cook time.
- I recommend using freshly grated cheese for this recipe. The bagged pre-shredded cheeses are coated in anti-caking agents and just don’t melt as smoothly.
Just made for the first time and it was great! Everybody loved it. To those making it the first time the roux will be very thin after adding water. I used fresh grated cheese and cellantani noodles. Best side dish and was the first to disappear!
I have at least a dozen mac n cheese recipes. This one is at the top of my list. It was delicious. The smoked paprika intrigued me so I had to make it. I followed the recipe as directed. Easy and good. Thank you.
Delicious!! I added 1/2 tsp of ground mustard and 1/4 tsp of cayenne
Making again