Cheesy Baked Mac & Cheese

This baked from-scratch macaroni and cheese is the best in comfort food. It’s creamy, tangy, and of course, so cheesy. It’s straightforward to cook, family-friendly, and goes great with about everything. It’s also well-balanced as a main dish meal all by itself.

Well-balanced Baked Mac n Cheese

Mac and cheese has always been our favorite food, so we're pretty picky about what we want from a baked version. It still needs to be creamy underneath that cheesy baked top, not thick, dry, or stiff by the time it comes out of the oven.

That’s why this version starts with a smooth roux based cheese sauce and only bakes for 10 to 15 minutes. It’s long enough to melt the cheese on top without drying out the pasta underneath. Sharp cheddar gives the sauce that classic mac and cheese flavor, while Gruyere and Parmesan on top add a little more depth.

We also use freshly grated cheese because it melts more smoothly and leaves you with a better sauce than the pre-shredded kind. The end result is exactly what we want from baked mac and cheese: creamy through the middle, plenty of cheese, and the baked top that makes it even better.

Why Recipe For Baked Macaroni And Cheese stays in the rotation

There are so many reasons to love this from-scratch baked macaroni and cheese. But here are a few of our personal top reasons:

• It’s straightforward to cook and totally family friendly.
• This baked mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food.
• As well-balanced to make for a crowd or party as it is for a weeknight supper.
• It isn’t dry like a lot of baked macaroni and cheese can be.
• ​It uses plain ingredients that are straightforward to find

From-scratch Baked Mac and Cheese Ingredients

• Elbow macaroni, uncooked
• Unsalted butter
• All purpose flour
• Milk – use whole milk for a house favorite results
• Sharp cheddar cheese, grated (we do not recommend pre-shredded) – for a house favorite flavor don’t use mild cheddar, it will get lost in the dish and you won’t be able to taste it
• Garlic powder
• Coarse kosher or sea salt – omit if using salted butter
• Ground black pepper
• Grated gruyere cheese (we do not recommend pre-shredded)
• Grated parmesan (we do not recommend pre-shredded)

Baked Mac n Cheese Variations

• Pasta – You can use a similar shape/size of pasta for the elbow macaroni noodles. Make sure the pasta you choose is able to stand up to the cheese sauce and won’t fall apart.
• Butter – Salted butter can be used. But be mindful of the salt content from the cheese and omit the additional salt from the recipe if using salted butter.
• Cheese – Try fontina, jarlsberg, gouda, muenster, or emmental cheese as a substitute for the gruyere.
• More Cheese – Instead of the parmesan cheese, you can use romano, romano pecorino, or asiago cheese.
• Spice It Up – For a spicy kick, you can add some cayenne pepper to the cheese sauce and top it with pepper jack cheese.
• Toppings – This version doesn’t have a crunchy topping, but if you want one, you can mix bread crumbs with melted butter before baking.
• Make It Creamier! – For an extra decadent creamy mac n cheese, you can replace some of the milk with heavy cream.
• The Classic Cheese Pull – If you like a great quintessential cheese pull when serving your macaroni, you can add some monterey jack or mozzarella cheese in with the topping. Even a little colby jack will give you some great cheese pulls.

How to cook Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

It may seem like there’s a lot going on. But this macaroni and cheese is surprisingly straightforward to cook. Cook the pasta, make the cheese sauce, combine, top with more cheese, and bake. Plain!

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with avocado oil spray and set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
4. Add the elbow macaroni and cook until al dente.
5. While the pasta is cooking, add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat.
6. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and whisk. Whisk until it is smooth and makes a roux.
7. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously. You want to keep it smooth. Be sure to whisk out any clumps.
8. Turn off the heat and add in the cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
9. Mix together until it is smooth and creamy.
10. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
11. Pour in the cheese sauce and mix it until all of the cooked macaroni is covered.
12. Pour the pasta into the lightly greased casserole dish and spread it evenly.
13. Top the pasta with the gruyere and parmesan cheese.
14. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
15. Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Tips for Cheesy Baked Mac and Cheese

Here are some of our best suggestions to ensure you get a house favorite results from this recipe.

• Freshly shredded cheese is best. We don’t recommend using pre-shredded cheese because the anti-caking agent used to keep it from sticking together in the package also prevents it from having a smooth, creamy melted texture. We always recommend grating your own cheese for this recipe.
• When making the creamy cheese sauce, it’s important to make sure your roux is smooth to avoid having clumps in the finished sauce.
• Warm the milk a little on the stove or in the microwave before adding it to the roux to help avoid clumping. Make sure you are pouring it in slowly.
• Use whole milk to achieve the creamiest results.
• We don’t recommend replacing the sharp cheddar with a milder version. You’ll lose a lot of that big cheesy flavor. And you definitely don’t want that!
• Don’t bake the macaroni and cheese too long or you risk drying it out. And don’t leave it to cool in the oven you shut off or it will definitely dry out.

Equipment Needed

9×13 baking dish

Buy Now →

Saucepan

Buy Now →

Silicone whisk

Buy Now →

Liquid measuring cups

Buy Now →

Grater

Buy Now →

Measuring spoons

Buy Now →

Strainer

Buy Now →

How to Serve From-scratch Baked Mac and Cheese

You can serve a large portion of this macaroni and cheese recipe as a meal itself or serve it as a memorable side dish with:

• Buffalo Chicken Sliders
• Oven-Baked Ribs
• Smoked Chicken Breast
• Boneless Chicken Wings
• BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

How to keep Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

Allow extra mac and cheese to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing.

Store: Store any leftover mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Properly stored, leftovers will be good for up to 5 days.

Freeze: You can also freeze leftovers in airtight containers or well-sealed freezer bags for up to 3 months. We like to use our Souper Cubes To freeze leftovers in individual or two-person portion sizes for easier reheating.

How to Reheat Leftover Mac and Cheese

Reheat refrigerated mac and cheese in the microwave. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of milk or water per serving and cover with a paper towel or microwave-safe lid.

Microwave at full power for 2-3 minutes until heated through.

Defrost frozen leftovers in the microwave at 50% power for about 5 minutes. Then add a little milk or water and heat at full power for 2-3 minutes until hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Prep 15 minutesCook 30 minutesTotal 45 minutesMakes 12 servings

Ingredients

• 16 ounces elbow macaroni uncooked
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/12 cups milk
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated (I do not recommend pre-shredded)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup gruyere cheese grated; I do not recommend pre-shredded
• 1/4 cup parmesan grated ; I do not recommend pre-shredded

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with avocado oil spray and set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
4. Add the elbow macaroni and cook until al dente.
5. While the pasta is cooking, add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat.
6. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and whisk. Whisk until it is smooth and makes a roux.
7. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously. You want to keep it smooth. Be sure to whisk out any clumps.
8. Turn off the heat and add in the cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
9. Mix together until it is smooth and creamy.
10. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
11. Pour in the cheese sauce and mix it until all of the pasta is covered.
12. Pour the pasta into the baking dish and spread it evenly.
13. Top the pasta with the gruyere and parmesan cheese.
14. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
15. Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Notes

• We don’t recommend pre-shredded cheese because the anti-caking agent used prevents it from having a smooth, creamy melted texture
• When making the cheese sauce, it’s important to make sure your roux is smooth to avoid having clumps in the cheese sauce.
• We don’t recommend replacing the sharp cheddar with mild or medium. You’ll lose a lot of the cheesy flavor.
• Don’t bake it too long or you risk drying it out.