This is THE Baked Mac and Cheese recipe of your dreams. Ultra creamy, irresistibly cheesy, and so perfectly flavorful you will find yourself coming back for seconds… and thirds! Make it today, prep ahead, or freeze it for later, this mac and cheese will be ready for your next craving.
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Baked Mac and Cheese, for obvious reasons, is a family favorite around here. It is the ultimate comfort food, satisfying to the very core. If I wasn’t watching my cholesterol intake, I might just put this one on a weekly rotation. 😆
We have been making this particular recipe for many years. The original is from America’s Test Kitchen and is almost perfect. My favorite part is that it uses a bit of chicken stock to thin the sauce, which preserves the creamy sauce-to-pasta ratio when it bakes and is made ahead/frozen.
But, as we tend to do, we did make a few changes. We prefer mac and cheese without breadcrumb topping (😬 I know, we're weird), so we removed that. We also added onion to the sauce for flavor and slightly adjusted the cheese combination for the creamiest, most flavorful combo possible. Now it is THE mac and cheese recipe that our family expects every time.
🧀 Ingredients
Macaroni: This is the classic pasta choice, but any tubular pasta will work.
Butter: I use salted. If you use unsalted, you may need to add additional salt later.
Onion and garlic: Fresh for both, not powder. They add great flavor.
Dry mustard and cayenne pepper: Adds a little extra depth of flavor.
Flour: Makes the roux, which is the key to thickening the sauce.
Chicken broth: The extra ingredient for creating the perfect sauce consistency.
Milk: Whole milk makes all the difference. I don’t recommend substituting for 2% or less.
Cheese - Colby, Mozzarella, and Sharp Cheddar: This is my favorite cheese combo, but see below for substitution options.
Salt and pepper: To round off the perfect flavor. You won’t need much.
🔪 Instructions
- Boil the pasta. Start by boiling the macaroni, being sure to drain it when it is still slightly underdone and rinse it will cold water. It will continue cooking while it bakes.
- Make the roux. Melt the butter in a pot on the stove and cook the onion until it is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, dry mustard, and cayenne for 30 seconds, then whisk in the flour for 1 minute.
- Add the liquid. Slowly add the chicken broth and milk, whisking constantly, until the flour mixture is fully combined into the liquid. The sauce won’t be perfectly smooth yet because of the onions, but should not have large lumps of the flour mixture. Continue to cook the sauce at a simmer for about 15 minutes, or until it has thickened.
- Do the "Thickness Test." Using a wooden or plastic spoon, stir the sauce. When you can draw a solid line through the sauce with your finger and the line holds, your sauce is ready. It will still be a bit thin, but will continue to thicken when it bakes.
- Mix in the cheese. Once thickened, remove the pot from the heat and gradually whisk in the cheese. I suggest whisking in one cheese at a time to help it melt faster and more evenly.
- Smooth the sauce. My secret to perfectly smooth, creamy sauce is to use an immersion blender once the cheese is melted. A quick blend for 1-2 minutes evens out the little bits of onion and cheese and creates the PERFECT consistency you’re going for.
- Mix sauce and noodles. Lightly rinse the cooked noodles to help them separate. Then pour the noodles into the pot of sauce and stir to combine.
- Add to pan and bake. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray or line with foil. Pour the noodles and sauce into the pan and bake until golden and bubbly. Voila - dinner is served!
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
Mac and Cheese is always a crowd-pleaser! This recipe serves 8 for dinner. If you want to serve more, just double the recipe and bake it in two 9x13 pans. You will want to make the sauce in a very large pot, or make two separate batches. If you are only serving this as a side dish, one recipe will feed between 12-15 people.
🙋 Questions & Answers
My favorite cheese combination is sharp cheddar (for flavor), colby jack (a good melting cheese), and a bit of mozzarella (for extra creaminess). I don’t recommend substituting the sharp cheddar because it creates the main flavor profile. But you can substitute the other cheeses with jack, pepper jack, or any other good melting cheese. Just know that it may come out slightly different than our original cheese combo.
Yes and yes. Make it all the way, pour it into the prepared pan, and either refrigerate for 1-3 days or freeze up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge the day before serving. Then bake per the recipe and serve it up!
If stored in an air-tight container, it typically lasts 3-4 days and maintains it’s sauciness well. A quick reheat in the microwave is all it needs. If it seems a little dry when reheating, add a small splash of milk as it heats and stir well to incorporate.
📖 More pasta recipes
- 25 Minute Lemon Broccoli Pasta - This is a super easy weeknight dinner with the most impressive flavors. It even sneaks in extra veggies! It's a busy night winner every time!
- Easy Chicken Piccata Pasta - This recipe uses bow tie pasta and ready-made chicken piccata to form a delicious, restaurant worthy pasta. It's great for an easy weeknight dinner, but equally worthy of serving guest on the weekend.
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Shred your own cheese - really! Pre- shredded cheese is coated, so it doesn't melt the same, nor does it have the same flavor.
- Cook your pasta slightly under and rinse it with cold water immediately after draining. The cold rinse will stop the noodles from continuing to cook. This way they will finish cooking while baking without becoming bloated or soggy.
- Spray your pan lightly with non-stick spray to prevent the sauce from sticking. You can also line the pan with tinfoil and then lightly spray it.
- Use an immersion blender to make the finished sauce ultra smooth and creamy. This is my best secret! Sometimes cheese melts a little unevenly and the onions leave little flecks in the sauce... the immersion blender solves this problem perfectly every time.
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📋 Recipe
Seriously the Best Baked Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 6 tbsp flour
- 2¼ cups chicken broth
- 3½ cups whole milk
- 11 oz colby jack cheese shredded
- 5 oz mozzarella cheese shredded
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp kosher salt if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add ½ tbsp of kosher salt. Cook the pasta according to package directions, cooking 2 minutes less than directed. Drain and rinse briefly with cold water. Set aside.
- In a large pot, melt butter. Add onions, cooking until soft and translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, dry mustard and cayenne and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds - 1 minute. Add flour, whisking constantly for 1 minute.
- Slowly add the chicken broth and whole milk, whisking constantly, until flour mixture is completely incorporated. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring OFTEN, until slightly thickened, 15-20 minutes. Thickness Test: When you draw a finger through the sauce across the back of spoon, the sauce should hold the line with no drips.
- Remove the sauce from the heat. Gradually whisk in the cheese, one type at a time, until fully melted. This may take a few minutes. Season with pepper and salt (if needed). Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce for 1-2 minutes until it is completely smooth.
- Briefly rinse the noodles to help them separate. Pour noodles into the sauce, mixing until well combined. Pour pasta into the prepared pan and bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Shred your own cheese - really! Pre- shredded cheese is coated, so it doesn't melt the same, nor does it have the same flavor.
- Cook your pasta slightly under and rinse it with cold water immediately after draining. The cold rinse will stop the noodles from continuing to cook. This way they will finish cooking while baking without becoming bloated or soggy.
- Spray your pan lightly with non-stick spray to prevent the sauce from sticking. You can also line the pan with tinfoil and then lightly spray it.
- Use an immersion blender to make the finished sauce ultra smooth and creamy. This is my best secret! Sometimes cheese melts a little unevenly and the onions leave little flecks in the sauce... the immersion blender solves this problem perfectly every time.
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Amber says
Should the foil be removed if baking from the fridge? Or leave it on?
Danielle says
Great question! We will update the post to add in a note about this. I would bake with the foil off, but if it begins to brown too much go ahead and lightly cover it until fully hot and bubbly. Enjoy!
Janet Lewis says
The flavor profile is great but my mac and cheese turned out grainy. I added the cheese after the white sauce was cooked for 15 minutes simmering and removed from heat. I feel like it got grainy after being in the oven for 25 minutes at 400F. What am I doing wrong? Is 400F too hot? I had Sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, Velveeta and small amount of gruyere cheese in them. Help! I want to make good Mac and Cheese!
Misty says
Hi Janet! Thanks for your question - creamy mac and cheese is a must! The texture of the sauce is very dependent on the types and amounts of cheese. Personally I have never tried Velveeta or Gruyere, but I would imagine that both should work. Did you blend the sauce with an immersion blender until it was ultra-smooth before baking? Every time I make this that is the step that transforms the sauce!
Janet Lewis says
Hi Misty,
Thank you for your swift reply. I did indeed use the immersion blender right before mixing with cooked pasta and it was smooth. I gave a portion to my sister in law for her to bake it for her family last night. I told her to bake at 350F to see if that made a difference. She said it wasn't grainy and it was so good. Also, another thing that might have affected my Mac and Cheese texture was I used Velveeta American Singles. I read I need to be using American cheese blocks since the Singles have more additives and maybe that was the culprit. I will try when I make that next time. Crossing my fingers... I will post again. Thank you!!!
Misty says
Great, I'm so glad her's turned out well! I would add that the reason we have success every time with this recipe is that we have tested the exact cheese type and amounts that work well. I would suggest trying the recipe exactly as written and following the tips and tricks. I think you will find that it is wonderfully creamy and flavorful that way!
Jenny says
Delicious! Made this last night for the my family and the other family in our “bubble”...it was a hit with everyone! Served it as a create your own Mac and cheese bar with add-in choices...Buffalo chicken, wilted spinach, bacon, and sautéed mushrooms. The perfect meal for a group. So glad I found this post/recipe! Thank you
Danielle says
Now that sounds amazing! I will borrow that idea for one of our Sunday Dinners with the family. Thanks for the feedback!
Days says
Can you use another kind of milk like low-fat milk instead of whole milk?
Misty says
Hi! You can use another milk if that is all you have, but it typically doesn't turn out as creamy if it has less fat content. Should still work though. Hope that helps!
Marcy says
I absolutely love the immersion blender trick. Sometimes it seems like my cheese just doesn’t quite melt all the way, but that does the trick! It was the smoothest homemade sauce I’ve made.
Misty says
Yes, that's a great trick, huh? I'm glad you found it helpful for making the sauce extra smooth.
Aspen says
This is probably the most flavorful mac and cheese I've ever had. I love it! Now I just have to try not to eat the whole pan by myself, ha!
Misty says
YES, I have the same problem... it's too delicious.
Karen says
Don't.Change.A.Thing.....this is so good.
Misty says
So glad you liked it!