Baked Mac and Cheese – Spend With Pennies

December 22, 2022

A basic home made baked mac and cheese recipe is one in all my favourite dishes.

Tender elbow macaroni is smothered in a wealthy home made cheese sauce after which baked beneath a crispy butter crumb topping till golden brown and bubbly.

serving baked mac and cheese with a spoon

A Favorte Baked Mac and Cheese

Tacky, creamy, and loaded with tons of cheddar taste, baked mac and cheese is at all times a crowd-pleaser!
This recipe makes use of on a regular basis elements and turns them right into a decadent tacky dish.
This is usually a aspect dish or a budget-friendly foremost dish.
Hold it as a vegetarian entrée or hearty aspect dish, or add leftover cooked hen, ham, bacon, and even sliced summer time sausage.

cream , flour , panko , macaroni , milk , cheese , butter and seasonings with labels to make Baked Mac and Cheese

Elements for Baked Mac and Cheese

Pasta – Basic mac is made with elbow macaroni, nonetheless, any small-ish form will work. Elbows, shells, penne, ditalini, and rotelle are all nice choices.

Cheese – Sharp Cheddar my favourite alternative for a basic mac and cheese, recipe. If you happen to’d like add just a little Gruyere and parmesan for a bolder taste. Be at liberty to make use of your favourite cheese or a mix of your favorites!

Sauce – Full-fat dairy like milk, butter, and cream are what makes mac and cheese sauce actually wealthy and creamy.

Toppings – Baked mac and cheese is ideal by itself! But when a topping is so as, make a fast topping utilizing homemade breadcrumbs, or a Panko topping. Bacon bits, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapenos, or inexperienced chiles are tasty toppings as properly.

adding flour and seasonings to butter to make Baked Mac and Cheese

melting flour with butter to make roux for Baked Mac and Cheese

Easy methods to Make Mac and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese has achieved celebrity standing everywhere in the world, and it’s straightforward to arrange:

Put together topping and put aside. Cook dinner pasta al dente (agency), drain, and rinse beneath chilly water. Put aside.
Make a roux by cooking flour, seasonings, and butter. Whisk in milk, cream, and seasonings. Cook dinner till thickened per the recipe beneath.
Take away from warmth and add cheeses, whisk till easy. Stir in cooked macaroni and unfold in a casserole dish.
Add topping and bake till the highest is browned and bubbly. Let it relaxation earlier than serving.

creamy cheese sauce to make Baked Mac and Cheese

Baked Mac and Cheese in a dish to make Baked Mac and Cheese

Suggestions for Creamy Mac and Cheese

Cook dinner pasta to an ideal al dente to keep away from mushy noodles.
Shred your personal cheese! Pre-shredded cheeses have components that may preserve them from clumping which additionally makes it so that they don’t soften easily.
Take away sauce from the warmth earlier than including cheese to maintain it from separating or getting grainy.
Don’t overbake (or the mac and cheese might be dry). As soon as the macaroni is effervescent and heated and the topping is browned, you realize it’s prepared. All the pieces is cooked, the baking is to meld the flavors and brown the topping.

Make Forward Meal

Make forward, cowl, and chill till able to reheat within the oven or assemble and bake later.
Retailer any leftover mac and cheese in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days and reheat within the oven, on the stovetop, or within the microwave.
Freeze leftover parts in an hermetic container or a freezer bag for as much as three months.

Extra Tacky Pasta

Did you make this Baked Mac and Cheese? Go away us a remark and a ranking beneath!

4.98 from 34 votes↑ Click on stars to price now!
Or to depart a remark, click here!

Baked Mac and Cheese

Macaroni noodles are tossed in a creamy, tacky sauce, topped with a buttery crumb combination, and baked till sizzling and bubbly.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook dinner Time 35 minutes

Complete Time 50 minutes

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Mix topping elements. Put aside.
Cook dinner macaroni al dente in response to package deal instructions. Drain and run beneath chilly water and put aside.
In the meantime, soften butter in a saucepan over medium warmth. Stir in flour and onion powder and cook dinner for two minutes.
Whisk in milk, cream, and seasonings over medium warmth. Proceed to stir till the combination thickens. Let boil for 1 minute whereas stirring.
Take away from warmth and add cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese. Whisk till melted.
Stir in macaroni and pour right into a 9×13 casserole dish.
Prime with crumb combination and bake 20-25 minutes or till bubbly and topping is browned. Don’t overcook.

Use 3 ½ cups cheddar cheese as directed within the recipe or substitute ½ cup of the cheddar cheese for Gruyère if desired.
Cook dinner pasta simply till al dente (agency) as it should cook dinner extra because it bakes.
It’s crucial that this isn’t overcooked or it gained’t be creamy. Cook dinner simply till sizzling and the topping is browned. Cool 10-Quarter-hour earlier than serving.
Leftovers may be saved lined within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Reheat within the microwave or on the stovetop.

Diet info supplied is an estimate and can differ based mostly on cooking strategies and types of elements used.

Course Most important Course, Facet Dish

Delicacies American

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content material and pictures are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is each inspired and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.