Baked Macaroni & Cheese

This recipe for homemade macaroni & cheese is definitely not the same as the one from a box. It’s so much better! With a creamy texture and four different types of cheese, this is a simple and straightforward dish. And while baked macaroni & cheese is usually for adults, kids will love this too!

A super flavorful baked macaroni & cheese recipe.

I know there will always be boxed macaroni & cheese and those who love it. And I’ll admit it: the box has its place.

Personally, I’ve never really loved it. I find that most food memories come from times derived while growing up. In our family, we never had boxed macaroni & cheese. It’s not like I was a sheltered child. Instead, Mom was a frugal grocery shopper and didn’t purchase foods that were not necessary. I assume she didn’t see the draw, and as a kid, I didn’t know if I was missing out or not.

We didn’t have homemade macaroni and cheese often either, but when we did, it was great. How could creamy, cheesy pasta, usually finished with breadcrumbs on top, not be amazing? This recipe is the food memory I have with some added lusciousness and a little more flavor.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Elbow macaroni is the classic pasta when it comes to macaroni & cheese. The shape draws in the cheese sauce and ensures each bite is intensely covered with cheese.
• Evaporated milk starts as milk but is cooked down, allowing the excess water to evaporate. It will help the roux hold together better when mixed with the butter and flour.
• Monterey Jack cheese has the ideal quality of being a good melting cheese.
• Sharp cheddar cheese adds a strong flavor, which will be prevalent when baked with the macaroni.
• Cream cheese works to add a creamy texture to the recipe. It also introduces a bit of tanginess, which sounds odd, but works so well in this dish.
• Nutmeg is a classic spice when making a cheese sauce. The spice brings out a more intense milk flavor and adds an underlying nuttiness.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

1. Cook the pasta. Boil water in a large stockpot on the stove. Add salt to flavor the pasta, and then add in the macaroni. Cook the pasta to al dente per the instructions on the pasta’s packaging. Once cooked, drain the pasta and set aside.

2. Prepare the roux. To a stockpot over medium heat, add butter. Once the butter has melted, sprinkle the flour on top. Mix the flour into the butter using a wooden spatula or spoon, ensuring the flour cooks to cook off the raw flavor. Once the butter and flour have cooked together and bubbles form, slowly begin adding the evaporated milk a tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition.

3. Add the spices. Once all of the milk has been added, and the mixture has some viscosity, add in the dry mustard, ground nutmeg, black pepper, and salt. Stir all of the spices into the milk mixture.

4. Add the cheeses. Using a grater, shred the sharp cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. To the milk mixture, add the room-temperature cream cheese and the two shredded cheeses. Slowly whisk the cheeses to incorporate them into the milk mixture. Once fully mixed, remove it from the stove.

5. Pour into the baking dish. Pour the drained macaroni noodles into the cheese mixture and stir everything together to coat the pasta. Once mixed, pour everything into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Smooth out the mixture to ensure it is evenly distributed. Set it aside while preparing the breadcrumbs.

6. Prepare the breadcrumbs. To the melted butter, add the breadcrumbs and grate fresh Parmesan on top. Mix all three ingredients until the melted butter coats the breadcrumbs.

7. Sprinkle and bake. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the combined macaroni and cheese. Once all of the breadcrumbs are on top, place the dish in the preheated oven to bake at 375°F for 17 to 20 minutes. When the top is browned, and the cheese is bubbling, remove it from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

• When cooking the pasta, make sure to cook the macaroni al dente. If the pasta is fully cooked before it’s added to the cheese sauce and then baked in the oven, it will become really mushy. If you only cook to al dente (meaning the pasta still has a bit of “bite” to it), the pasta will finish cooking correctly with the cheese.
• When mixing together the milk mixture and the cheese, if not all pieces of cheese melt right away, that is fine. When the pasta is poured over the top of the cheese, it will add additional heat, which will finish melting the cheese.
• This recipe can be prepared ahead of time and then baked when needed. Simply prepare everything, add everything to the baking dish, then cover and place it in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, remove it from the refrigerator and bake.

More pasta recipes you’ll love.

• The best homemade goulash
• The best beef and noodles
• Sungold tomato pasta bake
• Fresh tomato herb pasta
• Tomato zucchini summer pasta
• Spicy peanut noodles
• Brown butter spaghetti with bacon and asparagus
• Creamy sausage and spinach pasta
• Meatballs with spaghetti

Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?

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