BEST Baked Macaroni and cheese recipe (2024)

If you are looking for the BEST Baked Macaroni and cheese recipe that is perfectly cheese with a crispy crunchy crust then this is the recipe you want! This baked Mac and Cheese recipe has been a family favorite since long before I was even born!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Once you see how simple this cheesy homemade macaroni and cheese is to make, you will never go back to using boxed mac and cheese again!

One great thing about this homemade Macaroni and Cheese recipe is that it works as a side dish and as a main dish! The best thing about this homemade Mac and cheese is that everyone in my house loves it and they never get bored of eating it!

This homemade baked macaroni and cheese recipe has been passed down from my Nanny to my Mom, who passed it on to me and I am now passing it on to you. There are times when I know we are going to have a busy evening that I make crockpot mac and cheese, however as much as we love that recipe, we love this mac and cheese recipe the most!

Looking for more tasty baked mac and cheese recipes be sure to check these out!

• Cauliflower mac and cheese
• Chicken and Broccoli Mac and Cheese

What is the best Cheese to use for Mac and Cheese?

When I make baked homemade mac and cheese I normally use Cracker Barrel extra sharp cheddar cheese but you can use what you have on hand or your favorite kind of cheese. It also tastes amazing with white cheddar and Monterey jack cheese.

You can also change things up and use two different kinds of cheese if you want to. If you want to give your mac and cheese a kick make this recipe using Pepper Jack Cheese.

The only MUST do thing when it comes to your cheese in baked mac and cheese is using a block of cheese. You can cut your block of cheese into cubes or you can shred it yourself, but you do not want to use the preshredded. I know it is tempting because of convenience, but they coat the cheese in the bag so it doesn’t clump together. That coating makes for not the best melting when you are making homemade mac and cheese.

What is the best pasta for Homemade Mac and Cheese?

I use elbow noodles whenever I make this homemade mac and cheese. However if you do not have elbow noodles on hand you can use any tubular noodles and it will work great.

The important thing about your noodles is that you cook them until just before they reach al dente. Which is about 1-2 minutes before the stage where they are completely cooked. They will continue cooking while in the oven, so you want to make sure that you are not getting soggy noddles while they bake in the amazing cheese sauce.

What to serve with Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

The great thing about this baked mac and cheese recipe is that you can use it for a main dish or as a side dish.

If I am serving baked mac and cheese as a main dish then I like to make veggies and a salad as the side dishes. Check out some of my favorite side dish recipes to enjoy with baked mac and cheese.

• Cheesy Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
• Parmesan Asparagus
• Whole Roasted Cauliflower
• Green beans with bacon

I know a lot of people like to have a ‘full meal’ and use baked mac and cheese as a side dish instead of a main dish. If you are going to serve baked mac and cheese as a side dish I suggest serving a meat dish and a veggie dish as well. Use the veggie side dishes I listed above and one of these tasty main dish recipes!

• Ranch Chicken
• Asparagus Stuffed Chicken
• Ham Steaks
• Pork Meatloaf
• Grilled Steaks With Blue Cheese Butter
• Tuna Cakes

Can I make this ahead of time?

One of the things I love about this homemade mac and cheese recipe is that I can do all of the steps except for baking ahead of time. I can then put it in the fridge and bake it for a little bit longer then normal to enjoy for dinner, or I can bring it with us to a party or get together.

How to Store Leftovers

Allow the leftovers to cool and then store in an airtight container in the fridge or tightly wrap the baking dish with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

How long do leftovers last?

The leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.

How to Reheat Baked Mac and Cheese

Like most pasta dishes, this tastes even better heated up the next day. If you have some leftovers to heat up, put some on a plate and cover in a damp paper towel. This will stop the macaroni from getting dry. Then microwave until hot! It’ll taste amazing!

If you find yourself with baked mac and cheese and are wanting something fun and tasty to make with it, Fried Mac and Cheese is one of our favorite things to make with left over mac and cheese! I also have been known to double this recipe just so we could make them!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Ingredients

• butter
• flour
• milk
• Salt
• pepper
• elbow macaroni
• Block cheese
• sliced American Cheese
• Italian Seasoned Breadcrumb

How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. At the same time put on a pot of water to boil.

Pour 2 cups of milk into a liquid measuring cup and set aside.

Cut or shred the block of cheese and set aside. At this point your water should be boiling, so add your elbow noodles in and cook them for 8-10 minutes. You want to cook them until just before they are al dente.

In a large sauce pan over medium heat add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is melted add in 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk until combined. It will be a bit chunky looking and that is ok.

Then add your milk to your saucepan a little at a time whisking each time until smooth until all the milk is added.

Bring everything in the saucepan to a boil, add a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper, give it a quick whisk and then turn the heat down to low.

Let the sauce cool slightly, about 2-3 minutes. The elbow noodles should be done cooking now, so drain them and put them back into your large pot.

Put the pot on the stove on low heat, remove the white sauce from the stove and pour it into the boodles.

Add your cheese and stir until all the cheese is mostly melted and remove from the heat.

Spray a large baking dish with non stick spray and pour your mac and cheese into a large baking dish.

Cover the top with slices of American cheese. Cut 2 tablespoons of butter into sliced. Put the slices of butter anywhere the cheese doesn’t cover. This will help the crust cook evenly.

Sprinkle the Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs on top of the American cheese. Feel free to add more breadcrumbs if you want a crunchier crust..

Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes. You want the crust to be lightly browned.

Pasta Side Dish Recipes

• Tuna Pasta Salad
• Sun dried tomato pasta salad
• Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad

12 Weight Watchers SmartPoints when using fat free milk and fat free cheese

Pasta Recipes you will love

• Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
• Shrimp Alfredo Recipe
• Baked Spaghetti