Description
Baked mac and cheese is a rich, creamy, and comforting pasta dish made with elbow macaroni and a velvety cheese sauce, then baked until golden and bubbly. Perfect for holidays, potlucks, and family dinners, this recipe offers indulgent flavor with easy preparation and can be adapted to gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, or lower-sodium diets.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (for pasta water)
Cheese Sauce
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 2½ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere
- 1 cup shredded Gouda
Optional Topping
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Boil water for macaroni; salt with 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
- Cook pasta for 1 minute less than al dente (about 7 minutes). Drain and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes until light brown.
- Slowly add heavy cream and milk in small splashes, stirring continuously. Simmer uncovered, stirring periodically.
- Add hot sauce, mustard powder, salt, onion powder, and pepper.
- Remove from heat. Gradually sprinkle in 4 cups of the shredded cheeses, stirring until smooth.
- Place drained macaroni back into the warm pot used for boiling.
- Pour cheese sauce over pasta; stir to combine.
- Transfer mixture to prepared casserole dish.
- Top with remaining 2 cups of cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Optional: Broil 2–3 minutes at 450°F (232°C) for a browned top.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use freshly shredded cheese for the smoothest melting.
- Add liquid slowly when making the roux to avoid thin or grainy sauce.
- Let pasta cool slightly before mixing to prevent clumping.
- Customize with paprika, herbs, bacon, mushrooms, or caramelized onions.
- Make gluten-free using GF pasta and flour.
- Store 3 days refrigerated or freeze up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish / Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: ~680
- Sugar: ~6 g
- Sodium: ~780 mg
- Fat: ~40 g
- Saturated Fat: ~25 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~13 g
- Trans Fat: 0–1 g
- Carbohydrates: ~52 g
- Fiber: ~2 g
- Protein: ~32 g
- Cholesterol: ~135 mg