If you've ever struggled with homemade mac and cheese, this baked mac and cheese recipe is the one that actually works. Made the old-fashioned way with real cheddar, a proper roux, and baked until perfectly golden, it's simple enough for a weeknight and impressive enough for a holiday table. Dozens of 5-star reviews and over 850,000 views since 2023 prove this recipe is the real deal.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
I love cheese, so this mac' n cheese recipe is near and dear to my heart. Who else has memories of coming home from school, whipping up some macaroni and covering it with powdered cheese? The best way, in my opinion, to make this Southern classic is with real cheese and real ingredients. With even more cheesy goodness, I promise it won't disappoint!
I've tested a lot of mac and cheese over the years, from my quick stovetop 3-cheese mac and cheese to my butternut squash mac and cheese for fall dinners, but this baked version is still the one I come back to every time.
And here's my best tip: If you've ever struggled with making homemade mac and cheese you probably haven't added enough... well, everything. More milk, more butter and more cheese for the best homemade mac.
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Key Ingredients
- Macaroni noodles. Elbow Macaroni is my favorite.
- Butter. Use unsalted butter.
- Flour. Regular all-purpose flour works best here.
- Milk. Whole milk is my top choice for an extra creamy texture.
- Hot sauce. Frank's red hot or whatever I have in the fridge.
- Shredded cheddar cheese. Shredding your own cheese is the best and totally worth it. Mild cheddar cheese, sharp cheddar cheese or a mix of both.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
This recipe is simple and concise. I wouldn't recommend changing the ingredients too much but there a few changes you can make.
- Gluten-free. There is a great variety of gluten-free pastas available right now. For this recipe, I'd recommend going for rice pasta or chickpea pasta. You can swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Cheddar Cheese. I love the flavor of cheddar cheese, but Monterey Jack, Gruyère, or pepper jack add great flavor.
- Add a crunchy topping. Crush up some Ritz crackers or use some panko breadcrumbs on top for a crispy finish.
Instructions
Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Strain the cooked macaroni and add back to the pot with some butter to prevent sticking. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 1: Melt a stick of butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to create a roux.
Step 2: Slowly pour in the milk while whisking. Bring the sauce to a simmer and whisk until it thickens.
Step 3: Reduce heat to low and add in salt, pepper, paprika and hot sauce.
Step 4: Add the 4 cups of cheese. Mix until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
Step 5: Turn the stove off and add in the macaroni. Pour the mixture into a baking or casserole dish. Add a layer of extra cheese to the top of the mac.
Step 6: Pop in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Broil for 2-3 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Recipe FAQs
The key to a smooth cheese sauce is to slowly add it into the pot by stirring continuously over medium heat. The cheese needs time to break down. Avoid high heat as this will cause the sauce to separate.
Mac and cheese is one of those recipes that you can definitely make ahead of time. What you'll do is assemble the dish ahead of time, refer to steps 1-5. Allow the assembled dish to cool in the baking dish and pop it in the refrigerator. You'll want to bake the dish for 30-40 minutes before serving it if it's going directly from the fridge to the oven. I'd recommend only doing this up to 48 hours in advance.
Sarah's Top Tips
- Shred your own cheese. I recommend using a food processor with a grating attachment or a large box grater to make your life a little easier. You can use pre-shredded cheese but it contains additives that may cause the cheese to not melt as well.
- Know how to make a roux. Using flour and butter to create a thickening agent should not be overlooked. Rouxs are found in plenty of recipes, including classic lasagna with bechamel and are very easy to make.
- Cook your pasta al dente. Always cook your noodles to al dente. I'd even go as far as undercooking, as the noodles will continue to cook in the oven and this prevents them from falling apart.
- Always add butter to the macaroni after draining. This prevents the noodles from sticking together and tearing.
- Don't overcook in the oven. The mac and cheese should be baked for no longer than 25 minutes.
Serving
The thing about mac and cheese is it can be the main dish or the side dish. I usually serve this alongside garlic butter roasted turkey and arugula pear salad with shaved Parmesan during holidays and special occasions. The bottom line is that it's a crowd-pleaser and a comfort meal. If you're serving this baked mac and cheese as a side dish, it pairs especially well with simple pork loin steaks since they take just 10 minutes to make or roasted Cornish hens when you want something a little more elevated.
Storage & Reheating
- Store leftover mac and cheese in the refrigerator for up to 4 days packed in an airtight container. To freeze, use freezer-safe bags or containers or just wrap up in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
- To reheat refrigerated mac and cheese, place in a microwave-safe bowl and add 2 tablespoons of milk. Microwave for 2-3 minutes. I like to stir halfway through. You can also place leftovers in a small baking dish, add more cheese sauce or a couple of tablespoons of milk and cover with foil. Cook in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
- For frozen leftovers, it's best to thaw in the fridge overnight to preserve the quality of the food. If you don't have time for that don't worry, thawing in the microwave is just fine. Reheat in the microwave or oven using the same steps mentioned above.
- Cook a little extra cheese sauce if you'll have leftovers. You can heat the cheese sauce and pour it over the mac to replenish.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Old-Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces macaroni noodles
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, to keep the macaroni from sticking
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, for the roux
- ½ cup flour
- 4 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni according to package instructions. Strain and then add back to the pot with butter to keep it from sticking. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.16 ounces macaroni noodles, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Melt the butter for the roux in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until it turns a light golden color. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking.8 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup flour, 4 cups milk
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and whisk regularly until it thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the spices, hot sauce, and most of the cheese (reserve the topping amount). Mix until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Turn off the heat and mix in the noodles.
- Pour into a baking dish and top with remaining cheddar cheese.1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. Broil for 2-3 minutes for a golden top.
Sarah's Tips
- Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded contains additives that prevent it from melting smoothly. A box grater or food processor grating attachment makes it easy.
- Don't rush the roux. Whisk the butter and flour together fully before adding milk, and add the milk slowly. This is what makes the sauce creamy instead of lumpy.
- Undercook the pasta slightly. It continues cooking in the oven, so pulling it a minute early prevents mushy noodles.
- Butter the pasta after draining. Toss it right away to stop the noodles from clumping.
- Bake 25-30 minutes, then broil 2-3 minutes for a golden top. Pull it when it's set and bubbling at the edges.
- Store in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of milk, then microwave 2-3 minutes, or covered in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat the same way.
- Feel free to make extra cheese sauce if you're expecting leftovers. Reheat and pour it over to bring it back to life.
Tools I Use for This Recipe
- Cheese Grater
Recommended for this recipe
This is my go-to pot for making the cheese sauce in this mac and cheese. It heats evenly, holds a ton, and is perfect for soups, stews, and braised dishes, too. If you don't have one yet, I can't recommend it enough.
Joni Bos says
Turn out great my husband loved it.
MicKayla Clark says
This turned out perfectly –thank you! I added a good amount of buffalo sauce and made crispy chicken to go with! Created the best buffalo chicken mac and cheese.
Sarah Hill says
Oooh I love this idea!!!
Angela Effen says
Ohhhmygoeygoodness! So I omitted the hot sauce because I can’t do hot. But I also added some thick cut chopped bacon and white onion. Turned out fantastic will use this recipe again! Thank you
Judy A Goble says
Great recipe have made it several times my family and friends love it.
And easy to make and I not a cook
Bonnie says
Made this Mac & Cheese, it turned out amazing. Simple ingredients, I used 1/2 smoked gouda & 1/2 sharp cheddar plus added lump crab with a side of asparagus & garlic bread. Great meal. Now my husband wants to eat it more often
Jennifer says
This turned out perfectly –thank you!
Bethany says
This turned out perfectly –thank you!
Rose says
Wonderful recipe! I added a teaspoon of ground mustard and I added lobster to it. Made this for Christmas and have made it again two times after Christmas everybody loves this recipe!
Sharon B says
I made this but I cannot bake for a couple of hours do I refrigerate or leave out until ready to bake? Or bake immediately
Sarah Hill says
Hi Sharon, it should be ok on the counter for about an hour. Any longer and I recommend putting it in the fridge before you're able to bake it.
Diannah says
This was so good! My family asked if we could add this to holiday dinners. I did add 1 c diced ham & pepper jack cheese.
Sarah Hill says
ooh I love the addition of ham!! Glad everyone loved it.
Pamela says
Great and easy to follow — I’ll make it again! This is such a delicious recipe.