Valentina Ablaev
The most perfect mac and cheese casserole, baked in a creamy cheese sauce, making for the best comfort food! This recipe is foolproof; you will have the perfect baked mac and cheese before you know it! Mac and cheese is perfect as a side dish or a main dish!
Though we love creamy stovetop mac and cheese, a baked mac and cheese with a crisp topping is just something you can’t beat!
New Family-Favorite Casserole!
This simple casserole dish mac and cheese is the comfort food of all comfort foods. I don’t know about other moms out there, but I know that my kids will always finish their dinner if it consists of mac and cheese, and because of that, this recipe is always a win and will definitely become a favorite for dinner or to bring to parties.
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
This baked mac and cheese makes a crispy and delicious comfort meal, but have you tried our slow cooker mac and cheese? The result is a cheesy and creamy mac that is so simple to make!
Ingredients for Homemade Mac and Cheese Casserole
- Macaroni – we use elbow macaroni, but you can also use cavatappi.
- Roux – a simple roux made of butter and flour.
- Milk mixture – a combination of 2% and heavy cream for the perfect creamy texture.
- Seasoning – we used a blend of salt, paprika, black pepper, onion, and garlic powder.
- Cheese – a mix of your favorite cheeses to get the perfect cheese sauce.
- Crackers – an optional but delicious addition to this casserole.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Best Cheese Combinations for Baked Macaroni:
The key to an incredible cheese sauce is a combination of different cheeses to bring the perfect flavor and creamy texture.
To get a delicious cheese sauce, use a combination of melty cheese and flavorful cheese. Here are a few examples:
- Meltable cheeses: Mozzarella cheese, mild cheddar cheese, and gruyere.
- Flavorful cheese: Sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, and havarti.
You can mix and match any of these cheeses with great results!
Mac and Cheese Variations:
- Add protein: Bulk up this mac and cheese by adding meat! Make this mac and cheese casserole with chicken by adding cooked chicken breast to the mix before baking, just like in our cheesy baked chicken alfredo.
- Mac and cheese casserole with vegetables: Make this casserole a tad healthier with veggies! Add some broccoli florets or spinach for some extra vitamins.
How to Make Mac and Cheese Casserole
The perfect recipe that takes little prep, and most of the work is done in the oven!
- Cook noodles. Boil the macaroni noodles in salted water until al dente per package instructions. Drain the pasta and rinse.
2. Make roux. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and whisk in the flour. Cook on medium heat for a few minutes to cook off the flour, whisking continuously to prevent burning.
3. Add cream. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the milk, cream, dijon mustard, and seasoning. Cook until the mixture thickens and whisking until there are no clumps.
4. Add Cheese. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese one handful at a time. Whisk until there are no cheese clumps, and the sauce is nice and smooth.
5. Assemble. Add the macaroni to a 9×13 baking dish and top with cheese sauce. Stir to combine.
6. Bake. Top the mac and cheese with crushed crackers. Bake at 425°F for 18-20 minutes. You can also broil the macaroni at the end for 1-2 minutes to get the perfect crispy brown topping.
Expert Tips:
- Shred your own cheese! I can’t stress the importance of not using pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in a starchy film that prevents the cheese sauce from being creamy and silky.
- Don’t burn your roux. When cooking down your roux, it is essential to use a very low heat and stir constantly.
- Add the cheese correctly. When adding the cheese, taking the pot off the heat is essential. Add the cheese one handful at a time and stir until there are no lumps.
Make the Mac and Cheese in Advance
This mac and cheese casserole is so easy to make in advance! Undercook the noodles by 1 minute to prevent a mushy macaroni. Assemble the casserole without the crackers, and don’t bake. Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator overnight. Once ready to serve, top the casserole with crackers and bake at 425°F for 20-22 minutes.
How to Serve Mac and Cheese Casserole
- Protein: Pair the mac n cheese with crispy chicken wings for the perfect delicious combination! Homemade chicken tenders would also make the perfect combo.
- Salad: Cut those carbs and calories with a healthy side salad! Our creamy cabbage salad is refreshing, light, and delicious.
- Appetizer: Make a batch of crispy parmesan fries with mac and cheese.
Recipe FAQs
A grainy cheese sauce can be the result of a few things! Adding the cheese to the sauce while the heat is on or high can result in the cheese turning gritty. Another reason this can happen is if you don’t cook off the flour enough.
Panko, or a breadcrumb topping, makes an excellent substitute for the crackers! Mac and cheese with breadcrumbs is a classic variation; simply sub the crackers for 1 ½ cups of breadcrumbs or panko.
If you prefer a crispy, cheesy topping, you can swap out the crackers for more shredded cheese. Simply reserve a cup of cheese to use on top of the casserole.
Yes, you can absolutely use velveeta!
Store & Reheat
- Storage. Store leftover mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. To warm up the casserole, simply warm up the mac and cheese in a pan. Add a little water and cover with a lid; the steam will help melt the cheese and make creamy pasta.
- Freeze. We don’t recommend freezing this mac and cheese as the cheese sauce can separate.
More Comfort Recipes
If you enjoyed this mac and cheese recipe, be sure to try our other popular classic comfort recipes; here are some of our favorites:
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
Mac and Cheese Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups milk
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground onion
- ½ tsp ground garlic
- 6 cups shredded cheese see note
- 1/2 sleeve crackers topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Cook the macaroni in a pot of salted water to al dente according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and run under cold water.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until the flour is incorporated. Cook for 1-2 minutes to cook off the flour flavor.
- Turn the heat to low and add the milk, cream, mustard, and seasoning. Cook while stirring until the mixture thickens and there are no remaining flour clumps.
- Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese.
- Add macaroni to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
- Top with crushed crackers.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until bubbly. Do not overcook. You can broil for the last two minutes for the crackers to be extra crunchy.
Notes
- Cheese: You can use your favorite cheese or a combination of cheeses. We recommend mild or sharp cheddar, havarti, gouda or gruyere.
- Shred the cheese: I can’t stress the importance of not using pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in a starchy film that prevents the cheese sauce from being creamy and silky.
- Don’t burn your roux: When cooking down your roux, use a very low heat and stirring constantly.
- Add the cheese correctly: It is really important to take the pot off of the heat. Add the cheese one handful at a time and stir until there are no lumps.
- Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. To warm up the casserole, simply warm up the mac and cheese in a pan. Add a little water and cover with a lid; the steam will help melt the cheese and make creamy pasta.
- Freeze. We don’t recommend freezing this mac and cheese as the cheese sauce can separate.
