How Do You Keep Mac And Cheese Creamy
One thing that is great about this recipe is that since it is not simply made with cheese, broth, and butter it will keep its creaminess. The evaporated milk does a great job of adding that little extra touch without overpowering the dish.
Also, if you feel like it has started to dry out, add a little bit more of the evaporated milk into the mac and cheese before you reheat it.
What Noodles Are Best For Macaroni
A classic macaroni noodle will always be a great choice for baked macaroni. I also like to use a large elbow because they hold a bit more cheese sauce.
For this recipe I used cavatapi noodles because the curve is great for a baked mac and cheese. One of my other favorite noodles for this dish is small shells.
The Best Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese
The BEST Homemade Mac and Cheese of your LIFE. Outrageously cheesy, ultra creamy, and topped with a crunchy Panko-Parmesan topping, this mac and cheese recipe is most definitely a keeper. I used three different cheese and a homemade cheese sauce to take this macaroni and cheese recipe over the top. Love cheesy recipes? Make sure to try this Lazy Day Lasagna and Cheesy Kielbasa Rice and Broccoli Skillet next week for dinner!
This post is sponsored by Walmart and SheKnows Media.
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Whats The Best Type Of Cheese To Use For Mac And Cheese
When it comes to homemade macaroni and cheese, we recommend using two types of cheese if you can one for creaminess and one for flavor. We used gouda for creaminess and sharp cheddar for flavor in this recipe, but feel free to use a different kind of cheese if you wish. Any combination of cheeses listed below will work beautifully:
- ANY Cheddar Cheese
How To Make Crock Pot Mac And Cheese
- Add pasta and liquids to the slow cooker. Sprinkle in seasonings and stir.
- Cover and cook 1 hour. Stir. Cover and cook another 10 minutes.
- Stir in cream cheese and grated cheese. Cover and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Stir and serve.
How easy is that?! No fancy cream sauce to make just hands-off cook time so you can go relax!
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Microwave Macaroni And Cheese
Total time:
How to cook:
Notes
About This Easy Baked Macaroni And Cheese:
This baked macaroni and cheese is made like Grandma used to make it, the old fashioned, baked in a casserole dish style. If youre looking for a creamy, non-baked recipe, youll probably love this copycat Panera mac and cheese or Instant Pot macaroni and cheese.
I just love this baked macaroni and cheese, though. Its a little bit chewier, with lots of great cheddar cheese flavor, and I especially love the way the top crisps up in the oven.
Plus its so easy! You just boil pasta, mix with grated cheese, a couple tablespoons of flour, and seasonings, put it in a casserole dish, and pour the milk over it. Thats it! No messing with white sauces or tricky steps. No getting four pots and pans dirty!
You can prep this macaroni and cheese ahead of time and keep it in the fridge overnight. Its ready to bake when you want it!
Baked mac and cheese is a total crowd pleaser. This is a great recipe for busy weeknight meals but also for entertaining. Perfect for potlucks!
Enjoy one of our familys favorite meals! I grew up eating this macaroni and cheese and it was always a special day when my mom prepared it. Now I love serving it to my family and I especially love how easy it is to prepare. Im sure you will too!
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Why This Recipe Works
Creamy & Dreamy: Honestly, this is really all you need in a macaroni and cheese recipe. It is perfectly creamy and cheesy with the combination of milk, cream cheese and pepper jack cheese. The smooth, creamy texture is so comforting. Plus, I make sure that the cheese to macaroni ratio is just right, so that you get delicious bites of perfectly balanced pasta and cheese every time!
Easy to Whip Up: I think every home cook wants to perfect a classic homemade macaroni and cheese but one thing that stops them is all of the effort. But this old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese is actually so easy! And it is totally worth the little bit of extra effort that it needs compared to making boxed macaroni and cheese.
So Yummy: This baked macaroni pasta thing is LIFE I tell ya. So much yum, so much delish, so much WOW this tastes so amazing I want to eat it for the rest of my life packed into one dish I can hardly stand it. You and the whole family will be impressed with your mac & cheese skills!
Microwave Mac N Cheese
Total time:
- 75g macaroni or other pasta
- 250ml cold chicken stock , milk or water
- handful of spinach or 1/2 tsp Marmite
Nutrition:
- Saturated Fat: 17 grams saturated fat
- Carbohydrate: 55 grams carbohydrates
- Sodium: 1.8 milligram of sodium
How to cook:
Notes
COOKING TIPS:
How to cook boxed macaroni in microwave?
Pour the water in the dish and boil the water in the microwave. Carefully add the pasta to the bowl and gently stir until it is saturated. Microwave on high for three minutes. Remove the dish from the microwave and put a cover or lid on it. Drain the macaroni. How do you cook boxed macaroni in the microwave?
How to Cook Pasta in the microwave?
How long to Cook Mac and cheese in microwave?
Should macaroni be cooked in hot or cold water?
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Tips To Make The Best Baked Mac And Cheese
- Cook your pasta to less than al dente, about one minute from package directions.
- Whisk in cold milk, not warm to prevent the flour from clumping.
- Buy cheese in block form and take a few moments to grate it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese will not melt well and wont create a truly smooth and creamy sauce.
- Proteins: If youd like to add proteins, I recommend one of these proteins: Chicken, Shrimp, crab, or Lobster.
- Spices: Change up the flavor by using spices like Cajun, Chipotle, or Fajita seasonings.
- Make it Spicy: Add Tabasco or Sriracha sauce.
- Veggies: Add some steamed broccoli florets into this dish.
How To Make A Bread Crumb Topping
Combine the following and sprinkle over your casserole before baking.
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon parsley
This recipe makes an extra saucy creamy macaroni. Do not over-bake this recipe. You want it creamy and rich, over-baking will cause it to dry out. I find that 20 minutes is perfect in my oven, the cheese sauce will thicken slightly while standing.
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Can I Make This Ahead And Reheat It
We dont recommend reheating macaroni and cheese as it never tastes quite the same and theres a possibility that the macaroni will become mushy. However, if this is a deal breaker, you can reheat it simply add some milk to loosen the thickened sauce while reheating. We recommend making it and having it ready right before you leave. Turn off the slow cooker but leave the lid on. When you arrive stir it and loosen with milk if needed.
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Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Season your breadcrumbs. You can add some parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, dried herbs, or crushed red pepper to add extra flavor to the breadcrumb topping.
- Use different cheeses. Gruyere is a great melting cheese and adds a delicious nutty flavor, but feel free to mix in some other cheeses like sharp white cheddar, gouda, fontina, or even some blue cheese.
- Add in some extra protein or veggies. Cooked ground beef, turkey, or even chicken goes great with mac and cheese. Or add in some sautéed broccoli, mushrooms, or peppers for a bit of added nutrition. Just make sure to cook them beforehand before adding them to the mac and cheese.
- Try different types of pasta. Elbow macaroni is classic, but you can also use shells, cavatappi, or even spiralized veggie noodles for a healthier option. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly for the type of pasta you use.
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Variations Of Mac And Cheese
- Bacon if you love bacon, feel free to add some crispy, crumbled bacon to the topping, or even inside the mac and cheese as well!
- Stovetop if youd prefer not to bake this mac and cheese, you dont have to! Make sure you boil your pasta until al dente , and youll only need about 3 3 1/2 cups of cheese total. No need to layer the pasta and cheese, just add all the cheese to the sauce, then combine with the pasta.
- Different Toppings Im a huge fan of the cheese layer on top, since it gets nice and crispy, but we also love tossing 1 cup of panko with 2 Tbsp of melted butter and using that as a topping. 1 cup of crushed Ritz crackers with 2 Tbsp of butter work amazingly well too!
- Different Baking Times the recipe calls for a lower baking temperature and time, but most of the time I find myself adjusting that based on my familys tastes. I like to bake this mac and cheese at 350 F degrees for 30 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes to get that glorious cheesy crust.
How To Make Baked Mac And Cheese
Add butter to skillet, as soon as butter melts whisk in flour. Continue whisking until flour is fully mixed with butter. Then cook for about a minute to get rid of the flour taste.
Slowly add evaporated milk a little at the time, followed by the half and half you do not want the mixture to form any lumps. Simmer for about 3-5 minutes until mixture thickens slightly.
Add seasonings, onion and garlic powder, creole seasoning and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer and let it simmer gently for about 2 minutes. Stir in the cheeses , and continue stirring until everythings melted and evenly combined and, smooth. Salt & pepper, to taste.
Then add the pasta to the pot, stir to evenly incorporate.
Transfer the pasta mixture into acast iron skillet or into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish top with remaining cheese.
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To Bake Or Not To Bake:
You dont have to bake the mac and cheese in this recipe. Everything gets fully cooked and is essentially ready to eat after the cheese and noodles are added. However, I love the extra gooeyness that comes when the cheese is baked and I think baking it adds a level of sophistication you just dont get without.
Variations Of Crock Pot Mac And Cheese
- Pasta Shapes to mimic the classic recipe, I normally use elbow pasta. But any short-cut pasta works just as well! Medium shells, penne, rotini, etc. Just note that different pastas will have slightly different cook times, so use the recipe times as an approximate.
- Cooking Liquids like I mentioned above, I prefer the taste and consistency of chicken broth, evaporated milk and heavy cream. However, feel free to test out different proportions of those liquids, or try out different liquids. Just note that I can only vouch for this recipe as written.
- Cheeses As with most mac and cheese recipes, the types of cheese called for are not the only ones you can use. Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Colby, Gruyere, sharp cheddar any and all!
- Seasonings feel free to add in additional seasonings that you love in your mac and cheese.
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What To Serve With Baked Mac And Cheese
Mac and Cheese is worthy of serving as a meal in its own right, served with just a fresh green salad or simple vegetable side. Nothing heavy because Macaroni Cheese is so rich as it is!
As a side dish, it will compliment virtually any non-Asian main dish. From simple Baked Pork Chops to Steak, a Roast Chicken to Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs, the only things I probably would not serve with Mac and Cheese would be very light summery mains such as a Tuna Tartare just a little too much contrast.
And of course, festive gatherings! Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter alongside a grand Roast Turkey or your Herb & Garlic Butter Slathered Turkey Breast, the juicy Roast Pork with impossibly Crispy Crackling or your Prime Rib thats so perfectly blushing pink all the way through, it makes you want to weep.
Holidays would not be the same without this Mac and Cheese!! Nagi xx
Why Youll Love This Cheesy Mac And Cheese Recipe
- A satisfying crunchy topping. Crisp panko breadcrumbs crown the mac and cheese recipe, giving a wonderful mix of textures in every bite.
- An easy weeknight meal. Only a handful of ingredients needed, you can whip this up for lunch or dinner in no time!
- Its customizable. This macaroni recipe is exceptional as written, but you can easily add veggies, chicken, bacon and even lobster to customize this recipe.
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Can You Freeze Baked Mac And Cheese
If you want to get ahead for a busy weeknight, you can make a dish of this mac and cheese in advance. But don’t bake it. Instead, follow all the steps, assemble it, and cook it completely. Then cover it with aluminum foil, and put it in the freezer.
When you’re ready to bake it, thaw it in the fridge for 24 hours, then bake it. You may need to add 5 to 10 minutes of cook time for the casserole to be completely done. But just monitor it for a bubbly, browning top. That’ll be your cue it’s ready to come out of the oven.
Editorial contributions by Alexandra Emanuelli.
Perfect Mac And Cheese In 5 Steps:
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Cooking Tips For Baked Mac And Cheese
- Boiling the pasta cook the pasta less than you normally would. I like to boil my elbow pasta for between 4 and 5 minutes. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven, and you dont want it to get mushy.
- Use room temp liquids if you can cold liquids generally take longer to thicken than warmer ones. I usually set my milk and half and half out while the water for the pasta is coming up to a boil.
- The cheeses use your favorites! Our personal favorites are the cheddar and gruyere used in this recipe, but you can be very creative with the cheese selection here. Mozzarella, gouda, smoked gouda, swiss, monterey jack, colby jack, colby. There are plenty of reader comments down below the recipe that talk about the cheeses they used!
- Shred your own I know its a pain, and its SO tempting to use the pre-shredded cheese in the bags. But those bags of cheese contain a starchy substance that keeps the cheese from clumping which also prohibits it from melting as well as it should.