How To Make Oven
Here are a few kitchen tools I recommend to make this recipe easier:
- KitchenAid Mixer with shredder attachment this will shred the blocks of cheese in a fraction of the time.
- If the KitchenAid and attachments are outside of your budget, this Hamilton Beach food processor is a great option!
- Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven Any heavy-bottomed pot will do, but I love my Tramontina dutch oven set. Its a budget-friendly option that really stands up against the test of time. Weve used ours for years!
- 3 Quart Casserole Dish must be oven safe!
Much like my Chicken Divan Casserole, this recipe has a creamy cheese sauce as the base, which means you need to make a roux!
What Makes Black Folks Soul Food Baked Mac And Cheese So Different
Today, this Southern recipe is still made from scratch. Prepared with a combination of soul food seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic, onion, paprika, flour, milk, and a mix of cheeses. Commonly mozzarella, cheddar, and American cheese, baked until creamy on top and golden brown on the edges!
Some soul food baked mac and cheese recipes interchange evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk.
Do You Need To Bake Mac And Cheese
Creamy mac and cheese recipes that start with a roux-based sauce , do not need to be baked before serving. A creamy stovetop mac and cheese recipe is designed to go straight from the pot to the plate — no oven necessary. You could also serve this mac and cheese without baking — it will just be really saucy. By contrast, Southern-style mac and cheese recipes must be baked in order to cook the egg and help the dish set.
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Can Mac And Cheese Be Cooked On The Stovetop
Making macaroni and cheese on the stovetop is super easy and faster because it doesnt have the extra step of baking the macaroni dish.
Here are four tips that will help you make the perfect stovetop macaroni and cheese:
The Best Cheeses To Use For Mac And Cheese
While this recipe calls for extra-sharp yellow Cheddar cheese and sharp white Cheddar, you can use whatever cheese you have on hand. The key is picking a cheese that melts well. Or, take things up a notch and experiment with aged and flavored cheeses.
Some commonly used types of cheese in baked mac and cheese include:
Gruyere cheese
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Best Cheese For Mac And Cheese
A combination of Gruyere and mozzarella cheese. Gruyerefor the most superior flavour with the best melting qualities for creamy sauces such as this theres no contention in my view. And mozzarella for stretch nothing does the cheese pull like a good mozzarella!
But honestly, any cheese that melts well works is excellent with Mac and Cheese, such as cheddar, tasty, Colby, Swiss, Pepper Jack, Emmental.
Tips For Creamy Mac And Cheese
While we feel like we cracked the code on creamy oven-baked mac and cheese, there are definitely a few tips that will ensure that your finished product is as creamy as ours was!
- Use Freshly Shredded Cheese we are all about convenience over here, and typically, we are game for buying a bag of pre-shredded cheese, but when it comes to homemade mac and cheese, buying a block and shredding it yourself is the way to go. Pre shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents, making it less creamy and rich than the freshly shredded stuff.
- Add More Whole Milk if your mac and cheese isnt as creamy as youd like, feel free to add another splash of milk! Also, whole milk makes for a much creamier mac and cheese than skim or 2% milk, so when it comes to mac and cheese, we say that splurging on the good stuff is totally worth it!
- Dont Skip the Cream Cheese the cream cheese in this recipe is essential for making a super creamy sauce!
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Faq: Baked Mac And Cheese
What can I add to macaroni and cheese?
This recipe is great as is, but you could always add fried onions on top, mix in pulled chicken or pork, lobster, crawfish, shrimp, crab meatanything that sounds good to you!
What is the most popular cheese used in mac and cheese recipe?
Sharp cheddar cheese is best and the most popular for mac and cheese.
What can you put in macaroni and cheese instead of milk?
You can use evaporated milk, heavy cream, or half and half.
What is the best pasta for mac and cheese?
Use elbow macaroni noodles for the best results. Any noodle with grooves and ridges will also work.
How to avoid lumps in mac and cheese?
Pour the milk in slowly while whisking constantly.
How Did Mac And Cheese Become Soul Food
Hemings legacy of baked mac and cheese continued long after the Emancipation Proclamation in the 1860s.
Macaroni and cheese began to have new meanings and multiple identities in the Black community.
Mac and cheese became a celebratory dish, a convenient comfort food, and a meal stretcher for impoverished families.
We recognize this dish today as soul food!
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How To Make A Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe Easy
This homemade mac and cheese is an ideal side dish that you can prep ahead for special holidays like Thanksgiving or for large family suppers. Assemble it in advance and keep it in the fridge for a couple of days! You can also serve the mac and cheese as a main course for dinner. Throw in some shredded chicken or diced ham, add veggies like steamed broccoli or frozen peas, and you’ve got a delicious and satisfying meal in one pan. The simple, old-fashioned combination of pasta and cheese is always crowd-pleasing!
Tips For The Best Macaroni And Cheese Youll Ever Eat
Feel like you may still need some help? If you have time, jump over to this post for the juicy details: 18 Secrets to the Richest, Creamiest Mac and Cheese Youll Ever Eat or focus on these tips:
Never stop stirring your milk once it hits the pan. If your skillet is too hot or you walk away and for a minute you could scorch the white sauce and it will curdle. It doesnt really hurt the taste, but it will look sort of clumpy. Some readers have called it grainy. It only takes 5 minutes. Just hang out and stir until that sauce is thick enough to coat the back of your spoon.
Use good cheese in your baked macaroni and cheese. That means avoiding bagged, pre-shredded cheeses because they contain cellulose that can in some cases cause your cheese not to melt as it should. -And speaking of cheese, you have so many options! My favorite is sharp cheddar and Swiss.
-Try to choose a melting cheese and a flavor cheesefor the best flavor and texture in your baked macaroni and cheese.
Do taste as you go. Taste your cheese sauce before you add your pasta. Is it bland? That can be because of the cheese you used or even the kind of salt you seasoned with. If it doesnt have enough flavor, add a pinch more salt, stir it in and taste it again until it suits you.
-Feel free to add more pasta if you want to. Some people say that this recipe doesnt have enough noodles in it, but Ive never had that problem. And yes, you should cook your pasta before adding it to the cheese sauce.
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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.
Creamy Easy Baked Mac And Cheese
Ooey, gooey and oh-so-cheesy! This creamy, easy baked mac and cheese is the best mac and cheese recipe that you’ll ever taste. A made-from-scratch sauce with two different types of cheese creates the smoothest, richest, creamiest casserole. Kids and adults devour this old-fashioned, homemade side dish, which pairs nicely with everything from Thanksgiving turkey to Christmas ham, fried chicken, meatloaf, and pork chops.
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How Long To Bake Mac And Cheese
There is only one rule that you need to remember when baking mac and cheese: dont bake it too long otherwise youll bake away the sauce leaving you with a dry mixture.
Baking it at around 20 minutes at 375 degrees F guarantees you that same stretchy cheesy baked mac and cheese with all the heart-melting sauce. Or you can also bake it at 30 minutes at 350 F
Although weve tried a couple of Mac and Cheese recipes, nothing compares to this one which has a smooth silky sauce that permeates every inch of elbow macaroni there is.
Youd fall head over heels with the brimming Southern flavors of what this baked mac and cheese has to offer. Its got a note of heat and smokiness. Youd need a bigger a spoon, for sure!
This would be delightful at any time. Oh, especially during these cold winter months. So dont wait for special occasions to whip up a pan of this.
Heck, you could even make this on the daily. You can also explore different southern comfort food ideas to prepare every day! Go ahead, take a bite, nobodys looking.
Want more recipes like this? Try my Ground Beef Casserole here, my mac and cheese the Caribbean way Trinidad Macaroni Pie and my heartier and meatier Chili Mac and Cheese.
Happy eating!
Can I Freeze Macaroni And Cheese
I get asked that a lot and my answer is always no. As the pasta and cheese sauce sit, it will thicken and when you thaw it and bake it, the creamy consistency is just gone. Its thick and gloppy. Plus if you freeze it and its still a bit warm, water crystals will form and then thaw into your dish and could make it separate when you bake it. Besides, its so fast to make, theres not really a reason to freeze your macaroni and cheese.
The Chunky Chef09/30/2019
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This baked mac and cheese is a family favorite recipe, loved by both children and adults. It uses a combination of cheeses, layered in the dish as well as melted into a rich and creamy cheese sauce, for the ultimate in cheesy deliciousness! Perfect for a comforting dinner or as a holiday side dish!
Looking for other comfort food dishes? Check out my Homemade Sloppy Joes, Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Crockpot Meatloaf, and Homestyle No-Boil Mashed Potatoes!
BAKED MAC AND CHEESE
Baked mac and cheese. Its nearly the universal comfort food, and there are SO many variations! In fact, I almost didnt post this recipe, as there are SOOOO many mac and cheese recipes available, and most people already have their favorite way of making it.
Of course, theres no right way or wrong way, so Im here sharing the way I like to make my mac and cheese .
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Can You Make Macaroni And Cheese In The Slow Cooker
Mac and cheese is also one of the easiest dishes to make, but when you hear slow cooker, your first thought might be that it would take all day.
Not so! Slow cookers are a great way to make macaroni and cheese. You can have mac and cheese ready in less than an hour if you use the right ingredients and follow these simple instructions.
The best part about this recipe is that it requires only one pot. There is no need for multiple dishes and pots just your slow cooker !
For baked mac and cheese, the extra baking step is necessary to achieve that golden bubbly texture!
Making Instant Pot Mac And Cheese Ahead Of Time
Some recipes are great, and even better, when made ahead but mac and cheese just isnt one of them.
As the pasta sits, it absorbs more and more of the sauce, making the mac and cheese dry, and the noodles mushy.
In my opinion, this is a recipe that just tastes the best when made right before you eat it.
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How To Measure Pasta For This Recipe
Sometimes a reader or two has had an issue with how much pasta this recipe needs. This recipe is written by volume and sometimes people think that since a cup is 8 ounces that they can simply use 12-16 ounces of pasta or go by the weight of the dry pasta written on the box.
Youll end up with problems if you do this. Please follow the volume instructions and measure your pasta dry in a measuring cup meant for dry items . Small pastas like ditalini or little wagon wheels can go up to about 2 cups and be fine in the recipe, and large ones like bow tie or cellentani can as well. If you will stick to elbow pasta until you get the hang of things youll be better off.
Ive made this recipe with every pasta shape on the market and if you will measure in cups, your recipe will be just right.
Storing Crock Pot Mac And Cheese
The leftovers from this mac and cheese recipe need to be refrigerated. Let the leftovers cool completely, cover, then refrigerate for up to 3 days. For optimal texture, add enough milk to thin the sauce before packing up the leftovers, that way you can easily scoop out a portion to reheat, and the milk will meld into the cream sauce as it reheats.
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Is Baked Mac And Cheese Better Than Stovetop
Although stovetop mac and cheese cooks faster, baked mac and cheese has an unrivaled and addictive cheesy and crispy topping.
Proving that faster isnt always better!
Baked macaroni and cheese is a Southern family favorite because its hearty, easy to make, and kids love it! Its delicious as soon as it comes out of the oven.
This recipe for oven-baked mac and cheese will have you coming back for seconds and thirds!
Its the perfect recipe to try at home when youre feeling bored with your usual pasta dinner routine or youre ready for a soul food take on an old classic!
Recipe Tips And Advice
Storage Store these mac and cheese bites by wrapping them in tin foil and keeping them in the fridge for about 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Materials For this recipe youll need an air fryer, mixing bowls, parchment paper, a baking tray, a whisk and a wooden spoon.
To Air Fry or Not to Air Fry You dont have to have an air fryer to make this recipe! I used an air fryer because the clean-up is much easier and uses less oil. If you want, you can deep fry them in a pot of oil and heres how:
Instead of placing the bites in the air fryer, heat a pot or dutch oven over the stove and pour in 3-4 tablespoons of a neutral oil. Allow the oil to reach 350-360 degrees and check using a food thermometer. Once the oil is hot enough, carefully place a few balls in the oil and let them fry for 3 minutes, or until theyre golden brown and float to the top. Do this in a few batches to not overcrowd the pot. Line a plate or tray with paper towels and transfer the mac and cheese bites from the oil to the paper towels.
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Here’s What You Need:
- U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish — We prefer choosing catfish fillets where the packaging is marked U.S. Farm-Raised for the safest option with consistent flavor.
- Panko — Other breadcrumbs or crackers can work, but we like the crispy crust resulted from the Panko brands.
- Pasta — You can use any shape pasta. We’re fans of the traditional elbow shape.
- Cheese — Use your favorite flavor variety. Our choice is half sharp cheddar and half Monterey jack.
- Eggs, evaporated milk, butter — These create the creamy milk mixture.
- Salt& pepper — of course.
You can add your favorite spices to this recipe, like garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, hot sauce, etc.