Baked Macaroni and Cheese
This is the real deal baked mac and cheese that folks line up for at church dinners and family reunions. It's creamy, cheesy, and has that golden-brown top with crispy edges that everybody fights over. This ain't no boxed stuff – this is love in a casserole dish.
Cooking tutorial
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 1 tbsp salt (for pasta water)
- 6 tbsp butter, divided
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 lb)
- 2 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded (about 8 oz)
- 1 cup Colby Jack cheese, shredded (about 4 oz)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika (plus extra for topping)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter real good – don't be shy with it.
- 2
Bring a big pot of water to a rolling boil, add the tablespoon of salt, then cook your macaroni for 6 minutes – you want it a little undercooked because it'll finish cooking in the oven. Drain it and toss with 2 tablespoons of butter so it don't stick together.
- 3
In a big bowl, beat those eggs real good, then stir in the whole milk, heavy cream, and evaporated milk until it's all mixed together nice and smooth.
- 4
Add the seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and paprika to your milk mixture and whisk it up.
- 5
In another bowl, mix together all your shredded cheeses – save about 1 and a half cups for the topping.
- 6
Put half the macaroni in your greased baking dish, then sprinkle half of your cheese mixture over it. Pour half the milk mixture over that. Repeat with the rest of the macaroni, cheese, and milk mixture.
- 7
Take the remaining cup and a half of cheese and spread it all over the top. Cut up the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter into little pieces and dot them all over the top, then sprinkle with a little extra paprika for color.
- 8
Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes until it's golden brown on top and bubbling around the edges – you'll see it puffing up a bit and that's just right.
- 9
Let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving so it can set up proper and folks don't burn their mouths in their excitement.
Pro Tips
- ★Don't use pre-shredded cheese if you can help it – block cheese you shred yourself melts way better and tastes creamier because it don't have that anti-caking stuff on it.
- ★If you like a real crusty top, put it under the broiler for the last 2 to 3 minutes, but watch it close so it don't burn.