I grew up with a pan of mac and cheese on the table and a wooden spoon in my hand. I kept stirring and I kept sneaking bites. The sauce hugged each elbow and the top turned golden and crisp. That memory still follows me into the kitchen. We make this when the day feels loud and long. The first spoonful says you made it home. This version keeps the heart of a classic mac and cheese recipe and bakes into a creamy center with a gentle crust. You can lean into a baked macaroni and cheese recipe on a weeknight or bring it to a potluck. Friends ask for seconds and then ask for the method. I smile and say it is simple work and steady heat. We talk about choices. You can try a creamy mac and cheese recipe crockpot on a busy day or stick with the oven for a southern mac and cheese recipe baked. You can serve it next to cheesy baked chicken and watch the plates clear. I even watch mac and cheese recipe videos when I want new twists. At home I love a home made mac and cheese recipe that tastes rich, clean, and warm. We sit down. We eat. We relax.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese
- 4) How to Make Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese
- 5) Tips for Making Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese
- 6) Making Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese
- 8) Try these Pasta Dinner next
- 9) Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
Camila here from Camila Cooks at https://www.camilacooks.com. I keep a calm kitchen and a hot oven. This pan gives creamy pasta and gentle crunch. Families nod. Kids grin. Plates clear.
Simple method meets steady heat. A roux turns smooth. Milk turns thick. Cheese melts clean. Pasta goes tender. The bake finishes the job.
Make it on a weeknight or for a party. Scale it up with ease. The mac and cheese recipe stays friendly and fast. Leftovers reheat well with a splash of milk.
2) Easy Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe
We start with comfort and we say it out loud twice. This mac and cheese recipe feels warm. This mac and cheese recipe tastes rich. I pull a pot from the shelf and I smile. Steam rises. Cheese waits. Bread crumbs sit ready.
The base stays classic. Butter meets flour. Milk follows. Cheddar leads. Mozzarella joins. Cream cheese fills the gaps. The sauce turns glossy and smooth. Pasta holds shape and soaks up flavor. Baked macaroni and cheese fits every table and keeps the room happy.
I write and cook at Camila Cooks with a calm voice and a steady spoon. I test in a small kitchen and I serve to friends. The result stays true. A friendly mac and cheese dinner that works for busy nights and slow Sundays.
3) Ingredients for Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese
Elbow macaroni Short tubes grip sauce and give tender bite. I cook them a touch firm so the bake keeps structure. A good mac and cheese recipe needs pasta that holds up on the plate.
Unsalted butter Butter lays down flavor and helps the flour bloom. I like a slow melt in a wide pot so nothing scorches and the roux stays smooth.
All purpose flour Flour thickens the sauce and keeps the melt stable. Two minutes of gentle cooking takes away raw notes and builds body.
Whole milk Milk brings a soft finish and a clean dairy taste. Cold milk works if you pour in slow and whisk with care. The sauce tightens and turns silky.
Sharp cheddar Cheddar gives punch and color. I shred by hand so it melts without clumps. Store shreds can coat and slow the melt.
Mozzarella Mozzarella gives stretch and a mild pull. It softens the bite of cheddar and helps the sauce cling to every elbow.
Cream cheese Cream cheese adds body and a lush mouth feel. Small cubes vanish into the pot and leave the sauce extra smooth.
Dijon mustard A spoon wakes the sauce and lifts the cheese. You will not taste mustard. You will taste brighter cheese.
Kosher salt Salt seasons pasta water and sauce. Start light then taste. Cheese carries salt too.
Black pepper and paprika Pepper brings warmth. Paprika adds color and a soft edge. Both support the creamy baked mac and cheese idea.
Panko and melted butter If you crave crunch use panko. Toss with melted butter and scatter on top for a gentle crust.
4) How to Make Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese
Step 1 Heat the oven to three hundred seventy five F. Grease a nine by thirteen inch dish. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the pasta. Cook to very firm. Drain well.
Step 2 Set the pot over medium heat. Add butter. When it melts whisk in flour. Cook two minutes and whisk the whole time so the roux stays smooth and pale.
Step 3 Pour in milk slow and steady while you whisk. The sauce thickens. You see small bubbles. The texture turns glossy and coats the spoon.
Step 4 Drop heat low. Stir in cheddar mozzarella and cream cheese. The sauce turns rich and even. Stir in mustard salt pepper and paprika.
Step 5 Fold in pasta until every elbow shines. Spoon into the dish. Mix panko with melted butter and sprinkle over the top if you want a crust. Bake until edges bubble and the top looks light brown. Rest ten minutes.
5) Tips for Making Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese
Salt the pasta water like the sea. The noodles pull that flavor inside and taste better in every bite. Short shapes like elbows or shells catch more sauce and help a baked macaroni and cheese plan shine.
Shred your own cheese. Packaged shreds often carry starch and that slows the melt. A hand grater makes quick work and gives a smooth sauce with clean pull.
Stop the pasta early. Two minutes short of tender keeps shape after the oven time. For a stovetop mac and cheese feel skip the crumb and serve right from the pot.
6) Making Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese Ahead of Time
Cook pasta firm. Toss with a spoon of oil and cool on a tray. The shape stays neat and the sauce grips later. This move saves time on busy nights.
Build the sauce and fold in pasta. Chill the dish covered. Before dinner set it on the counter for twenty minutes. Bake until hot and bubbly. For a baked mac and cheese tone add crumbs right before the oven so they toast not soak.
If the pan looks tight add a splash of milk around the edges before it bakes. The heat loosens the sauce and brings back that creamy macaroni and cheese comfort we love.
7) Storing Leftover Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese
Pack leftovers in shallow containers. Cool fast then chill. They keep for three days without losing texture. For longer storage freeze in single portions.
Reheat on the stove with a little milk and a gentle stir. The sauce wakes up and turns smooth again. A small pat of butter helps the gloss return.
For lunch I warm a cup and add a side salad. The mac and cheese recipe tastes fresh and steady. It travels well and feeds kids and grown ups with the same happy nod.
8) Try these Pasta Dinner next
9) Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese
Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese mac and cheese recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 4 ounces cream cheese cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 0.25 teaspoon paprika
- 0.25 cup panko bread crumbs optional
- 1 tablespoon melted butter optional for topping
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni. Cook until very firm. Drain.
- Set the pot over medium heat. Add the butter. When it melts whisk in the flour. Cook and whisk for two minutes until it looks smooth.
- Slowly pour in the milk while whisking. Cook and whisk until the sauce looks thick and smooth.
- Turn the heat to low. Stir in cheddar mozzarella and cream cheese until the sauce looks glossy.
- Stir in mustard salt pepper and paprika. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce and stir until each piece looks coated.
- Tip the pasta into the baking dish. Mix the bread crumbs with melted butter and sprinkle over the top if you like.
- Bake until the edges bubble and the top looks lightly browned. Rest for ten minutes before serving.
10) Nutrition
Serving size one cup. Calories five hundred twenty. Sugar six g. Sodium six hundred forty mg. Fat twenty six g. Saturated fat fifteen g. Carbohydrates forty nine g. Fiber two g. Protein twenty two g. Cholesterol seventy five mg.
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