I make this mac and cheese recipe when the day runs long and the house needs comfort. Warm pasta meets a rich cheese sauce and the top bakes until crisp. You hear a soft crack as the spoon breaks the crust and steam curls up. We gather fast. I learned the method from my aunt who swore by a steady stir and good cheddar. Her note lives on a card in my drawer. I read it when I cook and I smile. We keep the sauce smooth and the pasta tender. The crumbs toast. The pan rests on a towel and the table goes quiet for a moment. Here we share the home made mac and cheese recipe that wins busy nights. If you want ideas I share stove top mac and cheese recipe for quick days, southern mac and cheese recipe baked for big meals, fast mac and cheese recipe when time feels tight, broccoli mac and cheese recipe for extra greens, and mac and cheese recipe videos for the steps you can watch. We cook simple food. We eat well. We feel calm.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese
- 4) How to Make Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese
- 5) Tips for Making Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese
- 6) Making Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese
- 8) Try these pasta casseroles next
- 9) Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
I write this as Camila on Camila Cooks and I keep it simple. This mac and cheese recipe fits weeknights and small gatherings. The sauce stays smooth. The top bakes to a gentle crunch. The pot holds heat and the table draws everyone in.
I use pasta with curves so the sauce clings. I grate cheese by hand so it melts clean. I season early and taste often. I rest the pan before we serve. The crust settles and the steam eases.
I love a flexible plan. You can switch cheeses or add broccoli. You can spoon the mix into ramekins for kids. You can keep it plain for a classic bite. The goal stays the same. Warm food. Calm pace. Happy plates.
2) Easy Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe
I reach for this pan on busy days. I say mac and cheese recipe twice in my head and I relax. The steps stay short and steady. The sauce thickens fast. The oven does the rest. I clear the counter and set out bowls.
We start with butter and flour. We whisk milk until it turns glossy. We fold in cheddar for the main pull and gruyere for depth. The pasta waits close by. I keep a wooden spoon near the pot so I can stir with ease. The mix goes silky and smooth.
I tuck this mac and cheese recipe into our routine. I say mac and cheese recipe again as I scatter crumbs over the top. The oven warms the kitchen. The crust turns golden. The smell fills the hall and people show up fast.
3) Ingredients for Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese
Elbow macaroni I like a small curve so the cheese nestles in each bend. The shape helps every bite taste rich and full.
Butter It starts the sauce and gives a soft base. I use unsalted so I control the final taste.
All purpose flour A quick whisk with butter makes a smooth paste. The paste thickens the milk without lumps.
Whole milk The extra body makes creamy mac and cheese feel lush without fuss. Warm milk blends fast and keeps the sauce even.
Sharp cheddar I grate it fresh so it melts clean. The sharp bite cuts through the richness and wakes up the dish.
Gruyere A small handful adds nutty notes. The mix gives the pull that we all love in baked mac and cheese.
Cream cheese A few cubes smooth the sauce. It holds the pasta in a soft coat without breaking.
Garlic powder One small spoon lifts the base. It stays gentle and keeps the focus on cheese.
Paprika A pinch brings color and a warm edge. It pairs with cheddar and gruyere with ease.
Kosher salt and black pepper I season the water and the sauce. Small shakes along the way lock in balance.
Panko crumbs Light flakes toast fast and give crunch. The top feels crisp and the inside stays soft.
Parmesan A quick grate over the crumbs helps them brown and adds a salty finish that fits the dish.
4) How to Make Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese
Step one Heat the oven to three hundred seventy five F. Butter a baking dish. Boil pasta in salted water until just tender. Drain and set aside.
Step two Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour to form a smooth paste. Cook the paste for two minutes as you whisk.
Step three Stream in warm milk while you whisk. Keep the pot moving until the sauce coats the spoon. Season with salt black pepper garlic powder and paprika.
Step four Take the pot off heat. Stir in cheddar gruyere and cream cheese. Mix until the sauce turns glossy and smooth. This base makes best homemade mac and cheese feel special.
Step five Fold pasta into the sauce. Spoon into the dish. Stir panko with a little melted butter and parmesan. Scatter the crumbs over the top for easy baked mac and cheese with breadcrumb topping that crunches well.
Step six Bake until the edges bubble and the top turns deep gold. Rest the pan for ten minutes. The sauce sets and each scoop lands neat on the plate.
5) Tips for Making Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese
Grate your cheese. Bagged shreds often contain starch that fights the melt. Fresh shreds slip into the sauce and give a clean pull. The sauce stays smooth and coats the pasta well.
Salt your water. The pasta picks up flavor in the pot and needs less work later. Taste the sauce as you go and adjust with a light hand. Small changes add up fast.
Mind the bake time. Pull the dish when the top turns golden. A long bake can dry the edges. A short rest brings everything together so each bite tastes like creamy mac and cheese done right.
6) Making Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese Ahead of Time
I build the dish early when the day looks tight. I assemble the sauce and pasta then I cool the pan. I cover it well and slide it into the fridge. The mix chills and firms a bit which makes tidy scoops later.
When I bake from cold I add a few minutes. I tent the top with foil for part of the time so the crumbs do not brown too fast. I pull the foil near the end so the crust turns crisp. The center stays soft and warm.
For quick nights I keep a pot of stovetop creamy mac and cheese for kids in mind as a backup. Same sauce. No bake. The oven stays free for a side or a tray of broccoli.
7) Storing Leftover Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese
I scoop leftovers into shallow containers. I chill them fast for neat slices the next day. The sauce holds well in the fridge and warms up without breaking. Small portions reheat best.
To warm a slice I add a spoon of milk and cover the dish. Gentle heat brings the sauce back to life. The top regains a light crunch under a quick broil. Watch it close so it does not darken too much.
For the freezer I wrap the dish tight and date the lid. Thaw in the fridge and bake until hot. The texture stays close to fresh when you keep the rest time at the end.
8) Try these pasta casseroles next
9) Ultimate Baked Mac And Cheese
Ultimate Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe by Camila
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- Kosher salt for the water
For the Cheese Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.25 teaspoon paprika
- 12 ounces sharp cheddar shredded
- 4 ounces gruyere shredded
- 2 ounces cream cheese
For the Topping
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 0.25 cup grated parmesan
Instructions
Prep
- Heat the oven to 375 F and butter a large baking dish.
- Boil the macaroni in salted water until just tender then drain.
Make the Sauce
- Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat then whisk in the flour.
- Cook the paste for two minutes while you whisk.
- Slowly pour in the milk while you whisk until smooth and thick.
- Season with salt garlic powder black pepper and paprika.
- Take the pot off the heat and stir in cheddar gruyere and cream cheese until smooth.
Combine and Bake
- Fold the macaroni into the sauce then spoon into the baking dish.
- Stir the crumbs with melted butter and parmesan then scatter over the top.
- Bake until the top turns deep gold and the edges bubble about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Let the pan rest for 10 minutes before serving.
10) Nutrition
Serving size one cup. Calories five hundred twenty. Sugar six grams. Sodium seven hundred twenty milligrams. Fat twenty eight grams. Saturated fat sixteen grams. Carbohydrates forty six grams. Fiber two grams. Protein twenty two grams. Cholesterol eighty five milligrams.
Written by Camila for Camila Cooks. This page uses the main keyword mac and cheese recipe in plain speech. It also uses short forms like mac and cheese and baked mac and cheese and creamy mac and cheese to help readers find what they need.
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