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Baked Mac and Cheese

Baked mac and cheese with a silky, thickened cheddar sauce and a golden browned cheese crust. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less, bake until bubbly, then rest for clean, long cheese pulls.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Elbow macaroni
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni Use elbow macaroni for classic ridged texture that holds sauce.
Butter
  • 0.5 cup butter
All-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
Whole milk
  • 4 cup whole milk
Evaporated milk
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
Salt
  • 1 tsp salt
Black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Dry mustard
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
Smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Shredded sharp cheddar
  • 4 cup shredded sharp cheddar Divide so half melts into the sauce and half tops the baked dish.
Gruyere or Colby jack
  • 2 cup shredded Gruyere or Colby jack Choose either cheese; divide so some melts into the sauce and some tops for browning.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F, then butter a 9x13-inch baking dish so it won’t stick and the crust can brown evenly.
Cook the pasta
  1. Cook the elbow macaroni 2 minutes less than package directions, then drain so it finishes cooking during the bake.
Make the cheese sauce
  1. Melt the butter, whisk in the all-purpose flour, and cook for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
  2. Slowly whisk in the whole milk and evaporated milk until smooth, then keep whisking until the mixture looks glossy.
  3. Simmer for 5-6 minutes until thickened, then season with salt, black pepper, dry mustard, and smoked paprika.
  4. Stir in 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar and 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere or Colby jack until melted, then fold in the drained pasta until every noodle is coated.
Bake and rest
  1. Pour the mac into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining shredded sharp cheddar and remaining shredded Gruyere or Colby jack.
  2. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden, then rest 10 minutes before serving so the sauce sets up.

Notes

Pro tip: whisk the milk in slowly to keep the sauce smooth, and simmer until it visibly thickens before adding cheese. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 325F until hot and bubbly. Freezing is not recommended because the creamy sauce can become grainy after thawing. For a lighter option, use whole milk low-fat substitutes and slightly reduce cheese quantity while keeping the sauce simmer time the same.