I grew up with a pot that never stuck and a spoon that knew when to rest. On cold nights, I cook pasta, whisk warm milk, and watch cheese melt into silk. That small pause before the first bite says home. This baked mac and cheese recipe sits in that quiet space we chase. We start with bite tender elbows, a butter and flour roux, and slow milk that turns smooth. Cheddar brings sharp pull. Gruyere adds soft depth. Bread crumbs toast on top and the edges turn deep gold. Friends call it the mac and cheese recipe they ask for on repeat. A cousin swears it beats any southern mac and cheese recipe baked from her side of town. I nod and pass a big spoon. We share and trade stories and laugh at old mac and cheese recipe videos we once made. I keep this one simple. The sauce coats without fuss. Kids eat seconds and I save a corner for lunch. You can stir in broccoli for a bright twist, a true broccoli mac and cheese recipe move. Short on time, I take the fast mac and cheese recipe path and bake in a shallow pan for speed. Some nights I even call it a home made mac and cheese recipe and feel proud.
Table of Contents
- 1 Key Takeaways
- 2 Easy Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe
- 3 Ingredients for Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese
- 4 How to Make Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese
- 5 Tips for Making Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese
- 6 Making Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese Ahead of Time
- 7 Storing Leftover Mac And Cheese
- 8 Try these Main Course next
- 9 Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese
- 10 Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
I write for Elena Cooks and I cook for us. When I pull a pan of pasta from the oven, I look for three signs. Edges that bubble. A top that crunches. A spoon that slides through a creamy center. This dish gives those signs without fuss. It suits weeknights and gatherings. It tastes rich but stays friendly. The method stays flexible, so a busy cook can swap cheese and shape. The finish stays consistent and warm.
The sauce starts with butter and flour, then milk. The texture turns smooth and glossy. Sharp cheddar builds body. Gruyere adds round notes. A light shower of crumbs gives contrast in each bite. The flavor reads cozy and bold. The bake time stays short, so dinner lands fast.
Readers ask for substitutes. I answer with simple moves. Use whole milk for a silkier sauce. Use block cheese for the best melt. For a creamy baked macaroni and cheese recipe, shred by hand and keep the heat gentle. This keeps the sauce from turning grainy and keeps the bite tender.
2) Easy Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe
I call this a baked mac and cheese recipe that tastes like a hug. The same baked mac and cheese recipe feeds kids at five and friends at eight. I whisk, I stir, and I tell you straight. We cook pasta until it bites back a little. We make a smooth sauce that clings. We crown the pan with crisp crumbs. Dinner lands on the table with steam that smells like warm cheese and toasted bread.
I keep tools simple. One pot for boiling. One wide saucepan for the roux and the sauce. One casserole dish that fits a nine by thirteen pan. I reach for a wooden spoon since it sits light in the hand and scrapes the corners clean. This plan keeps clean up light and keeps our focus on flavor. On Elena Cooks we like smart steps that fit into a real week.
I use short pasta with curves. Elbows hold sauce in each bend. Shells work, cavatappi works, rotini can work too. For a homemade baked mac and cheese recipe with even more comfort, mix mild and sharp cheddar. Add gruyere for depth. The result feels creamy and balanced. The top stays crisp and the inside stays soft. The first spoon feels like the right kind of pause.
3) Ingredients for Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese
Elbow macaroni sixteen ounces I like elbows for even sauce pickup and tidy scoops on a plate. The shape holds cheese and makes each bite feel full.
Water and kosher salt Well seasoned water gives pasta a head start on flavor. I taste the water. It should taste like the sea on a calm day.
Unsalted butter six tablespoons Butter sets the base for the roux. It gives body and warm flavor without extra salt that could hide the cheese.
All purpose flour six tablespoons Flour binds the sauce. The key stays simple. Cook it with butter until it smells nutty. This keeps the sauce smooth.
Whole milk four cups Milk brings silk. Warm milk marries into the roux and makes a sauce that coats without clumping.
Kosher salt and black pepper Salt lifts flavor. Pepper adds a light bite. Season in the pot. Taste and adjust before baking.
Ground mustard and garlic powder Mustard sharpens cheese notes. Garlic brings a soft savory line. Both stay subtle, never loud.
Sharp cheddar twelve ounces Sharp cheddar melts into a bold and classic sauce. I shred from a block for a clean melt and a pure cheesy pull.
Gruyere four ounces Gruyere rounds out the flavor and gives gentle nutty depth. It plays well with cheddar and keeps the sauce smooth.
Panko bread crumbs one cup Panko stays light and crisp in the oven. It gives a golden top that shatters when you tap it with a spoon.
Unsalted butter two tablespoons melted Melted butter coats the crumbs and helps them toast to a deep gold without turning greasy.
Grated parmesan one quarter cup Parmesan boosts savor and adds tiny salty pops across the crust. I grate it fine for even coverage.
Fresh parsley chopped A small spoon of parsley brings color and a light fresh note. Optional, yet nice when you have it.
4) How to Make Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese
Cook the pasta Bring a large pot of salted water to a steady boil. Add elbows and cook until just tender. Drain and set aside. Keep a small splash of cooking water for loosening the sauce later if needed.
Build the roux Melt butter in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk until it foams and smells toasty. Keep it moving so the mix stays pale and smooth.
Add the milk Pour in warm milk in a slow stream and whisk. The sauce turns glossy and thick in a few minutes. If it tightens too fast, whisk in a spoon of pasta water.
Season the base Stir in salt, pepper, ground mustard, and garlic powder. Taste the spoon. The flavor should read balanced and warm with a gentle lift.
Melt the cheese Lower the heat. Add cheddar and gruyere by handfuls. Stir until the sauce turns silky. For an oven baked mac and cheese recipe that never splits, keep the heat low here.
Combine and pan Fold the pasta into the sauce. Turn the mix into a buttered nine by thirteen dish. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
Finish with crumbs Mix panko with melted butter and parmesan. Scatter over the pasta in an even layer for an even crunch.
Bake and rest Bake at three hundred seventy five degrees until the edges bubble and the top turns deep gold. Rest the pan for five minutes before serving.
5) Tips for Making Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese
Salt the pasta water well. This adds flavor from the start and lets the finished dish taste balanced. For a mac and cheese that sings, taste the water before you add the pasta. It should taste pleasantly salty, not harsh.
Shred cheese from blocks. Bagged shreds carry starch that can dull the melt. For a smoother bite, use a box grater and work with cold blocks. This small step makes a big difference in any macaroni and cheese dish.
Keep heat gentle when you add the cheese. High heat can make the sauce grainy. For a creamy baked macaroni and cheese recipe that stays silky, remove the pan from the burner for a minute, then stir in the last handfuls of cheese.
6) Making Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese Ahead of Time
I plan on busy days. I cook the pasta a touch firm and cool it on a sheet pan. I make the sauce and mix it with the pasta. I spread the mix in the baking dish and cover it. The pan rests in the fridge, ready for the oven when guests walk in.
Before baking, I loosen the edges with a spoon and drizzle a few spoons of milk over the top. I add the crumb mix right before the pan goes in. This keeps the crust crisp and the inside soft. For a homemade baked mac and cheese recipe that reheats like new, let the pan sit on the counter for fifteen minutes, then bake.
For a home made mac and cheese recipe that flexes, freeze the assembled dish without crumbs. Thaw in the fridge, add crumbs, and bake. The texture stays close to fresh and the flavor stays round and rich.
7) Storing Leftover Mac And Cheese
Cover leftovers and chill them within two hours. The pasta keeps well for up to four days. For best texture, reheat in a small dish at a low oven setting. A spoon of milk over the top helps the sauce loosen again.
Microwave works for lunch. Place a serving in a shallow bowl. Cover loosely. Heat in short bursts and stir between bursts. The sauce turns smooth again. Add a pinch of parmesan to perk up the top.
For variety, stir in small broccoli florets when you reheat. It turns into a broccoli mac and cheese recipe moment without extra prep. A few chili flakes can warm things up for grown ups.
8) Try these Main Course next
9) Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese
Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe Cozy Oven Classic
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 quarts water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
For the Cheese Sauce
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.25 teaspoon garlic powder
- 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 ounces gruyere cheese shredded
For the Topping
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 0.25 cup grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley optional
Instructions
For the Pasta
- Bring water to a rolling boil in a large pot and add salt.
- Boil macaroni until just tender then drain and set aside.
For the Cheese Sauce
- Melt butter in a wide pot over medium heat then whisk in flour and cook one minute.
- Slowly whisk in milk until smooth and warm.
- Season with salt ground mustard pepper and garlic powder.
- Stir in cheddar and gruyere until the sauce turns glossy and thick.
For Assembly And Baking
- Heat oven to 375 F.
- Combine macaroni with the cheese sauce and fold to coat.
- Spread into a buttered 9 by 13 inch dish.
- Mix bread crumbs with melted butter parmesan and parsley then sprinkle over the top.
- Bake until the top turns deep gold and the edges bubble about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Rest five minutes before serving.
10) Nutrition
A typical serving offers a balanced mix of protein, carbs, and fat. A one cup scoop lands near five hundred calories with a hearty share of calcium from the cheese. Sodium sits in a moderate range when you season with care. Fiber rises a bit if you use whole grain elbows. I include a simple side salad to round the plate and add crunch. For a southern mac and cheese recipe baked style meal, serve with green beans and roasted chicken. This keeps the menu homey and generous without extra work.
On days when you want a lighter plate, pair a half serving with a sharp slaw. The creamy sauce plays well with lemon and thin ribbons of cabbage. It stays satisfying yet not heavy. This flexible plan helps the dish fit many tables and moods.
Readers of Elena Cooks can find more comfort plates on our site at https://www.elenacooks.com where I share guides and step by step photos. This baked mac and cheese sits among our most loved recipes. It offers steady results and warm flavor. Short keywords used here include mac and cheese and macaroni and cheese and cheese sauce.
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