baked homemade macaroni and cheese recipe

#BAKED HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE RECIPE HOW TO#
#BAKED HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE RECIPE MAC#

Turn the heat off, and then cover with a lid. If the sauce looks wet/thin, don’t worry, the pasta absorbs some the extra moisture as it cools. When the sauce is smooth and velvety, stir in the cooked pasta. (The sauce only thickens after it has reached a simmer.)ĤTurn the heat to low then stir in the cheddar and cream cheeses, salt, and black pepper. Continue to cook, constantly whisking until the sauce begins to simmer and thickens. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and whisk the butter and flour together and around the pan until they smell toasted and look light brown 2 to 3 minutes.ģWhile whisking, pour in the warm milk. Melt the butter in a large high-sided pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Drain.ĢMeanwhile, make the creamy cheese sauce.

Serve this Homemade Caesar Salad on the side or try our Easy Coleslaw for some crunch.ġBring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the pasta then follow package directions, but cook 1 minute less than the package calls for.

For a lighter take on pasta with cheese, try our Orzo Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil, and Parmesan or these Easy Buttered Noodles!.

Try our Creamy White Chicken Lasagna - Nothing says comfort to us like baked lasagna loaded with creamy sauce, chicken, and cheese.

This Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese swaps some of the cheese sauce for pumpkin puree.

#BAKED HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE RECIPE MAC#

Lighter Mac and Cheese: Swapping half of the cheese sauce for pureed cauliflower cuts calories and still tastes incredible. Smoked paprika is also delicious.īroccoli Mac and Cheese: A kid favorite! Stir roasted broccoli or steamed broccoli into the pot before serving. Spiced Macaroni and Cheese: Mustard (Dijon or mustard powder), nutmeg, and a pinch of cayenne pepper are classic additions to the cheese sauce. For more flavor, a bit of parmesan or pecorino cheese is lovely, and for a more adult dish, try blue cheese! Try easy melting Gruyere, Fontina or Monterey Jack. Use a Variety of Cheeses: Cheddar isn’t the only cheese to use.

See our recipe for making roasted garlic. For roasted garlic, you can increase to 6 cloves or more. Add either to the butter just before adding the flour. Garlic Mac and Cheese: Fresh garlic and roasted garlic are excellent in this recipe. We shared this Baked Macaroni and Cheese a while back. Here are some of our favorites:īaked Mac and Cheese: Once the pasta and cheese sauce are combined, add it to a baking dish and bake with a little more cheese and breadcrumbs sprinkled on top. This recipe is easy to adapt to other variations. If it doesn’t pop, add a touch more salt to the pot. Salt and Pepper: Nobody wants an unseasoned cheese sauce! Make sure that you taste the sauce before serving.It adds a lovely silky texture, and since it has a little zinginess, it brightens up the flavor a bit. Cream cheese: The mac and cheese would be excellent with just cheddar cheese added, but to make it ultra creamy, we’ll stir in some cream cheese.I know it’s extra prep time, but hand-grated cheese melts so much easier into the sauce. Whatever cheese you use, it’s best to grate it yourself. For more cheese suggestions see our notes below. Cheddar cheese: Whenever we make macaroni and cheese, we reach for sharp white cheddar cheese.That said, salted butter will work if that is all that you have. We like to use unsalted butter for this and then adjust salt to taste when making the sauce. Butter and Flour: It’s the combination of butter and flour that thicken the sauce.Elbow macaroni and shells are great options. Look for pasta that will hold onto the creamy sauce. Pasta: The shape and size are entirely up to you.To make our go-to macaroni and cheese, you will need the following: We’re going to call this our basic mac and cheese - not because it isn’t incredibly delicious, but because it’s the perfect base for other variations. I love that you can keep this as a quick stovetop mac and cheese or slide it into the oven to get bubbly and browned. It can even be made in under 30 minutes (maybe less!). You’re only looking at six ingredients (plus salt and pepper).

#BAKED HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE RECIPE HOW TO#

How to Make the Creamiest Macaroni and Cheese

Baked homemade macaroni and cheese recipe