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Baked Mac and Cheese

Baked mac and cheese with a thick, creamy milk-and-cheese sauce and a golden browned crust. Elbow macaroni is parboiled, folded into the cheese sauce, baked until bubbly, then rested for clean, stretchy 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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Elbow macaroni
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni
Roux and milk base
  • 0.5 cup butter
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cup whole milk
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Cheese
  • 4 cup shredded sharp cheddar divided
  • 2 cup shredded Gruyere or Colby jack divided

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat and prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. Cook elbow macaroni 2 minutes less than package directions, then drain.
Make the cheese sauce
  1. Melt butter, then whisk in flour and cook 1 minute.
  2. Slowly whisk in whole milk and evaporated milk.
  3. Simmer 5-6 minutes, whisking, until the sauce thickens, 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.
Bake and rest
  1. Pour the pasta mixture into the buttered dish and top with the remaining cheese.
  2. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350F until bubbly and golden, then rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For a smooth sauce, whisk constantly when you add the milk and while simmering so the roux doesn’t clump. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat in a 325F oven or microwave until hot and bubbly. Freezing is not recommended because the texture can turn grainy after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cheddar and a 2% milk/evaporated milk swap (follow package directions) to keep the sauce creamy.