Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
This baked homemade macaroni and cheese is the very best in comfort food. It’s creamy, tangy, and of course, so cheesy. It’s easy to make, family-friendly, and goes great with just about everything. It’s also perfect as a main dish meal all by itself.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni uncooked
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/12 cups milk
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated (I do not recommend pre-shredded)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup gruyere cheese grated; I do not recommend pre-shredded
- 1/4 cup parmesan grated ; I do not recommend pre-shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Spray a 9x13 baking dish with avocado oil spray and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Add the elbow macaroni and cook until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add the flour and whisk. Whisk until it is smooth and makes a roux.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously. You want to keep it smooth. Be sure to whisk out any clumps.
- Turn off the heat and add in the cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Mix together until it is smooth and creamy.
- Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
- Pour in the cheese sauce and mix it until all of the pasta is covered.
- Pour the pasta into the baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Top the pasta with the gruyere and parmesan cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I don't recommend pre-shredded cheese because the anti-caking agent used prevents it from having a smooth, creamy melted texture
- When making the cheese sauce, it's important to make sure your roux is smooth to avoid having clumps in the cheese sauce.
- I don't recommend replacing the sharp cheddar with mild or medium. You'll lose a lot of the cheesy flavor.
- Don't bake it too long or you risk drying it out.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 403mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 397IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 1mg