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Baked Mac and Cheese

Baked mac and cheese with a creamy, stovetop-thickened cheese sauce and a golden, bubbly crust. This Southern-style version uses a cheddar base with Gruyère or Colby Jack for extra melt and stretch.
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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: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Elbow macaroni
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni
Butter and roux
  • 0.5 cup butter
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
Milk mixture
  • 4 cup whole milk
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
Seasonings
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Cheese
  • 4 cup shredded sharp cheddar divided; use 3 cups in the sauce and the rest for the top
  • 2 cup shredded Gruyere or Colby jack divided; use 1 1/2 cups in the sauce and the rest for the top

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Cook the pasta
  1. Cook elbow macaroni 2 minutes less than package directions, then drain. This keeps the pasta from overcooking during baking.
Make the cheese sauce
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan and whisk in flour. Cook for 1 minute to form a smooth roux.
  2. Slowly whisk in whole milk and evaporated milk. Keep whisking until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
  3. Simmer the sauce for 5-6 minutes until thickened. Season with salt, black pepper, dry mustard, and smoked paprika while it simmers.
Combine and bake
  1. Stir in 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or Colby jack until melted. Fold in the drained pasta.
  2. Pour the mixture into the buttered 9x13-inch dish and top with the remaining cheese. Make sure the surface is evenly covered for browning.
  3. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top. Rest for 10 minutes before serving so the sauce sets.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, whisk the milk in slowly and keep the simmer gentle until thickened. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat covered in a 325F oven until warm (microwave works but may soften the crust). Freezing is not ideal because the cheese sauce can become grainy after thawing. For a lighter option, use evaporated milk labeled low-fat and reduce the butter slightly (you may need an extra minute of simmer to reach the same thickness).