My easy Baked Mac and Cheese recipe has all the creamy comfort food nostalgia with an extra cheese twist. We swap the typical breadcrumb topping for a cheese topping that the kids prefer, and it keeps the casserole extra moist and gooey.
This mac and cheese casserole is perfect for birthday parties and is popular for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas!
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When we’re looking for something warm and comforting, our family loves this Baked Mac and Cheese, along with our Spaghetti and Meatballs, Meatloaf, Chicken Pot Pie, and Sloppy Joes. These recipes fill you up, feed a crowd, and come together without much fuss.
Baked Mac and Cheese Video Tutorial
Watch me cook up this extra-cheesy Baked Mac and Cheese recipe in just a few steps. It’s easy to make and easy to share. It also keeps and reheats well and is perfect for a potluck or to pack up and bring to a new mom or a friend who needs a cheesy spoon of comfort.
Easy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
I love the gooey texture of Baked Mac and Cheese, but not everyone loves the traditional breadcrumb topping, and I find it actually dries out the pasta while it bakes.
My daughter isn’t a fan of bread crumbs on top and I got tired of scraping off the topping for her, so I reimagined a baked cheese topping that would seal in the moisture of the pasta and create an extra stretchy layer of cheese. It’s the kind of dish people gush over when plating—before they’ve even tasted it!
I first published this recipe in my Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook because I knew it would be an absolute hit! No one can resist cheesy, gooey Mac ‘N Cheese, and you’ll find many more of my favorite recipes in the book.
Ingredients for Baked Mac and Cheese
- Pasta – we use traditional elbow macaroni, but you can swap it with bowties or any small pasta shape. Be sure to reserve some of the starchy pasta water to thin the cheese sauce after cooking. Use a high quality Italian bronze-cut pasta for best results. Cheaper pastas can expand too much, leading to a dry casserole.
- Dairy – butter, whole milk, and heavy cream make the casserole rich and creamy and ensure it reheats well.
- Pasta Cooking Water – don’t forget to reserve some of your cooking water – it adds flavor and starch to the sauce. If you forget, add more milk and a little extra salt.
- Cheese – we combine classic medium cheddar cheese and low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese. For a fancier Mac and Cheese, you can use sharp cheddar cheese or swap the mozzarella cheese for Gruyere (it gives a bit of an elevated nutty flavor to the sauce), or try Pepper Jack or Colby Jack.
- Flour – we use all-purpose flour to help thicken up the sauce, stabilize the cheese and create a smoother texture.
- Seasonings – salt, paprika, ground mustard (or substitute ground mustard with 2 tsp of Dijon mustard), garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. For a spicier kick, you can try a bit of cayenne pepper.
Pro Tip:
If you prefer not to shred the cheese on a box grater, you can use a food processor with a shredding disk attachment which makes the process super fast and easy. I prefer not to use pre-shredded cheese since it has additives that can affect the consistency of the sauce.
How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese
It’s easy to make Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese in a few steps. Cook the pasta, make the creamy cheese sauce, and bake in the oven. It’s simple!
- Prep – preheat the oven to 350°F and then grease a 3-quart or 9×13-inch casserole baking dish. This feeds 10, so you can also split the recipe into two 1.5 quart dishes to freeze half for later.
- Cook the Pasta in a large pot of salted water. The water should taste like salt water (I use 1 Tablespoon). Keep 1/2 cup of the water, drain the pasta, and then toss with oil to stop it from sticking.
- Mix the cheeses and set aside.
- Make the roux – heat a large pot on the stove (we will mix everything here before baking) and then melt the butter until foamy. Add flour and continue whisking until it smells nutty and browns slightly (2 mins). This cooks off the raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk in the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Break up any lumps of flour, until it’s creamy and nearly boiling.
- Season with the paprika, mustard powder (or Dijon mustard), garlic powder, onion powder 1/2 t of salt, and pepper, reduce the heat to low, and whisk for 2 minutes. The sauce will thicken to a gravy texture.
- Finish the Cheese Sauce – Add just 3 cups of the cheese mixture and stir. When it’s melted add another 3 cups and stir. Keep the remaining 2 cups for the topping. When everything is gooey, add the cooked pasta, and carefully fold it in so the pasta doesn’t break apart. Turn off the oven and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the cheesy pasta mixture into the casserole dish. Top with the reserved cheese mixture, and then bake uncovered for 15 minutes. For a more golden topping, set the oven to broil for the last 2 minutes of baking, but watch that the cheese doesn’t burn. Serve warm.
What to Serve with Baked Mac N Cheese
We like to serve Baked Mac and Cheese as a main dish with these roasted veggies or crisp salads, but you can also serve it as a side dish for Pan-Seared Steak, Baked Chicken Breast, Instant Pot Ribs, or even your Thanksgiving dinner!
- Caesar Salad
- BLT Salad Recipe
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- Baked Asparagus
- Oven-roasted Broccoli or Cauliflower
- Roasted Carrots
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Make-Ahead Tips
It’s so easy to assemble the Baked Mac and Cheese ahead of time and cook when you’re ready to serve.
To prepare ahead: Once the mac and cheese mixture is in the casserole dish, sprinkle on the cheese and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days until it is ready to bake. Then, follow the directions for baking, adding 10-15 minutes of baking time.
How to Store and Reheat Macaroni and Cheese
This baked mac and cheese reheats like a dream, so I’m always happy when there are leftovers.
- To Refrigerate: cool completely and store cover leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freezing: freeze for up to 3 months to preserve the cheesy texture
- To Reheat: thaw in the fridge overnight and remove a portion to a plate or bowl. Then sprinkle some water over the top and microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds.
The extra cheesy topping on this Baked Mac and Cheese sends the recipe over the top! It serves a crowd, and we know you’ll get tons of rave reviews. Tell us in the comments how you like the topping compared to traditional breadcrumbs.
More Pasta Recipes
This Baked Mac and Cheese is one of our favorite comfort pasta dishes. Try these other pasta recipes that our kids love – they are like a warm hug in a bowl.
- Creamy Cajun Pasta
- Lasagna
- American Goulash
- Stuffed Shells
- Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
- Bolognese Sauce
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese
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Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, 2/3 stick plus more for greasing
- 1 Tbsp plus 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1 lb elbow macaroni pasta, *preferably a high-quality Italian bronze-cut pasta
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 Tbsp extra-light olive oil , or other neutral oil
- 6 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese, 16 oz
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 6 oz
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp mustard powder, or 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 3-quart or 9×13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 Tbsp of the salt and the pasta and cook according to the package instructions, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta. Immediately drizzle the noodles with the oil to prevent sticking and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the cheddar and mozzarella and set aside (you should have about 8 cups total).
- In a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter foams, whisk in the flour. Continue whisking for about 2 minutes, until the flour just starts to turn golden in color.
- While whisking, slowly stream in the milk, cream, and reserved pasta water. Continue whisking until the mixture is creamy, smooth, and just beginning to boil.
- Add the paprika, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Whisk to combine, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, continuing to shish, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce has thickened to a light gravy consistency.
- Add 3 cups of the cheese mixture to the pan and stir until melted. Add another 3 cups of the cheese mixture (you should have about 2 cups remaining for topping the dish) and stir until melted. Stir in the pasta to coat. Turn off the heat and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Pour the mac and cheese evenly into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of cheese over the top and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. For an even more golden-brown topping, set the oven to broil for the last 2 to 3 minutes of baking. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Made this recipe for Thanksgiving, and was very excited to taste it, but it was just bland, I followed every step vigorously. It wasn’t the texture that was wrong, just had no flavor, I could only taste the noodles :c very disappointing in the out turn but the texture of it was on point! Would’ve been the perfect mac and cheese if I could actually taste the flavors.
Hi Elizabyth, did you possibly add too much noodles or change anything in the ingredients? Any swaps or substitutions? Normally between the cheddar, paprika, mustard, garlic and onion powder, this has lots of flavor.
Made this for our thanksgiving dinner today, and it was a definite hit! It was really easy to make, which I love. I made it gf by using gf pasta and a gf 1:1 baking flour, and it turned out perfectly. I will definitely make it again for sure!
That’s wonderful, Esther! Thank you for the feedback.
Can I substitute heavy whipping cream for heavy cream? It is almost impossible to find heavy cream where we live.
Hi Kathy! Yes, it’s essentially the same thing. I hope you love the recipe!
Natasha I will never look at boxed mac the same , best mac ever.
Hi Sandra! Right?! This is so much better.
This looks wonderful. I’d love to make just half the recipe but I’m concerned about getting all of the ingredients just right.
Hi Louisa, I recommend clicking “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post, it will take you to our printable recipe where you’ll have the option to change the number of servings. Hover over the number of servings highlighted in red and slide it to how many servings you would like to make. I hope that helps!
Can you freeze part of this before baking. It’s too large for the two of us and would be nice to have some smaller batches in the freezer.
Hi Verna! I’ve only tried freezing it after it’s baked. But I assume it would work too. I would let it fully cool first.
Do you use regular sweet paprika or do you use smoked paprika?
Hi Heather! You can click on the ingredient for the link to which one I used. It’s smoked paprika. I hope you love this recipe.
What is the taste difference between the baked mac n cheese recipe and the stovetop mac n cheese recipe? Debating which one to make .
HI Janell, this baked Mac and cheese is a bigger batch, it’s cheesier, saucier and the kids favorite. I also like that it’s a little more hands off and make-ahead friendly which is great for parties and gatherings. This stovetop version is a quick version, say if you’re making dinner for your family and it is very tasty. I also have an instant pot Mac and cheese that’s great and quick.
My son asked for homemade Mac n cheese for Thanksgiving. I’ve tried a bunch of your recipes and I’m sure this one will be another hit! Looks awesome.
I hope you all love it, Nate!
Shark by your waist came up from under counter❤️ love this!❤️
Thank you so much for watching!
Hi Natasha! Absolutely love your videos. Can parboiled diced potatoes be substituted for pasta in this recipe?
Hi Tyla! Without testing that, I can’t advise. I think it could work, but I don’t know if any adjustments will be needed.
Hi Natasha! I absolutely love all your recipes! If I make it ahead of time, should I put it in the oven right after taking it out of the fridge, or is it better to let it come to room temperature first so it cooks/warms up more quickly?
Hi Liana! You can bake directly from the refrigerator. Just add 10-15 minutes of baking time.
I love Natasha’s every recipes I used.,my family and friends love them. I told the go to Natasha’s kitchen sites.
Thank you so much, Mila!
Saw the sharkey in the picture coming up from under your table on your right side near your wrist holding the second fork full of Baked Mac and Cheese
Sent from my iPad
Hi Natasha, the shark was next to your right hand behind the counter after the casserole came out of the oven! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Good eye, Janie! Thanks for watching.
I’m excited to try out this recipe for Thanksgiving. I think I’ll make it ahead and bake it the day of. Should I wait to put the cheese on top prior to baking? I just ordered your cookbook for Christmas. I love all of your recipes!
Hi Dawn! Thank you so much! See my “make-ahead” notes above for instructions on this.
Happy thanksgiving!
Can you use low-fat milk or all heavy cream and evaporated milk?
Hi Michelina! We found good balance with the whole milk and heavy cream combination.
If you use low fat milk, the sauce will not be creamy and rich, it will be thinner/runny, and lack some flavor due to the loss of fat. You can mix some water with your heavy cream to dilute it and make it like the consistency of whole milk. You can try 2 parts water and 1 part heavy cream.
I didn’t find the link for the gigantic pepper grinder in the notes?
Hi Judie! Select “shop” from the menu at the top of the page and you’ll find my amazon affiliate shop. It’s linked in the “kitchen tools” category.
Shark was at your hip between bites! Love that little fella and all of your recipes!
Ha ha! I’m so glad you enjoy Sharky. We love to heave fun with our videos. Thank you so much for watching!
Oops! I said between bites, It was before your first taste test 😊.
I highly recommend this recipe, since it is flavorful, creamy and extremely easy to prepare. It was a hit w/my family; a great meal on it’s, or as a side dish and great for the upcoming holidays! 👍
I’m so happy you love the baked mac and cheese recipe! It’s been such a favorite in our family for years. Thank you for that wonderful review.
He was on your front right side close to your hip.