Baked macaroni and cheese is a delightful dish that combines the creamy richness of cheese with the comforting texture of pasta. Whether you are looking to treat yourself or feed a crowd, there are many variations for this dish that offer tantalizing flavors and textures sure to satisfy every palate. From classic recipes featuring a golden crust and gooey center to more daring combinations with unique ingredients, this guide will help you find the perfect recipe for your next culinary adventure.
Here are our top 9 tried and tested recipes!
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Provided by Trisha Yearwood
Categories side-dish
Time 50m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- For the macaroni: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the salt and macaroni. Bring the water back to a boil and cook the macaroni until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain well.
- For the cheese sauce: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan. Using a wire whisk, stir in the flour and salt, stirring and cooking over medium heat until the roux bubbles and the flour turns pale brown, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk and then whisk in the remaining 1 cup milk. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Add the cheese and stir until it melts. Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and mix thoroughly.
- For the topping: In a small bowl, stir the breadcrumbs with the butter until the crumbs are moistened.
- Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the prepared baking dish and top with the buttered breadcrumbs. Bake until the dish bubbles around the edges, about 15 minutes.
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
A friend of mine sent this recipe to me when I got my first apartment, because she knows how much I hate cooking! It's really easy -- even I can make it -- and tastes great. I'm not sure where she found the recipe, but it included the note 'Good source of protein, vitamin A, B group vitamins, calcium.'
Provided by Meredith
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Yield 3
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
- In a large pot of salted water, lightly boil the macaroni for about 5 minutes until half-cooked.
- Whisk the egg and milk together in a large cup. Add butter and cheese to the egg and milk. Stir well.
- Place the lightly cooked macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour the egg and cheese liquid over the macaroni, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir well. Press the mixture evenly around the baking dish.
- Bake uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 968.1 calories, Carbohydrate 92.6 g, Cholesterol 194.2 mg, Fat 45.4 g, Fiber 3.6 g, Protein 45.6 g, SaturatedFat 27.6 g, Sodium 736 mg, Sugar 11.2 g
YUMMY BAKED MACORONI & CHEESE
Make and share this Yummy Baked Macoroni & Cheese recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Julie and Robert
Categories < 60 Mins
Time 35m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- preheat oven to 375°F.
- In medium sauce pan melt butter , then mix in flour and salt.
- Slowly stir in milk and stir until thickens (should coat the spoon).
- Take off heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups of sharp cheeder and 3/4 of a cup of velveeta until melted. Then stir in the noodles.
- Poor mixture into 1 quart shallow baking dish and cover with remainder of the sharp chedder and velveeta cheese.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place six 6-ounce ramekins on a baking sheet.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, then drain.
- Meanwhile, toss the American cheese and pepper jack in a medium saucepan. Add the evaporated milk and some salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring, until smooth and just bubbling. Add hot sauce and season to taste. Stir the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce to coat and divide the macaroni and cheese evenly among the ramekins. Sprinkle the cracker crumbs on top, then bake until the sauce is bubbling and the crackers are golden brown, about 7 minutes.
CREAMY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This recipe, inspired by Stouffer's macaroni and cheese, delivers the best of all worlds: creamy, saucy comfort, with a consistency that's slightly more set than a stovetop version, thanks to a final bake in the oven. It stays voluptuous and molten as a result of a higher ratio of sauce to noodles, which are cooked completely so they don't soak up as much liquid. The Velveeta is necessary here, as it has sodium citrate, which prevents the sauce from separating in the oven. Elbow macaroni works fine, but cavatappi is an especially fun shape to eat with its telephone-cord bounciness.
Provided by Eric Kim
Time 1h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until just past al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Return the empty pot to the stove (no need to clean it) and set over medium heat. Melt the butter and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the butter stops spurting and quiets down, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth like gravy, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the milk. Raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, then immediately reduce the heat to low and continue simmering until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon, 2 to 5 minutes. At this stage, the sauce should be smooth but relatively loose. Take the pot off the heat.
- To the pot, add the Cheddar, Velveeta, Pecorino Romano, mustard powder, onion powder and cayenne, and season generously with salt and black pepper. Whisk until the cheese is melted and smooth like nacho cheese. Add the drained pasta, breaking up any clumps, and stir until evenly coated in the cheese sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or dish and bake until bubbling at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
DELICIOUS AND EASY MACARONI AND CHEESE
The only mac and cheese recipe you'll ever need- no funny ingredients, minimal effort and grand on taste!
Provided by atlantamom
Categories Cheese
Time 30m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Boil the macaroni for 4 minutes or until half-cooked (salt the water!)
- In a medium saucepan heat the half-and-half with cayenne, salt and pepper. Add macaroni and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and cook on medium heat until the cheese melts. Pour into a buttered casserole and top with remaining cheese.
- Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 15 minutes until the cheese melts.
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Macaroni and cheese may seem an easy proposition. Noodles, cheese. But the secret to this creamy dish with a crunchy and crisp top is American cheese. This is no place for fancy cheeses or fancy noodles. Leave the whole-wheat penne and artisanal orecchiette in the cupboard and bring on the elbow pasta.
Provided by Julia Moskin
Categories brunch, dinner, easy, lunch, weekday, casseroles, main course, side dish
Time 1h15m
Yield 8 to 12 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use one tablespoon butter to thickly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Combine grated cheeses and set aside two heaping cups for topping.
- In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, cheeses, cayenne (if using) and salt to taste. Place in prepared pan and evenly pour milk over surface. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top, dot with remaining butter and bake, uncovered, 45 minutes. Raise heat to 400 degrees and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until crusty on top and bottom.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 291, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 4 grams, Fat 24 grams, Protein 15 grams, SaturatedFat 14 grams, Sodium 557 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 1 gram
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Baked Macaroni and Cheese is definitely a kid-friendly choice, but adults will likely enjoy it, too.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Pasta and Grains
Time 50m
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter four 14-ounce ovenproof dishes. In a small bowl, toss 1 tablespoon melted butter with breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup cheddar.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni until al dente, according to package instructions; drain.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring milk to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; add cream cheese, cut into cubes, stir until melted, 2 minutes. Gradually stir in remaining cheddar until melted, 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; toss to combine.
- Divide the mixture among prepared dishes. Bake until bubbling, 10 minutes. Remove from the oven; sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake until golden, 10 minutes more.
BEST EVER MACARONI CHEESE RECIPE
This perfect baked macaroni cheese recipe comes with a creamy cheese sauce, a hint of mustard and uses leftover French stick for its crunchy topping
Provided by Jennifer Joyce
Categories Dinner
Time 50m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Spread the baguette chunks over a baking sheet, drizzle with the melted butter and season. Bake for 6 mins until crisp, then set aside.
- Boil the pasta for 2 mins less than stated on the pack, then drain. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic and English mustard powder, cook for 1 min, then stir in the plain flour.
- Cook for 1 min more, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a lump-free sauce. Simmer for 5 mins, whisking all the time until thickened. Take off the heat, then stir in the cheddar and half the parmesan.
- Stir the pasta and some seasoning into the cheesy sauce. Tip into a large ovenproof dish, or four individual dishes.
- Scatter over the bread and the remaining parmesan, then bake for 20 mins until crisp and golden. Can be frozen before baking - defrost thoroughly before cooking.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 860 calories, Fat 42 grams fat, SaturatedFat 25 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 88 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 9 grams sugar, Protein 38 grams protein, Sodium 1.9 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Use a quality cheese. The type of cheese you use will have a big impact on the flavor of your macaroni and cheese. Use a sharp cheddar cheese for a classic flavor, or experiment with different cheeses like Gruyère, Fontina, or even goat cheese.
- Cook the macaroni al dente. Al dente means "to the tooth" in Italian, and it refers to pasta that is cooked through but still has a slight bite to it. This will help prevent the pasta from becoming mushy in the baked macaroni and cheese.
- Make a roux. A roux is a mixture of butter and flour that is used to thicken sauces. Adding a roux to your macaroni and cheese will help give it a creamy, velvety texture.
- Use evaporated milk instead of regular milk. Evaporated milk is thicker and richer than regular milk, and it will help give your macaroni and cheese a more decadent flavor.
- Season your macaroni and cheese well. Be sure to add salt, pepper, and other seasonings to taste. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika for a little extra spice.
- Top with a crispy breadcrumb topping. A crispy breadcrumb topping adds a delicious crunch to macaroni and cheese. To make the topping, simply combine bread crumbs, butter, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl and sprinkle it over the macaroni and cheese before baking.
Conclusion:
Baked macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food that is loved by people of all ages. It is easy to make and can be customized to your liking. With a few simple tips, you can make a baked macaroni and cheese that is creamy, cheesy, and delicious. So next time you are looking for a quick and easy meal, give this baked macaroni and cheese recipe a try. .
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love