Craving a warm, delightful, and comforting meal? Look no further than homemade baked macaroni and cheese! Indulge in this timeless classic that has stolen hearts for generations. With its creamy, gooey cheese sauce enveloping tender macaroni, it's a harmony of flavors and textures that will transport you to culinary heaven. Whether you're aiming for a weeknight dinner that satisfies the whole family or preparing a dish to impress at your next gathering, this versatile dish offers endless possibilities. Join us as we explore the secrets behind crafting the ultimate baked macaroni and cheese experience, where every bite is a blend of cheesy bliss and comfort.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
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.
CRISPY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 50m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
- Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the bay leaf, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens slightly, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and whisk in the monterey jack, gruyere and cheddar one cheese at a time, allowing each cheese to melt before adding more. Add the pasta and stir until coated, adding the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen (the sauce will thicken as it bakes).
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Add the panko, parmesan and a pinch of salt; stir to combine. Scatter over the pasta and bake until the crumbs are browned and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.
YUMMY HOMEMADE BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
I love cheese, it is one of my favorite foods. So naturally, I decided to create a homemade macaroni and cheese.
Provided by tracielroy89
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 40m
Yield 8-10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Boil pasta till al dente, drain.
- Melt butter in sauce pan over low/medium heat, add flour and stir till thick and chunky.
- Add milk and whisk until butter and flour mixture has blended.
- Let cook until milk becomes thick, stirring often.
- Add all cheeses 1/2 cup at a time, whisking until cheese has melted before adding next amount.
- Once all blended and melted add salt and pepper to taste then add garlic.
- Grease an 8x10 casserole dish, pour in pasta and cheese sauce, stir till mixed.
- Break up one sleeve of ritz crackers over the top.
- Bake 20 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
BAKED HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE
This recipe was given to me by my friend Katie. It's a longtime favorite in her family.
Provided by Jody
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Time 1h15m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the macaroni, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
- Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Turn off heat and stir in Cheddar cheese until the cheese is melted. Add the macaroni and stir to coat. Pour the mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Mix the 1/4 remaining cup melted butter and crushed crackers together in a bowl; scatter the cracker mixture evenly over the macaroni mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden brown on top, about 45 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 810.1 calories, Carbohydrate 57.3 g, Cholesterol 133.1 mg, Fat 49.9 g, Fiber 2.5 g, Protein 32.4 g, SaturatedFat 28.9 g, Sodium 1011.5 mg, Sugar 9.8 g
YUMMY YUMMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
I am always trying to find something my entire family agrees on and I think I finally did it!! This by far is my best recipe yet! I added broccoli and salad for a main dish meal we all loved!!! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Provided by Tami chef252152
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 40m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Cook pasta as directed on the box.
- While pasta is cooking, melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and mustard. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is all smooth and bubbly;remove from heat. Add milk, and put back on heat, until boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir approx 1 minute. Mixture will thicken. Add cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.
- Drain pasta. Add pasta and cheese mixture to ungreased 2 quart casserole and top with fresh breadcrumbs if desired. (I use fresh that I make).
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 399.8, Fat 23.3, SaturatedFat 14.5, Cholesterol 69.8, Sodium 532.1, Carbohydrate 31, Fiber 1.2, Sugar 1.1, Protein 16.4
CLASSIC BAKED MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: unsalted butter, all purpose flour, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, whole milk, heavy cream, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, elbow macaroni, unsalted butter, kosher salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, panko breadcrumbs
Provided by Next Level Chef on Fox
Categories Dinner
Time 30m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, salt, and pepper and whisk until smooth and bubbling, about 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly, until smooth. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4-5 minutes. Add the cheddar cheese and stir until melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Fold in the cooked pasta until evenly coated.
- Pour the mac and cheese into a 9-inch square pan.
- Make the bread crumb topping: In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, salt, garlic powder, and paprika with a fork until combined. Add the panko bread crumbs and stir until evenly coated in the butter mixture.
- Sprinkle the bread crumb topping evenly over the mac and cheese.
- Bake the mac and cheese for 10-15 minutes, or until the topping is browned (if the top isn't browning, broil on high for 2-3 minutes).
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 679 calories, Carbohydrate 70 grams, Fat 36 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 22 grams, Sugar 6 grams
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BAKED MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE BY TASTY
Nothing says comfort like a homemade baked mac and cheese. Our favorite version is made with a luscious and creamy sauce that pools in the pasta shells for the ultimate cheesy feel-good food.
Provided by Aleya Zenieris
Time 1h
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than recommended on the package (you want the pasta to have a slight bite; it will finish cooking while it bakes).
- In a large bowl, combine 8 ounces shredded cheddar with the American cheese and cornstarch. Use your fingers to gently toss until all of the cheese is coated.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. As the butter begins to sizzle, add the mustard powder and cayenne and stir to combine. Toast the spices until the butter turns golden brown, about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Continue whisking until the milk begins to simmer, with small bubbles rapidly rising to the surface, about 3 minutes.
- Whisk the egg in a small bowl, then temper it by slowly adding in spoonfuls of the simmering milk mixture while continuing to whisk until incorporated.
- Slowly drizzle the tempered egg back into the milk mixture, whisking vigorously until the egg is fully incorporated.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the cheddar cheese mixture, a small handful at a time, whisking between each addition to make sure the cheese melts evenly (mix quickly enough that the mixture does not cool too rapidly, but slowly enough that the emulsion does not break).
- Add the cooked pasta to the pot and gently fold to coat with the sauce, then season with 1 teaspoon salt. Pour the pasta and sauce into an 8-inch square baking dish with 2-inch-high sides (at this point, the pasta can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 3 days).
- In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 2 ounces of cheddar cheese, the mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle on top of the pasta.
- Bake the mac and cheese until the cheese is melted and beginning to bubble around the edges, about 20 minutes. Turn the broiler on high and broil the mac and cheese until the cheese begins to brown all over, about 5 minutes. Let the mac and cheese sit for 5 minutes for the sauce set and cool slightly.
- Serve warm.
- Enjoy!
Tips:
- Use a combination of cheeses for a richer flavor. Cheddar, Parmesan, and Gruyère are all good choices.
- Cook the macaroni al dente so that it still has a slight bite to it.
- Make sure the cheese sauce is thick and creamy. You can add more milk or cream if needed.
- Top the macaroni and cheese with breadcrumbs or crushed crackers for a crispy topping.
- Bake the macaroni and cheese until it is golden brown and bubbly.
- Let the macaroni and cheese cool for a few minutes before serving.
Conclusion:
Baked macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food that is easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. With a few simple tips, you can make the best baked macaroni and cheese that your family and friends will love. So next time you're looking for a delicious and easy meal, give this recipe a try.
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