Homemade Mac and Cheese | The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

This classic Homemade Mac and Cheese recipe is to die for. It’s super cheesy and simply perfect every single time.

Homemade Mac and Cheese | The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (1)

I am *in love* with this simple, no-frills mac and cheese. :) My granny used to make this all the time- she knew it was my favorite and always had it ready whenever I came to visit. :) It’s a delicious quick-and-easy side dish- no fancy or unnecessary ingredients, just pure, unadulterated mac and cheese. :D It’s definitely one of my go-to meals- I almost always have all the ingredients on hand- and the baking time / temp isn’t too picky so I can usually just pop it in the oven with whatever my main dish is. :)

Homemade Mac and Cheese | The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2)

The ingredients: noodles, butter, salt, shredded cheese and milk

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How to Make The Best Mac & Cheese

Boil and drain noodles in salted water. Since it’s just the two of us, I boiled 2 cups of penne pasta. That’s enough for 2-3 servings as a side dish. Spray a baking dish with Pam and make layers of noodles, a healthy pinch of salt, and pats of butter.

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Top with plenty of the good stuff- shredded cheese. My absolute favorite to use is colby jack.

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Repeat layers of noodles, salt, butter and cheese until you run out of noodles. In my case I usually only make 2 layers. :)

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Now the milk. The milk is very important, you don’t want to skip this step. :D Pour in the milk, about 1/2 cup at a time until your dish is about 1/3 full with milk. The reason why you want to do it a 1/2 cup at a time is because you want to give the milk a sec to settle before you pour more in so you don’t flood the mac and cheese with milk. Not that I’ve ever done that before. Tonight I poured in about 3/4 cup, and as you can see in the pic, the dish is about 1/4 full. I could’ve just gone ahead and poured in a full cup, but that’s ok. It was still good. :D

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Bake, uncovered, in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes. If I were making this just by itself, I would do 400 for 30 mins. But usually I have something else occupying my oven so I just pop it in with whatever else I have cooking at the time. :) Anywhere from 350 – 400 degrees is just fine. :)

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Oh, man, it’s so good. :) The perfect complement to any main dish. :D And in case you’re wondering, that’s Pioneer Woman’s Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs in the background. We both absolutely love them, they are so juicy and flavorful!! I make mine a bit different- I leave out the lemon and use a different seasoning than she does (I experiment every time!). I also cook mine for 20 mins on each side.

Speaking of seasonings, I love them. Tonight on the chicken, I tried 5, yes 5 different seasonings. I was going to do a taste test and see which one I liked best.

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Montreal chicken, seasoned chicken, Greek chicken, chicken creole, spicy chicken… Guess what. I liked them all. I couldn’t decide. :P

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Homemade Mac and Cheese | The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (10)

Homemade Mac and Cheese

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  • Homemade Mac and Cheese | The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (11) Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Homemade Mac and Cheese | The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (12) Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Homemade Mac and Cheese | The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (13) Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Homemade Mac and Cheese | The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (14) Yield: 2 servings 1x
  • Homemade Mac and Cheese | The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (15) Category: Lunch
  • Homemade Mac and Cheese | The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (16) Method: Oven
  • Homemade Mac and Cheese | The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (17) Cuisine: American

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Description

This classic Homemade Mac and Cheese recipe is to die for. It’s super cheesy and simply perfect every single time.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 cups penne pasta, boiled and drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 34 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cups shredded colby jack cheese
  • 3/41 cup milk

Instructions

  1. Spray a small baking dish with pam and preheat oven to 400. In the baking dish, make a layer of half the noodles, sprinkle on half the salt and top with pats of butter and 1 cup cheese.
  2. Repeat to make another layer of noodles, butter, salt and cheese.
  3. Pour in milk until the dish is about 1/3 full of milk.
  4. Bake at 400 for 30 mins, uncovered.

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  • Pasta
  • Side Dishes
Homemade Mac and Cheese | The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the 3 best cheeses for mac and cheese? ›

What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.

How do you keep homemade mac and cheese creamy? ›

Add more milk if you haven't already. More milk leads to less dry mac and cheese. If that doesn't work and you've already tried, use a different type of cheese. Velveeta works well.

What is the most perfect cheese to use on Mac & cheese? ›

An overview of Food Network's mac and cheese roundup reveals that most recipes have one type of cheese in common: sharp Cheddar. Sharp Cheddar —especially the inexpensive, mass-market block you can buy at the supermarket —strikes just the right balance between meltability and flavor.

Why use evaporated milk in mac n cheese? ›

Evaporated milk is a highly concentrated source of milk protein micelles—bundles of proteins that can act as powerful emulsifying agents—which help to keep the sauce creamy and smooth.

Is evaporated milk better than milk for mac and cheese? ›

It is better to use heavy cream for Mac and Cheese instead of milk, or better yet, use evaporated milk which has the thickness of heavy cream without all of the fat! Furthermore, it is more stable than heavy cream so your Macaroni and Cheese is less likely to curdle or separate.

What makes mac and cheese taste so good? ›

1. It takes two cheeses to tango with mac. For really great macaroni and cheese, you need a cheese that melts well and a cheese that packs a punch. A few cheeses do both (that's a shout out to you, cheddar, emmentaler, and your other alpine-style, fondue favorites).

Should I cook mac and cheese on high? ›

You don't need to keep the temperature on high the entire time. Follow the package instructions, typically simmering the macaroni for about 7-8 minutes or until it's tender, stirring occasionally. Then, drain the water and proceed with the cheese sauce preparation as mentioned on the package.

Why does my homemade mac and cheese taste bland? ›

Try adding a little more salt first, because that might fix it. If the problem was the cheese you use doesn't have much flavor, then try adding some other flavors, such has mustard or hot sauce.

What keeps mac and cheese moist? ›

It's all about the sauce. Put plenty of milk in that sauce and even add a little sour cream. The pasta will absorb some of the liquid, but not all of it and your sauce will be moist and cheesy. Lots of liquid and fat, parboiling your noodles, and crossed fingers.

Why add sour cream to mac and cheese? ›

Whether making it from scratch or the box, sour cream is the secret ingredient to rich and creamy macaroni and cheese. This tart and tangy additive goes a long way regarding recipes, and just a dollop can transform any dish into a thick and creamy masterpiece.

Is Monterey Jack or mozzarella better for mac and cheese? ›

Monterey Jack is perhaps the ultimate melting cheese. Fontina is a crowd-pleasing melter that was born to pair with pasta. Baby swiss has a natural creaminess that is perfect for mac & cheese. Mozzarella is the classic melter pairs well with any pasta.

What kind of milk is best for mac and cheese? ›

The remaining ingredients are simple: butter and flour (which makes the sauce thicken), milk, spices, salt, and pepper. For the milk, I prefer whole milk since it makes a creamier sauce, but I've used reduced fat milk plenty of times without complaint.

What are the best melting cheeses? ›

What is the best melting cheese? Cheeses with more moisture and lower melting points - cheddar is one of the most popular choices, but Swiss and Gruyère are also terrific options. Which melts better, mild or sharp cheddar? Mild cheddar melts more smoothly than sharper (more aged) cheddar.

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