BEST MACARONI AND CHEESE RECIPE (2024)

This is the Best Macaroni and Cheese recipe ever. Cheesy, gooey, full of flavour and with a crusted topping of cheese. This baked mac and cheese recipe has a delicious creamy cheese sauce.

The Best Macaroni and Cheese

If you love the looks of this old fashioned macaroni and cheese recipe, you’ll love our Mac and Cheese poutine!

Is there anything more classic that Macaroni and Cheese? It’s the ultimate in comfort food.

While I have to admit that we do reach for a box of kraft macaroni and cheese more often than not, I’ve always been curious about the easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipes flying about, to make your own.

It wasn’t until my pantry was pretty bare, that I was forced to make Baked Macaroni and Cheese myself. By the way, forced being a term I’m using for ‘I really don’t want to go shopping today’.

So, I scoured the net, talked to friends and adjusted a few recipes to create what I consider to be The Best Macaroni and Cheese – ever. Seriously, I’m very proud of this great recipe, it’s literal perfection.

This recipe has the best flavor ever, in my humble opinion. Of course sometimes I do that this recipe the next level and make Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese.

What’s the best recipe for macaroni and cheese?

This recipe is by far the best ever creamy macaroni and cheese recipe.

This easy mac is super cheesy, gooey, full of flavour and has that crusted topping of cheese that we love from a casserole. In other words, this recipe right here. YUM.

How to Make the Best Mac and Cheese Recipe

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe. The detailed instructions is below in the printable recipe card

• macaroni pasta, or other favourite pasta
• unsalted butter
• all purpose flour
• salt
• dry mustard
• black pepper
• 2% milk or whole milk
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese and 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• optional, cooked crispy bacon pieces, panko bread crumbs, garlic powder

To Make: Boil the pasta in large pot as per package directions, until al dente. Then drain and rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain excess water completely. Transfer macaroni to the pan that you boiled it in and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the flour, salt, dry mustard, and pepper (and garlic if you wish). Stir constantly over medium heat for about three minutes. Stir in the milk and whisk constantly for approx. 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Remove from heat, and add 2 cups of the cheese, stirring until melted. Pour the creamy sauce over the cooked pasta and toss gently until all noodles are covered. You can enjoy this mac and cheese like this as quick stovetop mac and cheese OR continue on to bake, which makes this recipe so much better as it’ll have a crispy top!

The Best Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe: Add half the noodles to a casserole dish and sprinkle half the remaining cheese on top. Add the rest of the noodles and again sprinkle on the remaining cheese. if preferred, also sprinkle a little bit of panko on top for a crispy crust.

Bake uncovered at 375 for about 25-30 minutes, until it starts getting brown on top and it looks like the cheese has really thickened. Enjoy with crumbled bacon on top.

What Types of Cheeses to Use for Homemade Mac and Cheese:

In total this recipe calls for 3 cups of shredded cheese. I like to use cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese, yet sometimes I use different cheeses to mix this recipe up.

Yet you can also use a combination of cheeses or just your favorite cheese. Options are: medium cheddar cheese, colby jack cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, monterey jack, pepper jack.

You could go with a blend or have all white cheese to make this recipe with white sauce. Of course, the best cheese will always be based on your preference in taste, sharpness and spice.

Take note thought, this classic mac recipe does take quite a bit of cheese. There is no holding back, so cheese lovers unite!

Thankfully, I usually am swimming in a vast variety of cheeses at all times. Not only versatile in so many countless recipes, we eat lots on it’s own as well.

Making this favorite recipe of ours is pretty simple, though it does require a lot of whisking on the stove to prevent burning. Monotonous yet necessary, so I suggest blasting some music to make the time pass faster.

The end result will be classic, warming with a side of accomplishment that ‘hey, you can make your own!‘.

Give this classic homemade mac and cheese recipe a try and see for yourself, why is really is The Best Macaroni and Cheese – ever! Especially if you add some crumbled bacon on top of the cheesy sauce!

The Best Macaroni and Cheese

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

The Best Macaroni and Cheese - ever. Cheesy, gooey, full of flavour and with that crusted topping of cheese that we love from a casserole.

Ingredients

• 1¾ cups macaroni or other favourite pasta
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/3 teaspoon black pepper
• 2½ cups 2% milk
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese and 1 cup grated mozza cheese {or 3 cups grated medium cheddar cheese}

Instructions

1. Boil the pasta until al dente, then drain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process. Return the pasta to the pan that you boiled it in and set aside.
2. Melt the butter over medium heat
3. Add the flour, salt, dry mustard, and pepper. Stir constantly over medium heat for about three minutes.
4. Stir in the milk and whisk constantly for approx. 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
5. Remove from heat, and add 2 cups of the cheese, stirring until melted.
6. Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles and toss gently until all noodles are covered.
7. Add half the noodles to a casserole dish and sprinkle half the remaining cheese on top.
8. Add the rest of the noodles and again sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
9. Bake uncovered at 375 for about 25-30 minutes, until it starts getting brown on top and it looks like the cheese has really thickened.
10. Enjoy with crumbled bacon on top.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6Serving Size: 6 Servings
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 384Saturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 526mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 17g

Did you make this recipe?

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