Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe

You know those recipes that make you feel like a total kitchen hero? The kind that has everyone at the table asking for seconds (and thirds)? This homemade mac and cheese is exactly that recipe.

Last Tuesday when Bradley had friends over after basketball practice, I made this and watched four teenage boys demolish an entire 9x13 pan in about fifteen minutes. John walked in from work, saw the empty dish, and just looked at me with the saddest puppy dog eyes. I had to promise him I'd make another batch the next day.

What I love most about this recipe is how it brings together everything I learned at cooking school about making the perfect cheese sauce with the practical reality of feeding a busy Nashville family. The secret? A proper roux (that's just fancy talk for butter and flour cooked together) that creates the creamiest, dreamiest sauce that clings to every single noodle.

And honestly? It's not much harder than the boxed stuff, but the taste difference is like night and day. If you're looking for more comforting family dinners, you'll want to check out my cheesy chicken broccoli casserole too.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Mac and Cheese Recipe
• The Best Ingredients for Creamy Mac and Cheese
• How To Make Homemade Mac and Cheese From Scratch
• Storage And Reheating Your Mac and Cheese
• My Best Tips for Perfect Homemade Mac and Cheese
• FAQs About This Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
• Recipes You May Like
• Why This Recipe Works Every Time
• Homemade Mac and Cheese

Why You'll Love This Mac and Cheese Recipe

• Seriously creamy - The homemade cheese sauce is smooth, rich, and coats every piece of pasta perfectly
• Simple ingredients - You probably have most of these in your kitchen right now
• Ready in 35 minutes - From start to finish, including baking time
• Perfect for crowds - This feeds 8-12 people, making it ideal for potlucks, holidays, or meal prep
• Make-ahead friendly - Assemble it today, bake it tomorrow (or freeze it for later)
• Kid-approved - Amy has been helping me make this since she was five, and it's still her number one request

The Best Ingredients for Creamy Mac and Cheese

Here's what you'll need to make this baked mac and cheese:

For the pasta:

• 1 pound dried elbow macaroni - The classic choice, and those curves hold onto the cheese sauce beautifully

For the cheese sauce:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing the dish)
• 1 ½ pounds medium cheddar cheese - That's about 6 cups shredded (I always buy the block and shred it myself for better melting)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour - This thickens the sauce
• 5 cups whole milk or half-and-half - Whole milk gives you creamy, half-and-half gives you extra rich
• 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Paprika for garnish (optional, but it makes it look so pretty)

Trust me on the cheese - pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make your sauce grainy. I learned that the hard way three years ago when I was rushing to get dinner on the table!

How To Make Homemade Mac and Cheese From Scratch

Here's the thing - making mac and cheese from scratch sounds intimidating, but it's actually pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it.

Prep your oven and dish:

1. Set your oven to 350°F and position a rack in the middle.
2. Grab a 9x13-inch baking dish and coat it well with butter so nothing sticks.

Cook the pasta:

3. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil (I mean really salt it - the water should taste like the ocean).
4. Add the elbow macaroni and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions say. You want it al dente because it'll keep cooking in the oven.
5. While the pasta cooks, shred all your cheddar cheese using the large holes on a box grater. Set aside 1 cup for topping.

Make the cheese sauce:

6. Drain your macaroni in a colander and set it aside.
7. In that same pot (one less dish to wash!), melt the butter over medium heat.
8. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly with a whisk until it turns golden and starts smelling toasty, about 1 to 1 ½ minutes. This is your roux.
9. Here comes the important part - slowly whisk in the milk, about ½ cup at a time. This prevents lumps from forming. Keep whisking until all the milk is incorporated and there are no flour lumps.
10. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Keep whisking frequently as it thickens - this takes about 5 to 7 minutes. You'll know it's ready when the sauce clings to the back of your spoon.
11. Pull the pot off the heat and stir in the remaining 5 cups of cheese, the salt, and pepper. Keep stirring until everything melts into a smooth, gorgeous cheese sauce.
12. Add the cooked macaroni back in and stir until every piece is coated.

Assemble and bake:

13. Pour half the creamy mac and cheese into your prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.
14. Sprinkle half of that reserved cheese over the top.
15. Add the remaining mac and cheese, then finish with the rest of the cheese. A little sprinkle of paprika on top adds a nice color (Amy always insists on this step).
16. Bake for about 10 minutes, until everything is bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top is melted and golden brown in spots.

Storage And Reheating Your Mac and Cheese

Refrigerator storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The sauce will thicken up in the fridge (that's totally normal), so add a splash of milk when you reheat it to bring back that creamy texture.

Freezer storage: This make ahead mac and cheese freezes beautifully! Cover the unbaked, assembled dish tightly with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before baking.

Reheating tips: For refrigerated leftovers, I like to reheat individual portions in the microwave with a tablespoon of milk stirred in. For a whole dish, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes.

My Best Tips for Perfect Homemade Mac and Cheese

Shred your own cheese. I know I mentioned this already, but it's really worth repeating. Pre-shredded cheese just doesn't melt the same way. Last Thanksgiving, I ran out of time and used pre-shredded - John noticed immediately.

Don't skip the roux step. That minute or two of cooking the butter and flour together is what keeps your cheese sauce from being grainy or separating.

Try different cheeses. While cheddar is classic, you can swap up to 8 ounces with Gruyère for a more sophisticated flavor, or Fontina for extra creaminess. Bradley actually prefers it when I mix in some sharp white cheddar.

Make it on the stovetop. If you're in a hurry, skip the baking step entirely. Just stir in all the cheese (don't reserve any) and serve it straight from the pot. It's just as delicious, and dinner's ready in 20 minutes.

Double the recipe. This divides perfectly into two 8x8-inch baking dishes. I'll often make two - one for dinner and one to freeze for those crazy weeknights when I don't have time to cook.

FAQs About This Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Recipes You May Like

• Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Casserole - Another crowd-pleasing cheesy dish that's perfect for busy weeknights
• Best Mashed Potatoes - The ultimate comfort food side dish to pair with your mac and cheese
• Creamy Vegetable Soup Recipe - Rich, comforting, and perfect for cozy family dinners

Why This Recipe Works Every Time

Here's the thing about homemade mac and cheese - once you nail the cheese sauce technique, you'll never go back to the boxed stuff.

The roux (that butter and flour mixture) is what makes this sauce stable and creamy instead of grainy or separated. Then adding the milk gradually and whisking constantly prevents any lumps. It's basic cooking school stuff, but it makes all the difference.

I've made this recipe at least fifty times over the past few years, and it's never let me down. Whether it's a Tuesday night dinner with just the four of us, or last month's potluck where I fed thirty people, this recipe scales beautifully and everyone always asks for it.

Give this recipe a try this week and let me know what you think! It's the kind of easy mac and cheese that makes you feel like a genius in the kitchen while actually being totally doable on a busy weeknight.

Save this recipe on Pinterest so you can find it again when you need comfort food that actually comforts!

Happy cooking, and here's to many more delicious dinners with your loved ones.

Stephanie

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