Classic Baked Macaroni & Cheese
By Addie
Give up the box mix because making Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese from scratch is easier than you think. Shredding a block of cheese adds a little more prep time but the smooth and creamy results are worth it.
MY NOTES: Serve this with Johnsonville pork sausages on the side and applesauce. Maybe cold stewed tomatoes for Jack - or fresh tomatoes, sliced and seasoned.
Ingredients
- 1 (8-oz) package elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1 (8-oz.) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
Preparation
Step 1
1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Keep warm.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in salt, black and red pepper, 1 cup shredded cheese, and cooked pasta.
3. Spoon pasta mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish; top with remaining 1 cup cheese.
4. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
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Note: For testing purposes only, we used Kraft Sharp Cheddar Cheese.
One-Pot Macaroni and Cheese: Prepare recipe as directed, stirring all grated Cheddar cheese into thickened milk mixture until melted. Add cooked pasta, and serve immediately. Prep: 10 min., Cook: 7 min.
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REVIEWS:
Delicious. I omitted the pepper and red pepper flakes and it was cheesy and delicious. I thought I had too much sauce when I poured it over the noodles, but once baked it turned out to be the perfect amount, not too dry or runny. I will make this again.
Too much pepper!!!
It was just okay. I wasn't blown away with the sauce- something needed to make it "cheesier". I'll make again, but I need to find something else as a substitution.
I made this for our holiday church potluck so that the kids as well as my vegetarian friend would have something to eat and it completely disappeared! The adults were crazy about it too, so I'll be making it again. Much easier dish than what I might normally prepare for the potluck and economical too! Big thumbs up from me.
Since some previous reviewers said that it needed more flavor, I sauteed 1/2 of a small onion and one clove of garlic in 1 tbl olive oil prior to melting the butter. I also added a pinch of tyme to the seasonings. It turned out flavorful and creamy even with using skim milk (all I had on hand) and 2% reduced fat sharp cheddar. My husband and I loved the kick that the red pepper added. Next time that I make this I think that I will add spinach to get a veggie in there.
Yum, I added an egg and it's quite good. Cooked it slightly longer for more crispy crust.
This recipe is one of the best that I have found. Every other recipe called for too many different ingredients. I was looking for a simple one and this is it. I omitted the black pepper and red pepper and it turned out delicious. Very quick and easy to make. I've made it several times already and will continue to make it - my family loves it!
Made this for the first time last night, and it was great...good Sunday night food. Added some garlic powder and needed a little more salt for flavor, probably because I used lower fat milk and cheese. Then to top it I added some seasoned bread crumbs, which toasted up nicely to give the top a little crunch. When I baked it, I used an 8x8 foil "dish", which made for easy clean up. Delish. I would say this makes 4 main dishes, unless you're really hungry, so I have a ton for leftovers for work this week. Next time I might try mixing in some crushed tomatoes or bacon for more flavor.
Serve it with some mashed up apple jelly on the side to mix with the mac and cheese, like a dipping sauce I guess. It adds some sweetness and you will like it. Mom would also have pork sausage links and green peas with it.
I love love LOVE this recipe. I use Velveeta cheese though and cut out the red pepper because my family doesn't prefer it. It tastes delicious with ground meat or ham chunks in it. I also bake it with the lid on for 15 minutes then take it off for the remaining 5 to get a better top. I also use many different types of noodles. My family's favorites are Raditore and Shells. Also I usually serve this with sweet peas and rolls. I hope I helped!
This is a wonderful recipe! It made the perfect meal. I added nutmeg and served with chives. Crushing up Ritz crackers and sprinkling them on top really gave the dish an extra kick! Would definitely recommend this crowd-pleaser!
I made this for supper and my mother in law loved it. I will be making this again.
Great recipe!!! I didn't put in red peppers. I added cooked bacon and onions to the sauce before adding the pasta and also added bread crumbs on top before putting the dish in the oven
I made this for dinner tonight and my boyfriend loved it!!! I added cooked, chopped up onion and a little garlic powder. Also, I omitted the red pepper and just ground a little bit of black pepper to taste. I made a chopped salad and carrots on side. Will definitely be making this again!!!
Doubled the recipe, as is, for my three grandkids, 8-13 yrs old, hubby, son and myself. Only one grandchild thought it was a tad spicy. Hubby who doesn't like spicy thought it was great. I used sharp cheddar cheese, shredded in my food processor. I used skim milk. It was creamy and moist. I used small seashell pasta for the fun of it. This is a keeper.
Just made this with my youngest son...we both loved it! Great comfort food for a rainy afternoon.
Excellent recipe, I processed tuscany italian bread in the processer to the crumb state and sprinkled it on top and baked the entire recipe in a well seasoned cast iron skillet. It came out round perfect in texture and flavor. I then was able to cut it in pie shaped slices after removing it from the skillet. Insure that the skillet is very well seasoned and brushed with a little olive oil or butter to keep from sticking. If the skillet is perfectly seasoned it will lift out with a spatula. Let cool before slicing it.
Good, staple Mac n' cheese recipe. Doesn't really have the wow factor, but it makes for some really wonderful comfort food. I really like breadcrumbs on my Mac n' cheese, so I sprinkled some on at the very end of the baking time and broiled for a few mins to give it a nice, crispy finish. I think it added something nice to the dish. I used the recommended pepper and red pepper, and didn't think this was spicy at all. My husband's vote is still for the 4 cheese macaroni I made a different time. But I'm going to keep this recipe around. Foolproof crowd pleaser.