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Baked Mac and Cheese

Baked mac and cheese made with a creamy milk-and-cheese sauce, then baked until bubbly and topped with a golden, browned crust. Elbow macaroni is parboiled 2 minutes under time, then finished in the oven for tender bites and stretchy cheese pulls.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 510
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Elbow macaroni
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni
Make the roux and sauce
  • 0.5 cup butter
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cup whole milk
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Cheese blend
  • 4 cup shredded sharp cheddar divided
  • 2 cup shredded Gruyere or Colby jack divided

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350F, and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish so it won’t stick.
Parboil the pasta
  1. Cook elbow macaroni 2 minutes less than package directions, then drain.
Make the creamy milk sauce
  1. Melt butter, whisk in all-purpose flour, and cook 1 minute.
  2. Slowly whisk in whole milk and evaporated milk until smooth.
  3. Simmer 5-6 minutes until thickened, then season with salt, black pepper, dry mustard, and smoked paprika.
Combine and bake
  1. Stir in 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or Colby jack until melted, then fold in the pasta.
  2. Pour the mixture into the buttered baking dish, then top with the remaining cheese.
  3. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350F until bubbly and golden, then rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, whisk the milk in slowly so the roux stays silky before simmering. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat in a 350F oven or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy can separate when thawed and reheated. For a lighter swap, use part-skim shredded cheddar and part-skim milk while keeping the same cheese-to-pasta ratio for good melt.