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Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Oven Baked Macaroni And Cheese is a classic comfort food side dish. This easy mac n’ cheese recipe is creamy and cheesy, topped with bread crumbs and baked.

I thought that macaroni and cheese was a big part of my life before I had children. Boy was I wrong. There is just something about mac n’cheese that kiddos can’t get enough of. They would eat it morning, noon and night if they could.

Although, I can’t really blame them. Nothing is more comforting than a cheesy plate of mac n’ cheese, am I right?

Oven Baked Macaroni And Cheese is a classic comfort food side dish. This easy mac n' cheese recipe is creamy and cheesy, topped with bread crumbs and baked.

How do you make Baked Macaroni and Cheese?

Unlike stovetop macaroni and cheese, baked macaroni and cheese is more like a casserole. First you’ll want to make a roux by whisking flour into melted butter, then slowly add the milk and cook just until thickened. Finally, whisk in the cheese and cook until melted and fold in the noodles.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese topped with bread crumbs.

Next, top the macaroni and cheese with toasted bread crumbs and bake until golden brown and bubbly.

It’s really actually pretty easy once, and once you try it, you’ll realize it’s worth the little bit of extra work.

Tips for making Baked Mac n’ Cheese:

Tip #1: When making baked macaroni and cheese, you will want to make sure that you undercook the noodles slightly when you are boiling them. Undercooking them prevents them from being overcooked during the baking.

Tip #2: It may take some more time but shred your cheese fresh. This is a general rule of mine, not just when making homemade macaroni and cheese. Freshly shredded cheese simply tastes better in my opinion.

Tip #3: After Elizabeth’s comment below, I decided to try her technique and allow the roux to thicken a bit before adding the cheese. She was right! It worked perfectly!

Tip #4: Toast the bread crumbs in butter before you bake them with the macaroni and cheese. They brown better this way.

Toasted Bread Crumbs in a skillet

Some common questions about Baked Macaroni and Cheese:

What temperature do you bake macaroni and cheese? 350 degrees.

How do you reheat macaroni and cheese? The best way to reheat macaroni and cheese is to remove it from refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. Next, cover it with aluminum foil and bake it at 350 until warmed through. About 15 – 20 minutes.

How to make Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Can you make macaroni and cheese ahead of time? Sure! Make it until the point right before you add the toasted bread crumbs. Allow to cool, cover and refrigerate. About 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook, remove it from the refrigerator so that it has a chance to warm up. Top with bread crumbs and then follow remaining cooking instructions.

Can you make baked macaroni and cheese in a skillet? Yes! Absolutely! A 10 inch cast iron skillet would work perfectly!

Oven Baked Macaroni And Cheese is a classic comfort food side dish. This easy mac n' cheese recipe is creamy and cheesy, topped with bread crumbs and baked.

Other Macaroni and Cheese Recipes:

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Roasted Garlic & Thyme Mac and Cheese

Loaded Mac n Cheese

Looking for other comfort food recipes? Check out these Classic American Recipes: 

Brined Fried Chicken 

Classic Deviled Eggs

Foolproof Gravy Recipe

The BEST Baked Macaroni and Cheese. Two cheeses, topped with buttery bread crumbs and baked until bubbly.

Notes: This Recipe was originally published 2008. It was updated in 2019 with tips, photos and nutrition information.

Oven Baked Macaroni And Cheese is a classic comfort food side dish. This easy mac n' cheese recipe is creamy and cheesy, topped with bread crumbs and baked.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Oven Baked Macaroni And Cheese is a classic comfort food side dish. This easy mac n' cheese recipe is creamy and cheesy, topped with bread crumbs and baked.
5 from 9 votes
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Main Dishes, Side Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 424 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of dried elbow macaroni
  • 1/2 medium onion diced
  • 4 tablespoons of butter plus 1 for the bread crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 2 cups monterey jack cheese shredded
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
  • 2 slices sour dough bread about 1 cup

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cook the noodles in salted boiling water for about 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
  • In a 2 quart sauce pan melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Next add the milk. Cook over medium heat until thickened about 5-7 minutes.
  • Stir in the cheese, salt and pepper. Cook until the cheese melts and the sauce is thickened.
  • Meanwhile, in a small skillet melt the remaining butter and add the bread crumbs. Cook until slightly toasted about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Once the cheese sauce has thickened pour it over the noodles and stir to combine. You want to make sure that all of the noodles are covered with the cheese sauce
  • Pour macaroni into a casserole dish and top with the toasted bread crumbs. Bake until the sauce is bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.

Notes

Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 424kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 19.9gFat: 26.2gSaturated Fat: 16.2gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 732mgFiber: 1.2gSugar: 4.6g
Tried this recipe?Mention @lifesambrosia or tag #lifesambrosia!
Keywords: jack cheese, Macaroni and cheese, macaroni noodles, pasta

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




  • Reply
    bubble shooter
    May 19, 2021 at 12:58 am

    5 stars
    It doesn’t look perfect but it’s really delicious

  • Reply
    Angie
    June 27, 2019 at 10:54 am

    5 stars
    Mac and cheese is such a comfort food, and I love this recipe!

  • Reply
    Catalina
    June 21, 2019 at 1:59 am

    5 stars
    This is the perfect weekend dinner for our weekend family gathering!

  • Reply
    Shannon Graham
    June 20, 2019 at 9:28 am

    5 stars
    I’ve never made it like this before! With the bread on top, that is. It looks SO good!

  • Reply
    Cathy
    June 20, 2019 at 8:39 am

    5 stars
    LOVE that crunchy top!

  • Reply
    candy crush soda
    June 20, 2019 at 1:43 am

    5 stars
    Great, a very freshly prepared dish, surely they will have lots of vitamins. Thank you for sharing the article very well

  • Reply
    Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
    June 19, 2019 at 7:09 pm

    5 stars
    This looks like absolute pure comfort! I could eat this every Thanksgiving and beyond.

  • Reply
    Michelle
    June 19, 2019 at 7:06 pm

    5 stars
    What’s not to love about mac & cheese?! It’s the perfect comfort food!

  • Reply
    Beth Pierce
    June 19, 2019 at 4:33 pm

    5 stars
    Comfort food at its finest! This looks amazing!

  • Reply
    Elizabeth Noneya
    November 18, 2013 at 9:47 pm

    I had never made mac & cheese from scratch and decided this would be the perfect recipe to try my hand at since it is so simple. The first time I made it, it was delicious, but grainy. I set about researching possible reasons for why and came up with a few. I made it again today, but adjusted one thing to try and figure out the issue. It came out perfect, no graininess. What I changed was step 5. Instead of adding the milk, cheese, and spices, I added the milk to the roux and let the mixture thicken (and the roux incorporate into the milk) then added the cheeses and s/p. All in all it was a very good recipe and I will be making more in the future!

  • Des

    Hey! I'm Des!

    Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

    Read more »

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