Delicious Macaroni and Cheese
Our family is a sucker for a good ole’ Delicious Macaroni and Cheese! There’s something about that first cheese-filled gooey bite that warms your heart and soothes your soul. A pre-packaged box mix {you know the ones!} was once our go-to until we learned how easy it was to make from scratch… and we never looked back!
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Oh Macaroni and Cheese, how I love thee…
Scratch mac ‘n’ cheese allows you control over what your family eats – processed powder cheese is out and real cheese is in! Bulk macaroni noodles are super inexpensive and in my opinion, a smart item to always keep well-stocked in your pantry!
And this is one of those recipes with endless options that can easily transform from a side dish to the main dish – add a variety of proteins like some cooked hamburger, diced ham, seasoned chicken, or sliced sausage links. Add some veggies by tossing in a few peas or broccoli. And my absolute favorite is to sprinkle with bread crumbs then bake for just a bit longer to get them toasty and extra crunchy. My mouth is already watering… whew let’s dive into this dish, shall we?
What Do You Need to Make Delicious Macaroni and Cheese?
This tasty comfort food fave might just be easier than the box variety! Experiment with different cheeses like Gouda, Gruyere, Pepper Jack, or White Cheddar. Or melt together a few different varieties for delicious flavor combinations. Gouda-Gruyere anyone? Or maybe Parm-Fontina-Cheddar?
For this Mac and Cheese recipe, you will need the following items:
- 4 cups of dried elbow macaroni noodles
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- Shredded cheddar cheese (any variety) – 1 cup
- Jack cheese (any variety) – 1 cup
- Any additional cheese (your choice but might we suggest Gouda or White Cheddar?! Oh yum!) – 1 cup
- 5 tablespoons of butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 1/2 cups 2% or whole milk
- salt (Kosher salt is our favorite!)
- black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- cayenne pepper *optional
- paprika *optional
- bread crumbs *optional but Panko Bread Crumbs are our favorite!
To garnish or not to garnish…is that even a question??
I say…why not?? A beautiful and yet impressive option is to pour a cup of bread crumbs (Panko is our favorite as it adds a nice little crisp to each bite!) in a mixing bowl, add a few dashes of black pepper and paprika. Combine well with a fork before sprinkling on top of your dish. The paprika adds a little hint of red specks throughout and it’s a gorgeous way to top off your macaroni and cheese.
How to make Delicious Macaroni and Cheese:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the macaroni noodles per package instructions for a firm noodle, drain the water, and then set aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter (save 1 tablespoon to the side) over low to medium heat. When your butter has melted and starts to foam, add the onions and cook until softened. Then stir in garlic. Add one more tablespoon of butter to the saucepan and once it melts, grab your whisk and add the flour. Continue to whisk for about a minute or two, or until it thickens slightly.
- Whisk in the milk, slowly, add in the dry mustard, and continue to blend until your mixture is smooth and thick, stirring continuously over medium heat. Then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- When you’ve reached the boiling point, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer. Continue to whisk for about 6-9 minutes, or until it thickens.
- Remove your saucepan from the heat.
- Slowly whisk in a beaten egg.
- Add all but 1/4 cup shredded cheese to the saucepan, continuing to stir, until it’s completely melted. Set the 1/4 cup of cheese to the side.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, taste-testing as you go. (Ohhh… my favorite part!!)
- Add your cooked macaroni noodles to your cheese mixture. Mix well until every noodle is covered in cheesy goodness! If your sauce is a little too thick, slowly add extra milk (about 1 tbsp at a time) until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
- *OPTIONAL* Want to impress your friends and loved ones? Take your dish up a notch by mixing a little paprika, black pepper, and bread crumbs together in a bowl. Transfer your mac ‘n’ cheese to a buttered 9×13 baking dish or a cast-iron skillet, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, and cook for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees or until your bread crumbs have toasted.
- **OPTIONAL** Want to balance out your macaroni and cheese dish with some wholesome fresh veggies? Because who doesn’t, right? So let’s suppose you’d like to add a few greens. You can steam and salt some broccoli and add it to the top, then sprinkle with remaining cheese and bread crumbs and toss in the oven OR you can drain a can of peas, mix them around in the macaroni and cheese, then sprinkle with remaining cheese and bread crumbs! There you go… look at you eating all healthy!
How to properly assemble Homemade Macaroni and Cheese:
There is no proper way to assemble your macaroni and cheese dish so get creative! But… here’s how we constructed ours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter a 9×13 baking dish or just use a large seasoned cast-iron skillet.
- Add noodle and cheese mixture.
- Stir in peas, if you choose to use them.
- Add steamed broccoli to the top of the noodles, if you choose to use broccoli.
- Layer the top with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Sprinkle the top with your bread crumb mixture.
- Pop in the oven and voila, get ready taste buds, get ready!
What have you added to your mac ‘n’ cheese? Let us know in the comments below.
What can I serve with Delicious Macaroni and Cheese?
Macaroni and cheese is a remarkably versatile dish. Keep it as a side dish or make it the main attraction by adding your favorite protein and vegetables to it.
Can I refrigerate macaroni and cheese for another day?
Oh yes! If (and the keyword here is IF) you have leftovers, it is delicious reheated and I admit I like to eat it cold too. So if you do have anything left over after dinner, cover well and refrigerate. Be sure to eat it all up within two days.
Can I freeze Delicious Macaroni and Cheese?
Yes! Double the recipe and assemble the half you wish to freeze in a freezer-safe dish or a tin baking pan. Next, allow it to cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap, and then place in the freezer. Then, when you’re ready to bake your macaroni and cheese, take it straight from the freezer and into a 400 degree F oven. Cook for an hour with foil over the top. And finally, remove the foil and cook for another 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the top is a golden brown.
Looking for more tasty recipes? Try one of these …
- Italian Chicken and Acorn Squash Couscous
- Chicken & Pork Crostina Pasta
- Creamy Beef and Potatoes
- Wild Rice Chicken Casserole – (Easy Recipe)
- Meat and Potato Timballo Pie
Delicious Macaroni and Cheese
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan
- Whisk
- 9×13 Baking Dish or Large Cast-Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 cups elbow macaroni noodles * follow the pkg directions to cook
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese * or use your favorite
- 1 cup shredded cheese * your choice – mix it up!
- 1 cup additional shredded cheese
- 5 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2½ cups 2% or whole milk
- Kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- cayenne pepper, to taste *optional
- 1½ tsp dry mustard
- paprika * optional
- Panko bread crumbs * optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Cook the macaroni noodles per package instructions for a firm noodle, drain the water, and then set aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt 4 tbsps butter (save 1 tbsp to the side) over low to medium heat. When your butter has melted and starts to foam, add onions and cook until softened. Then stir in garlic until fragrant. Add one more tbsp of butter to the saucepan. Once it melts, whisk in the flour. Continue to whisk for about a minute or two, or until it thickens slightly.
- Whisk in the milk, slowly, add in the dry mustard, and continue to blend until your mixture is smooth and thick, stirring continuously over low heat. Then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- When you've reached the boiling point, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer. Continue to whisk for about 6-9 minutes, or until it thickens.
- Remove your saucepan from the heat.
- Slowly whisk in a beaten egg.
- Add all but ¼ cup shredded cheese to the saucepan, continuing to stir, until it's completely melted. Set aside the ¼ cup of cheese for the topping.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, to taste.
- Add your cooked macaroni noodles to your cheese mixture. Mix well until every noodle is covered in cheesy goodness!
- * If your sauce is a little too thick, slowly add extra milk (about 1 tbsp at a time) until you've reached your desired consistency.
- Transfer the macaroni and cheese to a buttered 9×13 baking dish, sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top and sprinkle with a bread crumb mixture (1 cup Panko bread crumbs, 2 tbsp paprika, and 1½ tbsp black pepper – mix well) and bake for 25 minutes at 350° F.
Notes
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