Homemade Mac and Cheese

Homemade Mac and Cheese is a rich and creamy side dish that will win your family’s approval every time. Made with freshly grated cheddar cheese and baked with a bread crumb topping. It’s creamy, delicious, and has a special ingredient that puts it over the top.

Homemade Mac and Cheese
Homemade Mac & Cheese

Once you make homemade Macaroni and Cheese, the boxed kind just won’t do anymore. Seriously, my daughter is a mac and cheese expert. She could tell you in a second if the boxed brand was Kraft, Velveeta, or a cheaper store brand. ( By the way, she loves Kraft and Velvetta, and YES, I have some on my shelf right now). But once I started making homemade mac and cheese–well the boxed kind got moved to the back burner.

Do I still buy the boxed kind? Yep! Hey, it’s fast, cheap, and gets me out of a tight when I am in a hurry.

How to Make Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Making Homemade Mac and Cheese is easier than you may think. There are three steps involved, but don’t let that scare you from trying this dish.

Pasta Noodles

First, start with your pasta noodles. I have used shells, elbow, and even bow tie (in a pinch), and to me, the shells seem to work the best. They just hold more of that lip-smacking cheesy sauce than the other pasta noodles. Cook your noodles according to the package directions.

The Sauce

Next, make the sauce. The sauce begins with a roux. Don’t let the word roux intimidate you. It’s just melted butter and flour cooked with some milk stirred in. The shredded cheese and cheese soup is then added and melted together for a velvety, creamy sauce. The soup makes the sauce a little bit more creamier and cheesier. Allow everything to melt together and pour over your noodles. It really is easy.

Add the Topping

The choice is yours. I have made this with a bread crumb topping, a cracker topping, and with no topping at all. For the pictures here, I used a bread crumb topping. Crackers will also work and make a delicious topping as well. Sprinkle the bread crumbs, or crackers on top. Or don’t use a topping at all. The bread crumbs always win with my family. 🙂

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken a bit.

Homemade Baked Mac & Cheese
Homemade Mac & Cheese

A few tips to make sure your Homemade Macaroni and Cheese will turn out perfectly every time.

*Cook noodles according to package directions.

*Make a roux.

*Don’t buy pre-shredded cheese. Shred your own cheese.
The sharper the cheese, the stronger the taste will be. I personally like sharp cheddar cheese.

*Do not over cook the pasta.

Allow Mac and Cheese to rest for about 5 minutes after removing from the oven. This will allow the sauce to thicken a bit before serving.

This makes the perfect dish to carry to a pot luck, bbq, family gathering, or to just serve to your family. You really can’t go wrong with a big dish of Homemade Mac & Cheese!

More Side Dish options to make meal planning a little easier–

Crock Pot Creamed Corn

Pineapple Casserole

Southern Cornbread Salad

Rice and Corn Casserole

Homemade Baked Mac & Cheese

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Gina Abernathy
Homemade Mac and Cheese is a rich and creamy side dish that will win your family’s approval every time. Made with freshly grated cheddar cheese and baked with a bread crumb topping. It’s creamy, delicious, and has a special ingredient that puts it over the top.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounce dry macaroni your favorite–I like shells
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 1/4 cups milk
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup 10 1/2 ounce can
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs finely crushed

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray.
  • Boil noodles according to package directions. Drain. Pour into casserole dish and set aside.
  • Sauce: Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and let cook 2-3 minutes. Stirring while cooking. Slowly whisk in milk, salt and pepper. Stir well until the flour has completely mixed with the milk. Add shredded cheese and soup. Stir until the cheese has melted. Remove from heat.
  • Pour sauce over the pasta noodles and mix well.
  • Top with bread crumbs.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

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