Classic Baked Mac & Cheese

Classic Baked Mac & Cheese

This classic baked mac & cheese is super creamy, cheesy, and topped with a layer of perfectly crispy cheese! It's an easy, kid-friendly side dish for anytime of year but I especially love serving it for Thanksgiving!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 525kcal

Author Kyleigh Sage

Equipment

Ingredients

16 ounces short pasta
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 ½ cups half & half substitute whole milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
16 ounces medium yellow cheddar cheese shredded
16 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese shredded

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Shred the cheeses and mix together, then set aside about ⅓.
Cook pasta according to package directions (I recommend cooking 1-2 minutes less than the box time so it's slightly al dente). Drain the pasta and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Then add in the flour and stir to combine. Allow the flour to cook for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the half & half.
Add in the salt, white pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
Once the sauce has thickened, add in ⅔ of the shredded cheese and stir until the cheese has fully melted into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.
Add in the cooked pasta and stir to coat with the cheese sauce.
Add the pasta to a 9x13 inch baking dish, then sprinkle the remaining cheese over top.
Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly. If desired, broil for 1-2 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately while warm!

Notes

To prep in advance: Prep everything as directed and place it in the baking dish, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When you're ready to bake, remove from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking (this ensures the mac & cheese is fully cooked in the middle and also protects your casserole dish from cracking due to temperature change). Then bake as normal!

Optional Cracker Topping (instead of french fried onions)

1 sleeve Ritz crackers
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Gently crush the Ritz crackers until you have small chunks.

In a small bowl, combine the crushed crackers and melted butter.

Make the mac & cheese as directed then sprinkle the cracker mixture on top and bake as normal!

Nutrition