Nothing beats this cheesy, flavorful baked mac and cheese recipe! Tender pasta tossed in a tangy roux, loaded with cheese and topped with a crunchy topping, baked until bubbly and golden brown.
BAKED MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE
Skip the boxed macaroni and cheese and make this easy baked mac and cheese recipe instead! Inspired by the TikTok Viral Tini’s macaroni and cheese, this recipe is made with cavatappi pasta, a tangy roux sauce, and a variety of different cheeses all combined and baked until golden and cheesy. This mac and cheese recipe is a classic side dish for weeknight dinners and of course Thanksgiving dinner!
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Pasta– Classic mac and cheese calls for elbow pasta, but I prefer using cavatappi (corkscrew) pasta instead! You can use whichever you prefer. Tini’s mac and cheese went viral for the cavatappi pasta and for good reason!
- Butter– The base of the creamy roux mixture is butter! Use either unsalted or salted butter.
- Flour– To thicken the roux, this recipe calls for all-purpose flour.
- Milk– This recipe calls for whole milk to achieve creamy roux. If you want to make it creamier, you can use half and half creamer.
- Flavor– To season this macaroni and cheese recipe, this recipe calls for salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika! You can adjust the seasonings to desired taste. I like to add crushed red pepper flakes for a kick.
- Dijon– The secret to a tangy and flavorful mac and cheese is the Dijon mustard! It adds a little tang and totally elevates this pasta dish.
- Cheese– The key to the best mac and cheese is using high quality cheese! This recipe calls for a mix of Gruyere cheese, mild cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese! I like to buy blocks of cheese and shred it fresh.
- Panko Topping– If you like a crunchy topping on your macaroni and cheese, then you can combine panko crumbs with melted butter and then top the dish with it before baking! The crunchy topping is optional!
HOW TO MAKE BAKED MAC AND CHEESE
With just a few simple steps you can have the best baked mac and cheese recipe ready in no time!
- Preheat the oven. Shred the cheese and mix them in a bowl. Set aside.
- Cook Pasta– In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and add back to the pot and toss in oil, to avoid the pasta from sticking.
- Prepare the Roux– In a large skillet or pot, melt butter. Whisk in the flour until thick and combined.
- Pour in the milk, seasonings and Dijon mustard and whisk until smooth. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thick and creamy.
- Turn off the heat and mix half of the shredded cheese and the cooked pasta into the roux cream until pasta is coated.
- Layer the dish– Add half of the creamy mac and cheese to the casserole dish then layer with half of the remaining shredded cheese. Then top with the rest of the macaroni.
- Top with the rest of the shredded cheese and panko topping.
- Bake– Bake until the top is crispy and golden. (For extra crisp, broil for the last couple minutes.)
- Remove from the oven and let cool for a couple minutes.
- Serve warm with desired sides.
STOVE TOP MAC AND CHEESE-
If you prefer not to bake this mac and cheese, no problem! Just make it a stove top macaroni and cheese.
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- In the meantime, prepare the roux mixture in a deep skillet or large pot. Add all the cheese to the mixture, leaving only ½ cup for the topping.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain and then add the roux mixture. Toss until the pasta is well combined. Top with the rest of the cheese, freshly chopped greens, and black pepper.
- Serve immediately while it is still hot.
MAC AND CHEESE VARIATIONS
You don’t have to leave this creamy mac and cheese recipe plain! There are so many variations to this dish! Add different ingredients to elevate this dish.
- Bacon– Add crispy bacon bits to this creamy mac and cheese for a delicious, crunchy flavorful dish. For extra bacon flavors, add some bacon grease to the butter!
- Caramelized Onions– You can’t go wrong with adding caramelized onions to your mac and cheese! It gives it a rich flavor that elevates this dish.
- Broccoli– Get your veggies in and add steamed broccoli florets to the macaroni and cheese dish right before serving!
- Spinach– If you like spinach, when making the roux, add some fresh or frozen chopped spinach to the mix for some greens!
- Hot Honey Chicken– This is my favorite way to enjoy mac and cheese! Add some chopped hot honey tenders into your mac and cheese and drizzle with extra hot honey for the ultimate mac and cheese recipe.
- Seafood– If you love seafood, add crab, lobster or even shrimp to this macaroni recipe!
- Spicy– For a spicy mac and cheese, add some sliced jalapenos or crushed red pepper flakes to the pasta.
SERVING IDEAS
Pair this mac and cheese with the right sides for the ultimate dinner!
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
The best cheese to use for mac and cheese is a combination of cheeses. Cheeses like medium cheddar, gruyere, smoked gouda, sharp cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey jack, and Havarti cheese.
No! You can go the classic route and just use plain elbow pasta.
A roux is a mixture of butter and flour that is cooked together and works as the thickening agent for sauces. For this mac and cheese, it thickens the sauce to give you a thick and creamy mac and cheese.
If you feel like the mac and cheese is bland, after adding the seasonings and Dijon mustard, you can add more seasonings to add more flavor. Be sure to salt the pasta water also! Bland mac and cheese is because the dish is under seasoned!
When looking for macaroni and cheese recipes, I sometimes get scared by how much cheese the recipe calls for! This recipe is not overly cheesy; it’s the perfect amount of cheese. If you love the overly cheesy macaroni, don’t be shy and add more cheese!
Yes! This macaroni is perfect to make ahead and bake later! Just follow the recipe, assemble the macaroni and cheese in the casserole dish. Don’t add the panko crumb topping until right before baking, and cool at room temp. Once cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days ahead of time! Bake per instructions, adding 10-15 minutes since the pasta is completely cool.
Once the leftover mac and cheese is cooled, store covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat with a splash of milk on the stove top or in the microwave.
Mac and cheese freezes great! Freeze in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months! Thaw overnight and reheat on the stovetop with a splash of milk.
OTHER SIDE DISH IDEAS
You can’t ever go wrong with a delicious side dish, whether for dinner, when hosting, or for the holidays!
Best Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 oz cavatappi pasta or elbow pasta
Roux Sauce-
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 cups shredded cheese gruyere, mozzarella, cheddar
Panko Topping-
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Shred the cheese and combine all the cheese in a bowl. (For the best results, you want to freshly shred blocked cheese.)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil on high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook al dente, according to package instructions. (The cooking time will vary depending on the type of pasta you use.)
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add it back into the pot and toss with some oil to avoid the pasta from sticking together.
- As the pasta cooks, in a large skillet or large pot, melt butter on high heat. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour until combined.
- Continue whisking for about 2-3 minutes, until the flour mixture is slightly golden.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisk vigorously to smooth out the flour lumps. Add the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, paprika, and Dijon to the roux and whisk to combine.
- Bring the roux to a simmer and simmer for about 3-4 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
- Remove from the heat and add in 1 ½ cups of the mixed cheese to the roux mixture and mix to combine, allowing the cheese to melt.
- Add the drained cooked pasta to the roux mixture and toss to combine.
- Pour about half of the mac and cheese mixture into the casserole dish and spread evenly. Top with ½ of the remaining cheese and then pour the rest of the mac and cheese.
- Top with the rest of the shredded cheese. For a crunch, top the dish with the crunchy panko crumb mixture. (The crunchy topping is optional.)
- Bake at 350°F uncovered for 18-20 minutes, or until the top is slightly golden.
- For an even more golden topping, broil the mac and cheese for an extra 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Serve warm with desired sides.
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