Easy Baked Mac and Cheese
There is mac and cheese and then there is this mac and cheese. The kind that gets made for holidays and family gatherings and potlucks where people follow the dish around the room. Layered elbow macaroni with a creamy Velveeta and egg custard sauce seasoned with smoked paprika and garlic, freshly shredded Colby Jack and cheddar between every layer and piled on top, baked until it’s golden and bubbly and the cheese on top has that slightly browned crust that makes everyone want a corner piece. This is the real deal and once you make it this way you won’t go back.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Easy Baked Mac and Cheese
- Main Ingredients: The Cheese Sauce, family-size block Velveeta, whole milk, butter, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, smoked paprika
- Why You'll Love It: This baked mac and cheese layers elbow macaroni with a Velveeta and custard cheese sauce and freshly shredded Colby Jack and cheddar in a 9x13 dish baked until golden and bubbly. A classic Southern comfort food recipe.
The custard is what separates this mac and cheese from every boxed or stovetop version you’ve ever made. Eggs whisked into the cheese sauce before it goes over the pasta set during the bake and give the finished dish a creamy, slightly custardy body that holds together when you scoop it and coats every single piece of pasta. That’s the Southern baked mac and cheese difference and it’s significant.
Ingredients Needed To Make Easy Baked Mac and Cheese
The Cheese Sauce
Velveeta is the melting base that produces the smooth, creamy, perfectly emulsified sauce that holds everything together. It melts completely smooth without any graininess. Whole milk and butter round out the sauce. Onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and smoked paprika season it throughout.
The Custard Mixture
Three eggs whisked with whole milk and half-and-half are what transform this from a standard cheese sauce into a proper Southern baked mac and cheese custard. The eggs set during baking and give the finished dish its characteristic creamy, cohesive, slightly custardy texture.
The Pasta and Cheese
Two pounds of elbow macaroni cooked just until tender — not beyond. It finishes in the oven. A large block each of Colby Jack and mild cheddar freshly shredded is the cheese combination that produces the best flavor and melt. Colby Jack adds a mild, slightly buttery quality. Cheddar adds a sharper, more assertive flavor. Together they’re excellent.
How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese
Step 1: Make the Cheese Sauce
Combine the cubed Velveeta, 2 cups of milk, and butter in a pot over low to medium-low heat. Stir frequently until completely smooth and melted — don’t rush this over high heat or the Velveeta can scorch. Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before the eggs go in.
Step 2: Add the Custard
Whisk the 1 cup of milk and 3 eggs together in a separate bowl. Once the cheese sauce has cooled enough that it won’t scramble the eggs — warm to the touch but not hot — whisk the egg mixture directly into the cheese sauce. Stir in the half-and-half. If you need to move faster temper the eggs by slowly adding small amounts of the warm cheese sauce into the egg mixture while whisking before combining everything.
Step 3: Cook the Pasta
Boil the elbow macaroni in a large pot of heavily salted water until just tender. Drain very well — excess water in the pasta will thin the sauce and affect the final texture.
Step 4: Layer the Mac and Cheese
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread a layer of cooked macaroni across the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Ladle some of the cheese sauce over the pasta then sprinkle generously with freshly shredded Colby Jack and cheddar. Repeat — macaroni, sauce, shredded cheese — continuing until you reach the top of the dish. Finish with a very generous layer of shredded cheese across the entire top.
Step 5: Bake
Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes until hot, bubbling around the edges, and the cheese on top is melted and beginning to turn golden. For a deeper golden crust on top switch to broil for a few seconds at the very end and watch it closely — it can go from perfect to burnt in under a minute.
Easy Baked Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Method
- In a pot over low to medium-low heat, combine the cubed Velveeta, 2 cups of milk, and butter. Melt slowly, stirring frequently, until completely smooth. Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Remove from heat and let the sauce cool slightly.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the 1 cup of milk and eggs. Once the cheese sauce has cooled enough that it won’t scramble the eggs, whisk the egg mixture directly into the cheese sauce. Stir in the half-and-half or evaporated milk. If you don’t want to wait for it to cool, temper the eggs by slowly whisking small amounts of the warm cheese sauce into the egg mixture a little at a time before combining everything together.
- Boil the elbow macaroni in heavily salted water until just tender. Drain well.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread a layer of cooked macaroni across the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Spoon some of the cheese sauce over the pasta then sprinkle generously with freshly shredded Colby Jack and cheddar. Repeat — macaroni, cheese sauce, shredded cheese — continuing to layer until you reach the top of the pan. Finish with a generous layer of shredded cheese on top.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes until hot, bubbly, and golden. For an extra golden top, broil for a few seconds at the end watching closely so it doesn’t burn.