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Baked Macaroni and Cheese

a pan of baked mac and cheese.

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Rich and decadent baked macaroni and cheese made with a classic bechamel sauce and two types of cheese. It’s rich, creamy, and a perfect side dish for holiday dinners or other special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 16 ounces macaroni
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 of a peeled yellow onion (one wedge)
  • 2 peeled and smashed garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Boil the macaroni in a large pot of water for two minutes less than what’s listed on the package. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
  2. In the same pot that you cooked the pasta, melt the butter over medium heat until frothy. Add the flour and mix it with the melted butter until there are no lumps (about 2 or 3 minutes). Slowly pour in the milk and cream, whisking continuously until the mixture is smooth with no lumps.
  3. Add the onion wedge and smashed garlic. Cook the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat. You don’t want it to boil, so lower the heat if necessary. It will start to thicken as it cooks.
  4. Discard the onion and garlic. Season the sauce with the salt and add all but 1 cup of the cheese (save the rest for the baking dish). Stir until the sauce is smooth and the cheese has melted.
  5. Add the macaroni to the sauce and stir to combine. The sauce may be a little loose, which is fine. It will thicken in the oven.
  6. Transfer the pasta and sauce to a 9×13″ baking dish. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Bake the mac and cheese for 15 to 20 minutes or until it’s bubbly hot and the sauce is thickened. Let it stand a few minutes before serving.

Notes

This recipe works best with block cheese you’ve shredded yourself. I’ve tried it with bagged shredded cheese, and the sauce doesn’t have the same smooth and creamy texture. I’ve also made this with aged white cheddar cheese instead of Monterey Jack, and it’s delicious but not as creamy.

Leftover mac and cheese is never as good as when it was first made. The sauce will thicken when it’s chilled and lose its creamy consistency. If you have leftovers, adding a few splashes of milk when you reheat them helps thin the sauce so it’s creamier.

This recipe makes eight generous servings as a side, or you can serve it as a main dish for four to six.

 

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