Macaroni and Cheese

This Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe is over the top! If you’re looking for a meal that’s sure to be a hit, look no further. This baked mac and cheese is a family favorite recipe, loved by both children and adults. Perfect for a comforting dinner or as a holiday side dish!

Macaroni and Cheese

We use a combination of cheeses, layered in the dish as well as melted into a rich and creamy cheese sauce, and I am really convinced this is the BEST macaroni and cheese recipe out there!

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Ingredients

• Elbow macaroni
• Salt 
• Butter, cubed
• Half-and-Half
• Velveeta cheese, cubed
• Muenster cheese, shredded
• Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• Eggs, lightly whisked
• Seasoning salt
• Black pepper 

Oozing with FIVE different kinds of cheese, we just love comfort food! Mac and cheese is the quintessential comfort food. How can you go wrong with pasta and cheese?

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, including 1 teaspoon of salt to the boiling water for flavor. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Add the cubed butter to the pot and stir until almost melted. 

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Add the remaining ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup of mixed cheese for the topping, and stir well. Pour the pot contents into a 9×13 baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes until edges become golden brown and bubbly. 

Other Options for Your Macaroni and Cheese

• Bacon – if you love bacon, feel free to add some crispy, crumbled bacon to the topping.
• Panko – Consider adding 1 cup of panko with 2 Tbsp of melted butter and using that as a topping.  1 cup of crushed Ritz crackers with 2 Tbsp of butter is also delicious!
• Different Baking Times – Bake this macaroni and cheese at 350 F degrees for 30 minutes, then as an opion, broil for 2-3 minutes to get that gorgeous cheesy “crust”.

Creamy but not saturated like a pan mac and cheese, this recipe is, in my humble opinion, the perfect macaroni and cheese. Bring it to a potluck, add it as a dinner side, and always remember to whip it up on Thanksgiving and Christmas!

More Easy Recipes by The Blogette to Try Next:

• Homemade Hamburger Helper
• KFC Chicken Bowl Casserole
• Arroz Con Pollo
• Broccoli Cheese Casserole
• Texas Toast Sloppy Joes

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

This baked macaroni and cheese is a family favorite recipe, loved by both children and adults. Perfect for a comforting dinner or as a holiday side dish!

Servings: 10 people

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Equipment

• 9×13 casserole pan
• Cheese grater
• Pasta pot
• Colander
• Wooden spoon / Mixing spoon

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoon butter, cubed
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup shredded muenster cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Cook pasta according to package instructions, including 1 teaspoon of salt to the boiling water for flavor. 
• Drain the pasta and return to pot. Add the cubed butter to the pot and stir until almost melted. 
• Add the remaining ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup of mixed cheese for the topping, and stir well. 
• Pour the pot contents into a 9×13 baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. 
• Bake for 30 minutes until edges become golden brown and bubbly. 

Notes

Helpful Tips:

• Like a crunch on your mac and cheese? Top with bacon, buttered breadcrumbs, crumbled crackers, or panko before baking. 
• Pro Tip: for the perfect ooey-gooey melted mac and cheese, shred your own cheese from blocks. Pre-shredded cheese from the store does not melt the same.
• Broil for 2-3 minutes to get that gorgeous cheesy “crust”.