Homemade Mac and Cheese is a rich, creamy casserole and this recipe is truly my favorite!
Not only is this creamy macaroni and cheese recipe easy to make, it has a special ingredient so it turns out extra delicious!
This dish has so much cheesy sauce, it’s impossible to resist and once you try it, this is going to be the only baked macaroni & cheese recipe you’ll ever need!
Why This is Our Favorite Homemade Mac & Cheese Ever
Hello, my name is Holly and I am obsessed with Macaroni and Cheese. I love all kinds from crock pot mac & cheese to baked mac and cheese, or even out of a little blue box. Of all of the cheesy macaroni recipes, *this* recipe right here is the best mac and cheese recipe ever and always gets rave reviews!
- The sauce is from scratch and easy to make.
- This recipe is extra saucy.
- The pasta doesn’t get dry, it’s still nice and creamy even after it’s baked in the oven.
- It’s got great flavor, especially when using sharp cheddar cheese. (The sharper the better!)
- And most importantly, it’s the best homemade mac and cheese you’ve ever had.
Ingredients & Variations
PASTA: This easy mac and cheese casserole starts with elbow macaroni that is slightly undercooked so they don’t get mushy when baked.
Any short pasta like penne, rotini, or shells will work. Feel free to use gluten-free pasta or whole-grain pasta if desired.
SAUCE: A classic flour and butter mixture is used to thicken the cheese sauce. We add sharp cheddar and fresh parmesan for lots of flavor. A secret ingredient I love to add is condensed cheddar cheese soup (this is optional but recommended).
For extra richness, I add a bit of light cream to the milk. You can use all milk if it’s all you have.
VARIATION: This casserole has a simple cheese topping. But feel free to add a breadcrumb topping if desired.
How to Make Homemade Mac and Cheese
Making homemade macaroni and cheese (especially this 5-star recipe) is surprisingly easy and quick!
- Cook Pasta – Cook pasta al dente (slightly undercooked) drain & rinse.
- Make Sauce – A homemade cheese sauce with lots of cheese takes about 10 minutes. (more on the sauce below).
- Combine and bake – Toss sauce with pasta and top with remainder of shredded cheese.
- Bake (as per the recipe below) until golden and bubbly.
Mac and Cheese Sauce
The sauce for this easy homemade macaroni and cheese is a classic roux based cheese sauce. This just means fat (in this case butter) and flour cooked together and then liquid (milk) added! This sauce is incredibly rich and creamy making sure the macaroni and cheese is velvety smooth and extra creamy every single time.
Be sure to shred your own cheese for the sauce, pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as well.
The Best Cheese For Mac and Cheese
Sharp Cheddar is my first choice for flavor however you can certainly use your favorite cheeses. Mix it up and use a bit of gruyere, or even pepper jack for a little kick. If you have bits of cheese leftover, you can combine them all together in this easy homemade cheese sauce.
This recipe has a special ingredient that is a little bit unconventional but makes it extra yummy… AND it is optional. The addition of cheddar cheese soup makes the sauce a little bit extra velvety and just adds a little something. I think it’s much better than Mac and cheese with Velveeta! Give it a try! (You can find it at your local grocery store with the other condensed soups or online here).
Recipe Tips
Making Homemade Macaroni and Cheese is not difficult, but below are a few simple tips to make sure it turns out perfect and creamy every single time!
- Cook pasta al dente (firm) Otherwise the noodles cook extra in the sauce and can get over- cooked in the oven.
- Salt the pasta water It really makes a difference in the flavor of the pasta.
- Rinse the pasta after cooking While not everyone agrees, in this particular recipe the sauce is created with a texture that pairs perfectly with rinsed noodles. Rinsing with cold water stops the cooking process, too, ensuring that pasta won’t overcook and get mushy during baking.
- Shred the cheese by hand Pre-shredded cheeses contain additives to keep it from sticking together which affect the way it melts.
- Rest before serving Allowing the baked macaroni and cheese to rest for a few minutes after baking will thicken the sauce and allow the casserole to set.
- Watch the timer Most importantly of all… do not over-bake this recipe.
When cooking your macaroni noodles, cook them according to the package directions but you want them to be still firm. If your package says 6-8 minutes, just cook them 6… you get the idea.
How to Make a Bread Crumb Topping (optional)
Combine the following and sprinkle over your casserole before baking.
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs (Panko Bread Crumbs are best)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon parsley (optional)
This recipe makes an extra saucy creamy macaroni. Do not over-bake this recipe. You want it creamy and rich, over-baking will cause it to dry out. I find that 20 minutes is perfect in my oven, the cheese sauce will thicken slightly while standing.
More Macaroni Recipes You’ll Love
- Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese – so hearty
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese – super easy!
- American Goulash Recipe (Tomato, Beef and Macaroni) – crowd pleaser
- Cheesy Beef & Macaroni Casserole
- Homemade One Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni – easy & quick!
- Crock Pot Mac and Cheese – reader favorite
- Baked Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Did you love this Mac and Cheese Casserole? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 cup half and half or light cream
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 10.75 ounces condensed cheddar cheese soup 1 can, optional
- 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Cook macaroni al dente according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Whisk in flour and let cook 2 minutes while stirring. Slowly whisk in milk, cream, mustard powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat while stirring until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese and 3 cups cheddar cheese until melted. Add soup if using. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Toss cheese sauce and macaroni noodles together. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese.
- Bake 18 to 24 minutes or until bubbly. Do not over cook. Cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Cook pasta al dente (firm) so it doesn't overcook in the oven. I usually undercook by about 1-2 minutes
- Rinse the pasta after cooking This particular recipe is designed for rinsed pasta. This stops it from cooking.
- Shred the cheese by hand Pre-shredded cheeses contain additives to keep it from sticking together which affect the way it melts.
- Rest before serving this will thicken the sauce and allow the casserole to set.
- Watch the timer Most importantly of all... do not over-bake this recipe.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
I have everything but the mustard powder. Do you think this is a huge part of the recipe or will it be fine without??
You can leave the mustard powder out.
I forgot the onion powder Is that ok?
Yes, it will still be great. Onion powder just adds extra flavor.
when i dont have mustard powder, i take a half and half mix of grainy and yellow mustard…adds a little kick to the mac and cheese.
Do you think that after the casserole is out of the oven can you put in crock pot to keep warm until served?
I haven’t tried it but I think as long as your slow cooker isn’t too warm it would be ok. I do have a crock pot Mac & Cheese that I’ve left on warm before. If left too long the cheese can dry out and if too hot the cheese can separate. I hope that helps.
This looks delicious and we plan on making it! Question though: could you prep the noodles and cheese mixture at night and then throw it in the oven in the morning or do you have to do it all at once?
I think that would work. I would suggest making sure it is well covered to ensure it doesn’t dry out.
Hello I have a question when u say light cream do u mean light sour cream or something else please explain I want to make this for thanksgiving looks delicious THANKS in advance
Miesha!!!!
This would be approx 10% cream you might put in coffee (like heavy milk)
i think evaporated milk would work well in place of light cream…dont you think?
I think it should work just fine!
We like using whole wheat noodles. Do you think they will affect the taste?
I think it would still be delicious with whole wheat noodles.
This is the absolute best Mac n cheese I have ever had. The leftovers are just as good! I will never look for another recipe again! The cream of cheddar is what makes it!
Just wondering if this could be frozen?
I have not tried freezing this recipe. Often recipes with milk don’t freeze well so I can’t say for sure how it would work.
I just bought regular whipping cream since they didn’t have light. Will that be OK? Also, when the recipe calls for milk can I use skim milk? Thank you in advance. I plan on making this tonight.
I think if you’re using heavier cream and lighter milk, it should work out just fine.
I made this last night and loved it! I am always on the lookout for a good mac and cheese recipe and this one fit the bill…definitely a keeper. I used the soup and fyi, since the pasta came in a 16oz package I used all 16oz instead of just 12oz and there was plenty of sauce. And I do love a lot of cheesy sauce. Yummy!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Denise!
Hello I’m having trouble finding light cream is there a substitute for light cream
You can use half and half.
Did you use the cheddar soup since you made it with 16oz of pasta?
This was so good! My seven year old had seconds. It’s just the two of us so I put it in two small casserole dishes and put one in the freezer for next week.
How did it turn out after you froze it?
I wish there was a way to print it without using 9 pages
Below the second photo, you will see a pink bar with the recipe title on it. On the right hand side there is a “print recipe” button. It will print on a single page.
I have to make this gluten free so I will buy gluten free macaroni and use corn starch instead of flour. I know this will be delicious. Bisquick makes a gluten free flour, could I use that instead of corn starch. If the corn starch would work how much should I put in to thicken the sauce? Thanks for your help.
While I haven’t tried it, 1 part cornstarch replaces 3 parts flour so in this case you would need about 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to replace the flour. The method would be different in that you would need to mix the cornstarch directly into the cold milk before adding it to the pan (and not into the butter beforehand).
Please let us know how it works out for you!
I cook gluten free, and what I use is a good all-purpose gluten free flour that does not have xanthan gum in it. I do this for gravies also because corn starch breaks down if the dish is not all eaten right away.
Hi, this recipe sounds amazing! I don’t think we have the cheddar soup over here in the UK, so would I need to sub something in its place or add extra milk/cream or would I just leave the soup out completely? Thank you
This recipe is just great without the soup. You can leave it out!
Should I use fresh “grated” parmesan or fresh “shredded” parmesan?
You will want to use shredded parmesan cheese from the refrigerator section of your store (not the powdered grated parmesan).
OMG this recipe was so easy to follow!!! Kids and hubby loved it and went back for seconds!! Will become a regular at our place!!!
So glad your family loved it Bernie!
Thank you for leaving off the bread crumbs. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve hated crumb toppings on mac-n-cheese. I know a lot of people like it, but it’s nice to see photos without it. I would also leave out the soup. Plenty of goodness in the cheese sauce you make.
I’ll bet the soup really adds a special taste. I have a friend who stirs crushed soda crackers throughout the mac and cheese. I have always liked it, and it was such a different addition.
I prefer not to use canned soups. Hopefully, leaving it out will not take away from the final result.
You need the soup. I made it without and it wasn’t the same as when my friend made it for thanksgiving. It was more dry than it should have been and I don’t like using canned soups either, but from now on I will use the soup in this!
You could use a can of condensed cheddar cheese. Sams club sells Rico condensed cheddar cheese and in the ethnic dept of supermarkets you can find smaller cans of it.
When you say light cream, does that mean whipping cream?? I lack in the cooking dept!
Light cream is usually around 10-12% sometimes known as half and half.
I was wondering the same thing. Thanks for your reply!
I didn’t know what that meant so I bought whopping cream. I could find “lite” so I bought heavy and now all the stores are closed for Christmas, yikes! Wonder if canned cream will work instead?
*whipping
I would suggest half heavy cream and half milk. It should work perfectly.
Great recipe, thanks for sharing!! The cream of cheddar soup gives it the perfect creamy consistency! Sooooo good!!
This is an amazing Mac and Cheese recipe. We made it last night and loved it!! This is now my go to recipe and so quick to make!
So glad you loved it Tisa!! :)
This mac and cheese looks luscious and creamy. The cream of cheddar soup is such a great addition and provides that extra creaminess and richness.
Turned out great! Might add some bacon pieces next time too
I like the way you think Kristina! That sounds really great!
I add bacon to my Mac & Cheese quite often, it is REALLY good. I do add a small amount of the grease from cooking the bacon too, it increases the bacon flavor, you just have to be sure to mix it in well. If you try it you’ll be surprised at how it adds that extra special flavor to Mac & Cheese.
Yummy idea, thank you for sharing! Bacon just seems to make everything a little bit better.
What if you do bacon grease and butter for the start of the roux…
…or tuna ….or chicken….. just sayin’….
When I make tuna and noodle casserole, I always crush WISE Potato Chips and sprinkle on top of the casserole. I don’t know what it is about the WISE Potato Chips; but they add a nice salty flavor to the tuna and noodle casserole. Even my picky daughter-in-laws like it.
Can this recipe be made a day ahead and still be as delicious? Thinking of making this the day before thanksgiving just to cut down on things we have to make the day of!
Yes, I’ve made this recipe ahead of time. I’d suggest you ensure your pasta is very al dente and taking it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking. You may need to adjust the cooking time slightly to ensure it is heated through.
Hi Kacey!! How did it turn out a day later? How much longer did you cook it for?