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 make this with gluten free macaroni and gluten free flour. Turns out great.
Thank you for sharing Lisa! Some readers will love to hear that!
This was, hands down, THE BEST mac and cheese I have ever made. And I am a mac and cheese connoisseur! I doubled the recipe, shredded my own cheese, it was a little labor intensive, but totally worth it. I did end up with about a cup or so of extra cheese sauce that simply did not fit with the macaroni even in our largest casserole dish. I baked it for about 35 minutes because the recipe was so large, and it turned out perfectly except for one thing. There was a lot of oil on top of the casserole but my husband sopped up most of it with a paper towel. I wonder if a breadcrumb instead of cheese topping would be better next time. This was a huge hit! Total crowd pleaser, my little nephew had 4ths!
So glad that you loved the mac and cheese! Stay tuned for my baked mac and cheese with a breadcrumb topping – coming up soon!
Made this to take to a friend’s house for Thanksgiving. My friend said it reminded her of her grandmother’s. Everyone loved it (even the worst critic…me.) It was so easy to make and so delicious. It made my favorites board on Pinterest!!! Thank you so much for ending my search to find the best mac and cheese recipe. Happy Holidays!!!
I am so glad everyone loved it! It’s our favorite mac and cheese too!
By far best dish I’ve ever made. Made it for Thanksgiving and the whole family loved it. The crumbles on the top added a whole new level of flavor. My dish was the main attraction, it was even better than the turkey! Im only 14 and barely every cook, and I was able to make this. Definitely making it again for Christmas.
I am so glad you loved it Francis! I agree, the topping is the winner! Great job!
Trying this recipe out today and very excited, however, I have 2 maybe 3 questions:
Can I substitute milk for evaporated milk?
and
Instead of using grated cheese, can we substitute for Velveeta cheese? and if able to use Velveeta cheese should I stick to regular milk or can I still use evaporated milk? (the last question only applies if the answer is yes to the first question)
I haven’t tried this with evaporated milk, the recipe sauce is very creamy as written but I’m sure it would work fine.
The flavor and texture of Velveeta cheese is quite different than a real cheddar so that would change the sauce. While it would still taste great, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. If you have shredded cheddar cheese, I think that would work best.
Question about the cream – is it half and half or heavy whipping cream. I type in just cream in my grocery list online and those are the only types of creams (besides ice cream) that comes up. Which should I use?
It is half and half. Enjoy!
How many servings are in this dish? I need to make for approximately 50 people and not sure how many times to multiply it.
Hi Erin, this recipe makes 8 servings. Enjoy!
This is my go-to recipe! My family loves it! The only change I make is omitting the onion powder, just gives a strange flavor in my opinion. Otherwise this is a fantastic recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Glad to hear that you love it Stacy!
Would this be alright to pre-make in the morning, put in a foil baking pan refrigerate and cook that evening?
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.
Hello,
would almond or soy milk be okay for an alternative to milk?
Thanks!
I have only made the recipe as written but think it would work.
Iit’s my favorite comfort food so I’ll give this recipe a try. The one my daughter-in-love makes is my favorite, so we’ll see how this recipe stacks up to hers.
It’s a great hit, so hope you love it Irwin!
It is looking very delicious and I love macaroni. I was looking for nice recipe on macaroni and i have found one here on your website. Thank you very much for sharing this informative post with us.
Enjoy Natasha!
This is the best mac n cheese ever! The soup gave it a bit of a tangy flavor, and it’s so easy to do. we cut the recipe in half, as it was just two of us, and it gave plenty for leftovers. My mom had seconds, and kept taking small spoonfuls until she probably had thirds, lol. My mom doesn’t care for leftovers, but as I was cleaning the kitchen, she said “be sure you have enough to take home, but if there’s enough, leave me some”. Oh, there was plenty, for both of us. My mom just heated her leftovers, but I added a tablespoon or two of milk to my leftovers before heating, which gave it a really creamy consistency.
I was wondering, if one didn’t have the condensed soup on hand, could you just add a bit more grated cheese (maybe a mild cheddar instead of sharp to keep it from getting too sharp a cheese taste?) or would that change the consistency too much or make it harden?
I’m so happy to hear that you and your mom loved this mac and cheese! This recipe is just great without the soup. You can leave it out! If adding more cheese, you may want to add a touch more moisture.
This didn’t turn out well for me. It was gritty. The neighborhood strays will be eating it tonight. :(
Did you use prepackaged cheese or freshly grate your own cheeses? Did you remove your sauce from the heat before stirring in the cheese? Did you make the recipe ahead of time?
I grated my own cheese (medium cheddar). I stirred it in after removing sauce from the heat. I did not make it ahead of time. I did use the soup.
I can’t say for sure what went wrong, this recipe does come out with lots of smooth sauce when I make it. Sorry it didn’t work out for you.
This is THE BEST mac & cheese ever!! And we LOVE mac & cheese at our house. Have tried several recipes I’ve found on line, and this one tops them all. My husband says, “This is a keeper!” Made it exactly as written — wouldn’t change a thing. Such a nice blend of creamy, cheesy goodness.
So glad you loved it, it’s definitely one of my favorites too!
I made this macaroni and cheese for the 4th of July and everyone loved it, especially my macaroni and cheese LOVING husband! He asked me to keep this recipe as my new go-to! So creamy and absolutely delicious!
So glad your everyone loved it Elizabeth! We do too!
This was amazing! We made it without the bread crumbs on top and only baked for 10 min because we didn’t want to dry it out. We used the condensed cheddar soup and it was incredible. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome Jess! So glad you loved it!
This was terrific! I had never made macaroni and cheese (other than the box kind). I added green onion, which was so good. I also used Ritz crackers, bacon bits, and finely diced swiss cheese for the crumble topping. Thank you so much! LOVE!
Sounds great! I’m so glad this was your first homemade macaroni and cheese :)
Have you every had to double the recipe? Would i just double all of the ingredients?
I have easily doubled this recipe and it’s worked perfectly. Increasing the ratios as written will work just fine.
I cooked this according to the recipe, and the sour cream curdled. I cooked it for the shortest amount of time also. It tasted ok, but it didn’t look as appetizing and obviously the texture was off. It definitely wasn’t worth the extra calories. Everyone at the family meal agreed that they preferred our classic Mac and cheese.
Sorry to hear that it didn’t turn out for you. We’ve made this as written many times and it’s worked perfectly. Thank you for trying the recipe Lysa!
Did I miss something? I don’t see sour cream in the list of ingredients or directions.
I don’t think so Gina. Lysa may have added some sour cream.
I don’t see sour cream in the baked version. Is it in the crock pot or instant pot recipe?
there was NO sour cream, she said cream as in half & half.