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.
How many people does it serve?
This recipe serves 8.
Can I use something else besides the light cream?
You could substitute evaporated milk.
Would it be ok with out the light cream?
While I’ve only made this as written, you could substitute the light cream with milk or evaporated milk and it would likely be great. It may not be quite as rich but still yummy!
Can you prepare this recipe ahead of time, refrigerate it, then bake it prior to serving? I am planning to make it for my kids birthday and wondering if I could make it the morning of other than cooking it during the party.
Yes you can. I would suggest taking it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking.
Have you tried making this recipe on a grander scale? I need to make this for 100 people and this looked like just the recipe to try!!
I have tripled this recipe before. It worked perfectly however the cook time is slightly longer and you may need to stir the casserole part way through cooking and then top with just for the last half.
I made this recipe. Adding little bit of spicy jack cheese.
I also grilled chicken on the bbq and diced it added to the mix, some left over bacon I diced up added as well.
Was a complete meal.
Very yummy
Your additions sound yummy to make this recipe into a complete meal!
Hi, can I double this recipe without messing it up? Also what changes would I make to the cook time? Silly question, but I can mess up any good recipe!!
Great question! Yes, you can easily double this recipe. It make take about 10-15 minutes extra cooking time, you just want to make sure the center is nice and hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Im so excited to try this recipe! I even copied the link to my homepage on my phone! :D I would have never thought to use the soup in it but it makes sense that it would help make it creamier! Mac and cheese is one of the few foods my 2 1/2 yr old will eat so I’m sure she will love it!
I’m with you Shelly, I could eat mac and cheese for every meal! I hope you love this one just as much as I do!
This dish was so creamy and cheesy. It took a lot of cheese but it was worth it.
Glad you loved it!
Do you bake this covered or uncovered? :)
I bake it uncovered.
I add 8oz of cream cheese…
Never heard of putting flour inn he Mac and cheese.
Looking forward to trying, sounds delicious!! Can this be made the night before and baked the next day?
Yes, it can be made the night before. I’d recommend leaving on the counter for a little bit before baking and you may need to adjust the baking time by a few minutes if it’s cold.
Is the 12 oz dry macaroni by weight or volume ?
By weight.
Do you cook you soup first with can milk? Or just add it from the can?
You just add it straight from the can.
I am going to make macaroni and cheese recipe today my granddaughter loves it and I am sure she will love this better .
I hope your family enjoyed this recipe as much as my family did!
Looks so yummy! Going to make it for the kids later this week! Just wondering if the four cups of cheese is 4 shredded cups? Or do you just use block cheese and measure it out that way? Thanks!
Can you make the night before and put in the fridge until ready to bake?
Yes, I’ve made this recipe ahead of time. I’d suggest you ensure your pasta is very al dente.
Awesome thanks a lot!! I am a huge fan of anything yummy I can make ahead of time for a gathering.
What does the dry mustard do? I’ve seen this in other Mac and cheese recipes. I don’t usually buy dirty mustard but was curious what it does.
It adds a little bit of flavor and sharpness to the sauce (almost like adding white pepper). If it’s not an item you usually buy and you’d like to give it a try, you can usually buy it in the bulk section and a couple of small spoonfuls will likely cost less than $0.50. :)
I’m no longer using anything else! I thank YOU SOOOO MUCH! This is the best macaroni ive ever had and it will be a family staple for years to come!
I’m so glad you loved it Tiffiany!! :)