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 am making this for 8 people would I need to add to anything for this? Also, what size baking dish do you recommend?
I use a 9×13 dish for this recipe. This should be the perfect size for 8 side dish servings.
Hi Holly! Quick question & im sorry if 40 other people have already asked you this, I tried reading through the comments but there are just too many!…very popular recipe! So my question is, can this be baked the night before & thrown in the oven to reheat the next day?…..or should I just prep & assemble it & baked for the first time the next day?
Yes, this is equally delicious reheated the next day!
Good Morning! I just found your recipe last night and was wondering how you thought it would fare being kept warm in a crock pot (or being ‘baked’ in a crock pot)?
Thanks so much for your input and have a wonderful holiday season!
You could keep it on warm for a little while (it’s very saucy so it would likely work well). If dairy gets too hot in the slow cooker it can separate and become grainy so you’ll just have to monitor the temperature to make sure it stays warm but not too hot.
When you cook/boil the macaroni, do you make it aldente, so it finishes cooking in the oven? Or do you just cook it all the way?
Yes, it is cooked al dente.
Hi there! I am wanting to make this for Thanksgiving. I would like to cook/prepare everything at my house and then warm it up or finish the cooking at their house (its about a 20 minute drive to there place)… What would you suggest? I was thinking of doing all the steps and putting it in the fridge until we are about to leave and continue with step 6 at their house. Do you think it would turn out okay?
That will work just fine.Happy Thanksgiving!
Salt and pepper are listed in the ingredients, but not in the steps?
You can add them with the other seasonings. Enjoy!
Has anybody tried freezing this recipe and heating it up later? I’m looking for recipes to make pre-baby and this just looks oh-so-good! Thank you!
This was delicious! I made it for a potluck and it went quickly. Luckily, there was just a little left for a midnight snack for this prego :) I used all 16oz of macaroni as some other posters have mentioned. There was enough sauce to cover that extra macaroni. Will make it again!!
Sounds excellent, Alicia! Hopefully there’s other recipes on this site that will fulfill your cravings :)
What do you use for the cream??
Any light cream (about 10-12% MF) or half and half will work in this recipe.
Hey!! This will be my second Thanksgiving and Christmas making your recipe and everyone loves it. Question, is I added 2 or 3 eggs for some who prefer the more thick casserole, do you think that will mess it up? Or should i just leave it how it is?
I’m so glad your family loved this recipe!
I haven’t tried it with eggs so I can’t say for sure. This recipe is very “saucy” so if you wanted it thicker you could certainly try adding the eggs or maybe add some extra pasta so there is more pasta in the sauce. I’d love to hear how it works out for you!
I can’t seem to get the little chunks of butter/flour out of the milk/cream mixture. Any pointers to make it smooth before adding the shredded cheese?
The flour should be added to the melted butter and cooked. The milk should be added gradually while constantly whisking and should be cold.
Just put this in the oven. I did use the Cheddar soup and 12 oz of pasta. Next time I will use the entire box of pasta (16oz) Looking forward to dinner!
Can i use Velveeta with this recipe?
I have not tried this recipe with Velvetta. It is already very creamy without it and I’d think it may make it too rich.
I’ve tried it and it’s GREATTTT!!!!!
Thank you for sharing!
SOOOO Yummy!!! Just made it! Eating a big bowl right now!!!! Not your average mac and cheese when you add the cheddar soup. Delicious!!! May I link here from my blog?
I’m so glad you loved this recipe Anna! You are more than welcome to link to my recipe from your blog.
Thank you for this recipe, I am anxious to try it. I’ve never tried Parmesan cheese in Mac & Cheese but it does sound good. I don’t care for the bread crumbs on mine either, while growing up my Parents always made it that way & I never liked it.
The parmesan just adds a little bit of extra flavor. :)
Scan this recipe be made ahead of time? If so would you bake and reheat?
Yes. I would recommend removing it from this fridge at least 30 minutes before baking. You may need to adjust the cooking time slightly to ensure it is heated through.
I have made several different homemade Mac-N-Cheese recipes over the years, and this one is by far the best i have had! (and also probably the least expensive to make!). Creamy and delicious, and heatens up so well the next day (others have been so dry). Made it just as you wrote, and it is Perfect!
Thank you so much! It is now a part of my ‘permanent’ recipes, and i will never try another mac-n-cheese recipe.
That is awesome, Cheryl! Thanks for sharing. I’m glad you liked the recipe because it’s one of my favorites!
Hi Holly,
I plan on making this recipe for a Baby Shower I am having. Do you think it would work if I made it the day before, put in individual foil ramekin cups and baked the next day? How long do you suggest baking? Recipe sounds delish!
Yes. I would recommend removing it from this fridge at least 30 minutes before baking. I can’t say for sure how long they would take in individual cups, you more want to heat everything rather than cook it. I’d think about 18 minutes would be good.
I made a very similar recipe to this a while ago. Unfortunately for me the soup just ruined it. I used Campbell’s cream of cheddar and it even smelled horrible. I will make this one but definitely leave out the soup!
I accidentally got grated instead of shredded parm but it’s still freash. How bad will that change it?