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Baked Mac and Cheese

Baked mac and cheese with a smooth, thickened milk-and-roux sauce and a golden, bubbling cheese crust. Cook the pasta slightly under, bake until bubbly, then rest 10 minutes for clean slices and stretchy cheese pulls.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

elbow macaroni
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni Cook 2 minutes less than package directions before draining.
butter
  • 0.5 cup butter
all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
whole milk
  • 4 cup whole milk
evaporated milk
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
salt
  • 1 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
dry mustard
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
shredded sharp cheddar
  • 4 cup shredded sharp cheddar Divide cheese; use 3 cups for stirring and the rest for the top.
shredded Gruyere or Colby jack
  • 2 cup shredded Gruyere or Colby jack Divide cheese; use 1 1/2 cups for stirring and the rest for the top.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and cook the pasta
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F, then butter a 9x13-inch baking dish for easy release.
  2. Cook the elbow macaroni 2 minutes less than package directions, then drain so it finishes cooking in the oven.
Make the cheese sauce
  1. Melt the butter, whisk in the all-purpose flour, and cook 1 minute over medium heat until it smells lightly toasted.
  2. Slowly whisk in the whole milk and evaporated milk, stirring until smooth and no flour streaks remain.
  3. Simmer for 5-6 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, then season with salt, black pepper, dry mustard, and smoked paprika.
Assemble and bake
  1. Stir in 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar and 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere or Colby jack until melted, then fold in the drained pasta.
  2. Pour the mixture into the buttered baking dish and top with the remaining cheeses for a browned crust.
  3. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350F until bubbly around the edges and golden on top, then rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, add the milk gradually while whisking so the roux stays lump-free, and simmer until it visibly thickens before adding cheese. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat in the oven or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the texture of cheddar can turn grainy after thawing. For a lighter option, use part-skim shredded cheese and replace half the whole milk with additional evaporated milk.