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Baked Mac and Cheese

Baked mac and cheese with a silky, thickened milk sauce and a golden browned cheese crust. Elbow macaroni gets baked until bubbly, with a stretchy cheddar-Gruyere top and a 10-minute rest for clean scoops.
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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.
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 Divided; use 3 cups for the sauce and reserve 1 cup for topping.
shredded Gruyere or Colby jack
  • 2 cup shredded Gruyere or Colby jack Divided; use 1 1/2 cups for the sauce and reserve for topping.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F, then butter a 9x13-inch baking dish for easy release. Set aside while you cook the pasta.
Cook pasta
  1. Cook the elbow macaroni 2 minutes less than package directions, then drain. The pasta will finish baking in the oven.
Make the cheese sauce
  1. Melt the butter, then whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir constantly to keep the roux smooth.
  2. Slowly whisk in the whole milk and evaporated milk until the mixture looks creamy and lump-free. Keep whisking until fully incorporated.
  3. Simmer for 5-6 minutes, until thickened, then add the salt, black pepper, dry mustard, and smoked paprika. Look for a sauce consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
Combine 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 cooked pasta. Make sure every noodle is coated.
  2. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. Smooth the surface so it bakes evenly.
  3. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350F until bubbly and golden on top. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer the sauce until it thickly coats a spoon—this sets the texture before baking. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3-4 days; reheat in a 325F oven until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because dairy sauces can separate when thawed. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cheese and whole-milk/light milk blend while keeping the simmer time the same.