This homemade classic macaroni and cheese recipe baked need a handful of ingredients that are available at home. So it means you can make your favorite dish any time in a week. You can never go wrong with this recipe for classic macaroni and cheese, an American favorite that has been gracing our tables for decades. I don’t think that there’s another meal out there that you can make as quickly as this.
Ingredients
- 2 cup macaroni
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- ½ cup fat-free evaporated milk
- 1 medium egg, lightly beaten
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1¼ Cup (4 oz) low-fat sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
- Cooking spray
Directions For Classic Macaroni And Cheese Baked
- Cook macaroni according to package directions—but do not add salt to the cooking water. Drain and set aside.
- Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Lightly spray a saucepan with nonstick cooking spray. Add onion to the saucepan and sauté for about 3 minutes over medium heat.
- In a bowl, combine macaroni, onion, and the remaining ingredients, and mix thoroughly.
- Transfer mixture into casserole dish.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving
Tips For The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipe
- Never stop stirring your milk once it hits the pan. If your skillet is too hot or you walk away and for a minute you could scorch the white sauce and it will curdle. It doesn’t really hurt the taste, but it will look sort of clumpy. It only takes 5 minutes. Just hang out and stir until that sauce is thick enough to coat the back of your spoon.
- Use good cheese in your baked macaroni and cheese. That means avoiding bagged, pre-shredded cheeses because they contain cellulose (an anti-caking agent) that can in some cases cause your cheese not to melt as it should.
- Choose a melting cheese and flavor cheese for the best flavor and texture in your baked macaroni and cheese.
- Taste your cheese sauce before you add your pasta. If it doesn’t have enough flavor, add a pinch more salt, stir it in and taste it again until it suits you.
- Cook your pasta slightly less as the pasta will continue to cook in the homemade cheese sauce in the oven.
- I used elbow pasta but really, any tubular pasta will work.
- Feel free to add more pasta if you want. Some people say that this recipe doesn’t have enough noodles in it, but I’ve never had that problem. And yes, you should cook your pasta before adding it to the cheese sauce.
Can I Make This Macaroni And Cheese Ahead And Bake It When I’m Ready?
Yes, Just let it cool down, put some plastic wrap right against the surface of the mac and cheese and stick it in the fridge.
Can I Freeze Macaroni And Cheese?
No.
Do I Have To Bake My Macaroni And Cheese?
Not if you don’t want to. You can actually eat it right from the pan or just stick it under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the top if you’d rather. It works just as well and is a great shortcut when you are running low on time.
How Can I Dress Up My Macaroni And Cheese?
This baked macaroni and cheese may be the most versatile dish ever. Add in some red pepper for kick, any cheeses you like add veggies like broccoli and chopped chicken and it’s a one-dish meal even.
What Should I Serve With My Macaroni And Cheese?
Try Grilled Chicken or Garlic bread
Classic Macaroni And Cheese With Bread Crumbs
Make some garlic bread crumbs for the top if you want some crunch and throw those on. It’s really endless.
Here is a quick recipe of Garlic Bread crumbs
- 1 pound stale bread, sliced
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed with a knife
- Kosher salt
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted and dry, 10 to 12 minutes. While the bread toasts, place the olive oil and garlic in a sauté pan and set over low heat. Cook gently, allowing the garlic to infuse the oil.
- When the bread slices are toasted, place in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add the crumbs to the garlic oil and stir gently until coated. Season to taste with salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the oil is absorbed. Remove the garlic cloves. The crumbs will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 weeks.
You can customize these crumbs with lemon zest, oregano, parsley, or other herbs. Simply reprocess the crumbs with the herbs after you have finished the basic recipe.
Do try this Classic Macaroni And Cheese Recipe Baked and share your feedback in the comments below. If you want to share your perfect recipe, do write to us. We would love to share your favorite recipes here.