Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese
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This is the ultimate Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe. This white cheddar mac and cheese is loaded with flavor and will bring you right back to childhood.
this classic mac and cheese recipe deserves a spot on your holiday table
There is truly nothing more comforting than a scoop of old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese. It immediately transports me back to my childhood.
My nana always made baked mac and cheese and could not understand why we would ever even want to eat the instant stuff. Now trust me, I still grab a blue box every once in a while, but nothing compare to the homemade stuff.
It might take a bit longer, but take the time to grate the cheese by hand for a smooth and creamy sauce. I promise everyone will love this mac and cheese recipe!
Kitchen tools
- Large pot for boiling pasta and making cheese sauce
- Cheese grater
- Measuring spoons, measuring cups and liquid measuring cup
- 9×13 casserole dish
Serving Suggestions
This baked old fashioned mac and cheese recipe is a great addition to any holiday menu! If you need help planning your Thanksgiving meal, check out this Simple Thanksgiving Dinner Menu.
I love making a batch of this old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese for friends who just had a baby or are sick. You can make it ahead of time, freeze it and then pop in the oven whenever you are ready to eat it.
Ingredients
- Pasta
- Butter
- All purpose flour
- Salt, mustard powder, black pepper, smoked paprika
- Extra sharp white cheddar and sharp yellow cheddar
- 2% milk
- Hot sauce
What noodles are best for macaroni?
A classic macaroni noodle will always be a great choice for baked macaroni. I also like to use a large elbow because they hold a bit more cheese sauce.
For this recipe I used cavatapi noodles because the curve is great for a baked mac and cheese. One of my other favorite noodles for this dish is small shells.
Why should i grate my own cheese for baked macaroni?
Pre grated cheeses are made with fillers that prevent in clumping. These fillers make the cheese sauce gritty.
For a smooth and creamy cheese sauce it is best to buy a brick of sharp cheddar cheese and grate it yourself. Then, mix the hand grated cheese into the cheese sauce.
How to make old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese
Step 1: Boil noodles and grate cheese
To begin, preheat oven to 375F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil pasta until al dente.
While the pasta boils, grate the cheese. Mix the white cheddar and yellow cheddar together and then separate into 4 cups of cheese for the sauce and 2 cups of cheese for topping the casserole.
Then, drain cooked pasta and pour into a greased 9×13 casserole dish.
Step 2: Prepare cheese Sauce
Next, heat a large pot over medium-low heat and place butter inside. Once butter is melted, mix in the flour, salt, mustard powder, black pepper and smoked paprika. Mix until a smooth paste remains.
Slowly whisk in the milk mixing constantly until a smooth even sauce remains. Stir in the hot sauce.
Next, reduce heat to low and pour 4 cups of shredded cheese into the pot. Continue mixing constantly until the cheese is completely and a smooth sauce remains.
Step 3: mix it together and Bake in the oven
Then, pour cheese sauce over the noodles in the casserole dish and toss to coat the noodles evenly. Top with 2 cups shredded cheese.
If you are freezing this dish or making ahead of time, stop cooking here. Cover and place in fridge or freezer. See below for reheating instructions
Finally, bake at 375F covered with foil for 30 minutes, remove the foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Storage and reheating
Allow the cooked old fashioned mac and cheese to cool completely and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat in the oven or toaster oven until warmed through.
can i make this ahead of time?
Yes! You can make this a few days ahead of time and place in the fridge OR you can make it and freeze it. It is good in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To bake from refrigerated, bake at 375F covered with foil for 45 minutes, remove the foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
To bake from frozen, bake at 375F covered with foil for 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove the foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Check out these other Comforting side dishes
- Easy Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Brussels Sprouts
- Crispy Maple Bacon Brussles Sprouts
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese
A classic recipe for baked macaroni and cheese
Ingredients
- 1lb pasta – I used cavatapi, but macaroni noodles are great
- 6 cups shredded cheddar cheese (4 cups extra sharp white cheddar + 2 cups sharp yellow cheddar) ***for a smooth sauce, grate this by hand instead of buying pregrated.
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 tsp hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil pasta until al dente.
- While the pasta boils, grate the cheese. Mix the white cheddar and yellow cheddar together and then separate into 4 cups of cheese for the sauce and 2 cups of cheese for topping the casserole.
- Drain cooked pasta and pour into a greased 9×13 casserole dish.
- Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and place butter inside. Once butter is melted, mix in the flour, salt, mustard powder, black pepper and smoked paprika. Mix until a smooth paste remains.
- Slowly whisk in the milk mixing constantly until a smooth even sauce remains. Stir in the hot sauce.
- Reduce heat to low and pour 4 cups of shredded cheese into the pot. Continue mixing constantly until the cheese is completely and a smooth sauce remains.
- Pour cheese sauce over the noodles in the casserole dish and toss to coat the noodles evenly. Top with 2 cups shredded cheese. *** If you are freezing this dish or making ahead of time, stop cooking here. Cover and place in fridge or freezer.
- Bake at 375F covered with foil for 30 minutes, remove the foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
*** To bake from refrigerated, bake at 375F covered with foil for 45 minutes, remove the foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes. To bake from frozen, bake at 375F covered with foil for 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove the foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Notes
- hand grated cheese will make the sauce smoother and creamier
- extra sharp white cheddar cheese adds lots of flavor to this dish
- omit the hot sauce if you do not like spice
- use any kind of noodle, but I like cavatapi or macaroni noodles best
elizabeth Labrecque says
omg, i dont normally make mac and cheese for thanksgiving, but my daughter requested it and I knew I had to try madelines recipe. It was even better than I thought it would be. My whole family raved about it and they are so happy we have leftovers. This recipe is so good. It was really easy to make also. Do not wait to make this dish, it will be a hit that everyone will love. Yum Yum!!!!
★★★★★
Madeline says
Thanks so much for this great review, Elizabeth! I am so glad to hear your whole family enjoyed it.
Beth Molinaro says
I made this on thanksgiving and it was great!!! Fantastic recipe and so easy to modify if you want other seasonings or cheeses!! Thanks for this yummy dish!!
★★★★★
Madeline says
Yay! Thanks, Beth!
Polina says
I was looking for a fabulous standard mac & cheese recipe and found this one! Absolutely scrumptious and super simple to make, highly recommend. Already planning to make this again!
★★★★★
Madeline says
Aw, yay! Thanks, Polina!