Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Why baked macaroni and cheese?

Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. We all remember the boxed macaroni with powdered cheese that was a childhood staple for many of us. The boxed stuff is still around and, still loved of course. But it doesn't hold a candle to baked homemade mac and cheese.

You can make homemade stovetop macaroni and cheese almost as easily, and I often do. But this old fashioned baked macaroni takes it up one more step. In the oven, it gets even creamier and the crunchy topping is a delicious contrast to all that creamy, cheesy, goodness.

Why you'll love this old fashioned baked mac and cheese recipe

• Ultimate comfort food: This is comfort food that's right up there with chili or lasagna. Is there anyone who doesn't love a rich and creamy, cheesy bowl of macaroni and cheese? When you add a crunchy golden topping, it's a always a family favorite.
• Customizable: Baked macaroni and cheese is very versatile. It's perfect as a main dish for family dinners, bringing to potlucks, or as a holiday side dish. You can add vegetables, meat, or other ingredients, change up the cheese, or use a different pasta shape. (See "Variations" further down in this post for more ideas).
• Economical: Homemade baked macaroni and cheese is a budget friendly meal the whole family will love.
• Simple ingredients: This mac n cheese recipe just requires pantry staples and lots of cheese. You can't get any simpler that that.

Ingredients you'll need

Ingredient quantities and full instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Macaroni. Classic mac and cheese uses elbow macaroni, but feel free to use other small pasta shapes. Dried pasta, rather than fresh pasta, works best for this baked macaroni and cheese recipe. I use gluten-free pasta, (I highly recommend Rummo gluten-free pasta). If gluten isn't an issue, use your favorite pasta brand.
• Cheese. The star of the show here is cheese. My favorite is sharp cheddar cheese, and you can use medium cheddar or mild cheddar cheese, too. But I also love to switch it up with different types of cheese. I prefer to grate my own cheese ( food processor makes it quick). I don't recommend using pre-shredded cheese, which contains cellulose as an anti clumping agent. The cellulose will prevent the cheese from melting evenly and can cause the cheese sauce to be grainy and lumpy.
• Butter. Either salted butter or unsalted butter are fine to use. Just be sure it's real butter!
• Flour. All-purpose flour, along with butter, forms a roux, which is the thickening agent for our creamy cheese sauce. I use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, (this is my favorite: Cup4Cup).
• Milk. The milk, when added to the butter and flour roux, forms a creamy béchamel, or white sauce, which is the basis of many dishes, including my vegetable lasagna. Some recipes for homemade macaroni and cheese use heavy cream, but in my experience, it's overkill. With all of the cheese and butter, this mac & cheese recipe is already rich and creamy. So I prefer to use whole milk, or even 2 percent milk. You can even use a non-dairy milk if that's what you have.
• Mustard. I always add mustard powder to mac and cheese. The mustard adds tang and helps to balance the richness of the cheese sauce. It's easy to find dry mustard in the spice section of your grocery store. But if you don't have it on hand, use an equal amount of yellow or Dijon mustard.
• Crumbs. Bread crumbs give us the crispy topping that is the signature of baked macaroni & cheese. You can use Panko bread crumbs, or any breadcrumbs. I also like to use crushed crackers. For this recipe, I'm using crushed gluten-free saltines. Another favorite is cheesy Ritz crackers.

How to make it

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, until just al dente, meaning it will still have a slight chewiness, or "bite". In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
2. When the butter is foaming, whisk in the flour. Continue whisking for 2-3 minutes, until it is bubbling and thickened.

3. Slowly add the milk, whisking the whole time to avoid lumps.
4. Continue to whisk until the sauce is thick and creamy.

5. Remove from the heat and add the cheese, stirring until all the cheese is melted. Whisk in the mustard.
6. Add the cooked macaroni and stir gently until all the pasta is coated in cheese sauce.

7. Pour the mixture into to a casserole dish or baking dish.
8. In a small bowl, stir together the crumbs and reserved shredded cheese with melted butter. Spread the crumb mixture evenly over the macaroni and cheese.
9. Bake until golden brown.

Variations

Pasta:

Use any small pasta shapes in place of elbow macaroni. I especially love cavatappi. Other options are shells, fusilli, or penne noodles.

Cheese

The sky is the limit for cheese choices for this old fashioned baked macaroni. Try different cheeses or a combination of cheeses. Try pepper jack, Colby jack, mozzarella, Havarti, gouda, or cream cheese. Get fancy with brie, goat cheese, or gruyere. Replace the cheese in the topping with Parmesan.  Use your favorite melty cheeses, but stay away from pre-grated cheese for best results.

Spice

Spice up this recipe with different seasonings. Add black pepper, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, or a splash of hot sauce. Add seasoning to the cheese sauce before adding the cooked macaroni.

Add-ins

Here's the fun part! Mac & Cheese is a perfect, cheesy base for so many ingredients. I love to add broccoli florets. Add the broccoli to the pasta for the last minute of cooking. Other great options are cooked and crumbled bacon, cubed ham, green peas, spinach, mushrooms, or any vegetables that you like.

Serving suggestions for old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese

Mac & Cheese is a delicious side dish for country-style ribs, grilled chicken, meatloaf, steak, or pork tenderloin.

It's also a perfect choice as the main meal, along with side dishes like sautéed green beans, brown sugar roasted carrots, Cajun corn on the cob, or brown sugar brussels sprouts.

Old fashioned macaroni and cheese is always a great addition to your holiday table or potluck, along with baked beans, cabbage slaw, or kale and beet salad.