Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese uses 3 different cheeses, butter, and whipping cream for extra creamy richness! The bit of garlic in the béchamel sauce and crunchy parmesan topping make this mac and cheese casserole an extra special meal! Homemade mac and cheese does take a bit longer to make than boxed stuff but it's worth every second you spend! With a macaroni and cheese this creamy and delicious, you will find yourself craving this homebaked comfort food again and again.

The cheese sauce in Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese is first made into a Bechamel Sauce, then, the cheese is mixed in creating a Mornay Sauce. Next, this is mixed with the pasta. Macaroni and Cheese was traditionally baked in the oven. The best mac and cheese recipe is true comfort food!

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Our family has always been a fan of pasta and cheese together. Some of us love Kraft Dinner and others barely tolerate it, which is why I tried making baked Macaroni and Cheese a couple of years ago. This recipe has been tweaked a few times until I finally came up with the best mac and cheese we have ever tasted. It does take some effort to grate the cheeses but this recipe is actually very quick and simple to assemble. Then, you pop it in the oven and smell the delectable aroma for half an hour while the best mac and cheese recipe bakes.

Macaroni and cheese can be a side dish or main meal!

Homemade mac and cheese is a hearty and healthy casserole that can be a main dish or a side dish! I have served this macaroni and cheese recipe as a truly amazing side dish when serving any kind of barbecue meat, or even with Mouthwatering Sweet and Smoky Barbecue Ribs! Most of the time, I make Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese for lunch, it only takes 20 minutes to assemble and 30 minutes to bake so if I start 1 hour before we need lunch, I can have it on time. 😉 With all the cheese and dairy in this homemade mac and cheese, all you need is some fresh veggies or a salad and you have a complete and totally healthy meal!

History of Macaroni and Cheese

Pasta and cheese casseroles were featured in an Italian cookbook in the 14th Century. The earliest modern recipe in the version that we are familiar with was a recipe for homemade macaroni and cheese from 1769. Thomas Jefferson brought noodle recipes and a pasta machine back from France when he visited there and fell in love with pasta. He then served macaroni and cheese at a state dinner in 1802. Macaroni and cheese was first brought to Canada in the mid 1800's by British Immigrants. Kraft Foods launched the boxed mac and cheese in 1937. At this time America was enduring the great depression. Because of rations and poverty, staples like fresh meat and dairy were difficult to find. This made the boxed version of mac and cheese very popular.

Ingredients for Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

• Elbow Macaroni: This is the traditional shape for mac and cheese. Of course any kind of pasta would work, I just love how the creamy cheese sauce fills every piece of the elbow macaroni in mac and cheese recipes!
• Butter: To make the Béchamel Sauce, and a bit melted for the crumb topping.
• Garlic: I add a couple cloves to the Béchamel Sauce but don't cook them in the butter, just immediately add the flour. This ingredient is totally optional, if you don't like garlic.
• Flour: To thicken the Bechamel.
• Milk: For the best mac and cheese recipe, use part milk and part heavy whipping cream. Or use all half and half!
• Heavy Whipping Cream:
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Grate your own cheese so that it melts properly. The pre-grated cheese you can buy has a starch added to it to keep it from sticking together, and this will not melt as good as pure cheese freshly grated.
• Mozzarella Cheese: Or any other cheese that melts nicely.
• Salt and Pepper to taste.
• Ritz Crackers: Crushed and mixed with the parmesan for a crunchy topping. You don't have to use Ritz, it just happens that Costco sells huge boxes so this is the cracker I have on hand. Panko will work just as well as Ritz for the crunchy topping on this homemade mac and cheese.
• Parmesan: For the topping to be crunchy, cheesy and super yum.

how to make Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

1.Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, until 1 minute before the recommended time. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter.

3. Add the crushed garlic, stir and cook for about 1 minute.

4. Add the flour and stir for another minute.

5. Gradually add the milk and cream, stirring continually. Continue stirring until thickened.

6. Remove from the heat and add 4 cups of grated cheese, stirring after each cup is added. Stir to melt.

7. Stir the pasta into the cheese sauce. (the pasta may stick together but will loosen as you stir it into the sauce.)

8. Pour half of the pasta and cheese mixture into a 9x13 inch casserole dish.

9. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of cheese onto the macaroni pasta.

10. Pour the rest of the pasta onto the cheese layer.

11. With a food processor, crush the crackers.

12. Add the melted butter and parmesan and mix in the food processor.

13. Sprinkle the crumb mixture on the top of the pasta.

14. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Make some creamy baked macaroni and cheese to celebrate National mac and cheese day on july 14th!

Other Cheese lovers recipes to try

Garlic Cheese Bread

broccoli quiche recipe

broccoli au gratin casserole

homemade pizza recipe

easy cheesy sauce for broccoli

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