Description
This Best Southern Baked Mac and Cheese recipe delivers a rich, creamy, and cheesy comfort food classic with a crispy golden crust. Featuring a blend of sharp cheddar, mozzarella, Colby Jack, and Parmesan cheeses, combined with a velvety homemade cheese sauce enriched with eggs, this dish is baked to bubbly perfection and guaranteed to satisfy any mac and cheese lover.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
Cheese Sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (divided)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
- 1 cup Colby Jack cheese, shredded (divided)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika (plus more for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Cook the Pasta: Boil the elbow macaroni according to package directions until just al dente, then drain thoroughly and set aside to avoid overcooking in the oven.
- Make the Roux: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously, to create a light roux that will thicken the sauce.
- Add Milk and Cream: Gradually pour in the whole milk and heavy cream while whisking constantly to combine. Continue stirring for about 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken.
- Incorporate Cheeses: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups cheddar, 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup Colby Jack, and all the Parmesan cheese until fully melted and creamy.
- Add Eggs Carefully: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Slowly incorporate the eggs into the warm cheese sauce, stirring constantly to prevent scrambling, ensuring a luscious and thick sauce.
- Season the Sauce: Add salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to the cheese sauce. Stir well to evenly distribute the seasoning.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Mix the drained macaroni with the cheese sauce until well coated. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Add Cheese Topping and Paprika: Sprinkle the remaining cheddar, mozzarella, and Colby Jack cheeses over the top of the pasta mixture. Lightly dust with extra paprika for color and flavor.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is bubbly, golden, and slightly crisp.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and let the baked mac and cheese rest for 5-10 minutes to set for best texture before serving.
Notes
- For best results, use freshly shredded cheese rather than pre-shredded to ensure creaminess and better melt.
- You can substitute whole milk with 2% milk, but the sauce may be slightly less rich.
- Make sure to whisk in the eggs slowly off the heat to avoid curdling.
- This dish can be prepared ahead and refrigerated; reheat covered until warmed through.
- Add breadcrumbs on top before baking for an added crunchy topping if desired.
