EASIEST Baked Macaroni and Cheese (the best!)
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Easiest ever baked macaroni and cheese – this is a go-to recipe of many of my readers and it will become the same for your family!
No, really.
This is the easiest ever macaroni and cheese! And so delicious!
About this easy baked macaroni and cheese:
This baked macaroni and cheese is made like Grandma used to make it, the old fashioned, baked in a casserole dish style. If you’re looking for a creamy, non-baked recipe, you’ll probably love this copycat Panera mac and cheese or Instant Pot macaroni and cheese.
I just love this baked macaroni and cheese, though. It’s a little bit chewier, with lots of great cheddar cheese flavor, and I especially love the way the top crisps up in the oven.
Plus it’s so easy! You just boil pasta, mix with grated cheese, a couple tablespoons of flour, and seasonings, put it in a casserole dish, and pour the milk over it. That’s it! No messing with white sauces or tricky steps. No getting four pots and pans dirty!
You can prep this macaroni and cheese ahead of time and keep it in the fridge overnight. It’s ready to bake when you want it!
Baked mac and cheese is a total crowd pleaser. This is a great recipe for busy weeknight meals but also for entertaining. Perfect for potlucks!
Enjoy one of our family’s favorite meals! I grew up eating this macaroni and cheese and it was always a special day when my mom prepared it. Now I love serving it to my family and I especially love how easy it is to prepare. I’m sure you will too!
What you need to make baked mac and cheese
Really simple ingredients in this one, and lots of room to adapt the recipe to make it your own. For this macaroni and cheese recipe, you’ll need:
- Elbow Macaroni – other shapes will work, as will whole wheat pasta. We haven’t tested this with a grain-free pasta, but it would probably work. Of course, the texture would be slightly different.
- 1 pound of shredded cheese – we like extra sharp cheddar, but you can use many types of cheese. We always recommend shredding your own cheese fo the best texture (plus it’s cheaper), but pre-grated will work in a pinch.
- Flour – this helps the mac and cheese thicken up.
- Ground mustard – this is totally optional but it adds depth to the flavor. You can also use dijon mustard if you don’t have ground mustard.
- Milk – whole, 2%, skim…they’ll all work
- Butter – helps you get that golden brown top on the macaroni and cheese!
- Salt and Pepper – always! You won’t need a lot of salt since cheese is salty.
How to make the best baked macaroni and cheese
This recipe is the best because it’s SO easy to make. No fussing with making a roux or a cheese sauce.
Here are the simple steps:
- Preheat oven and spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (or rub with butter) for easy clean up.
- Cook pasta as directed on the package for al dente texture (don’t forget to salt your water!).
- While the macaroni cooks, combine most of the cheese with the flour, ground mustard, and pepper.
- When the pasta is cooked and drained, mix it with the cheese mixture.
- Place in greased pan, and pour milk over macaroni. Top with remaining cheese and dot with butter. Cover with foil.
- Bake for 45 minutes, taking foil off after 30 minutes if desired for a crisper top.
- Most milk should be soaked up by the time it is done cooking, but we find it best to let this sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
FAQs
What kind of cheese is best for macaroni and cheese?
For this recipe, sharp cheddar is best (I use extra sharp) – it provides this macaroni and cheese with the maximum amount of flavor.
Can you make this macaroni and cheese with pre-grated cheese or do you have to grate your own?
Grate your own cheese for best results. Pre-grated cheese contains additives to prevent clumping in the bag but that also means the cheese shreds don’t melt as well. However, if all you have is pre-grated cheese, don’t worry, your mac and cheese will still be tasty.
Breadcrumbs on the top would be good if that’s how you like mac & cheese!
Should I cover mac & cheese with foil when baking?
I like my top extra crispy. If you do not, I’d recommend covering with foil for at least the first 30 minutes, or up until the entire time.
Can baked macaroni and cheese be made ahead?
This can be prepped in full a day ahead (aside from baking) and baked prior to serving. If you have leftover mac and cheese, heat it in the microwave at medium heat. Watch out, it heats up quickly!
Can I use whole wheat pasta in this mac and cheese?
Whole wheat pasta is awesome in this, and is the way I usually make it.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 oz) elbow macaroni
- 1 pound (16 oz) sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 cups low-fat milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray or grease a casserole dish or a 9×13 pan.
- Cook macaroni as directed on the package in salted water until tender, drain.
- While macaroni is cooking, combine 2 and 1/2 cups of cheese with flour, salt, pepper, and ground mustard.
- In a large bowl, combine cheese and flour mixture with hot macaroni and stir to combine. Pour into the greased pan. Pour milk over macaroni. Top with remaining cheese. Dot with butter. Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 45 minutes (taking the foil off after 30 minutes if desired) or until firm and golden brown. You want to make sure there isn’t a lot of runny milk in it still, poke a knife in the middle if necessary. Some will soak in as it cools but it should be mostly absorbed.
- (Optional) Let sit for 10 minutes before serving to further firm up.
Notes
- Whole wheat elbow macaroni can be substituted.
- Use sharp or extra-sharp cheddar for best results.
- If desired, add 3 tablespoons minced onion.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Looking for more macaroni and cheese? I have you MORE than covered!
Try:
- Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
- Pizza Mac & Cheese Muffins
- DIY “Easy Mac” (Microwave Macaroni and Cheese)
Darlene Gallegos says
You say You like your Mac and cheese extra crispy, so do you leave the foil off of yours throughout the whole baking?
Rachel Gurk says
Yup!
nina says
easy and tasty . next time i would use extra sharp cheese.abit more salt and pepper.came out picture perfect! happy new year
Rachel Gurk says
It’s so good with extra sharp! Happy New Year!
Shari says
Can you add shrimp and crab meat to this
Rachel Gurk says
I don’t see why not!
Wilb Porter says
I usually add chopped onions, occasionally chopped peppers and kale. And sometimes, I add bacon on top.
Rachel Gurk says
Sounds delicious!
Elle says
Delicious! It was crunchy on the outside and soft and cheesy on the inside. I made it for my family tonight and, in my dad’s words, it was the best mac and cheese he’d had in years. :)
Rachel Gurk says
Such a great compliment! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Tony says
THANK YOU. I’ve been using this recipe years now and it’s always a hit! Sides are becoming a big thing at our table and I’ve had to make three trays of this. Thank you for sharing and for replying to your comments. Looking forward to making again this year, though just one tray for the household. (We’ll count on this dish to bring us comfort)
Rachel Gurk says
Comfort is definitely a welcomed thing this year. Thank you for the kind words, I hope you have a healthy and happy Thanksgiving.
Heather says
Did you just double everything to make a double batch?
Rachel Gurk says
Yup! You’ll probably have to slightly increase baking time as well.
Hailey says
ok i must admit, i prefer left over mac and cheese to the fresh stuff. the dryer texture is my fav. so when i took this out of the oven and took a bite i was so excited to see i didn’t have to wait over night to enjoy my mac and cheese! this recipe is so good. i used a little less milk just cuz i ran out and it’s amazing. definitely gonna be my staple mac and cheese recipe.
Rachel Gurk says
I love that! This is the perfect recipe for you, then! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and a review, it means so much! PS: If you like just a tiny bit of heat, try this green chile mac and cheese. It’s a take on this one, so it has a similar texture.
Amanda says
LOVE this recipe it tastes just like my grandmas. However, mine came out a little greasy! As in our plates and the casserole dish had oil in the bottom once the Mac was gone. Any idea why or how to remedy?
Rachel Gurk says
Did you add butter? You could leave the butter off, I often don’t add it. Cheddar is naturally a more greasy cheese so that does happen sometimes with this recipe.
Linda belle says
It was very easy and extremely delicious! Thank you so much. That was my first time making it.
Rachel Gurk says
So glad to hear you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Jillian says
Made this tonight and it came out pretty yummy (thank you for sharing!). I just wish it were a bit creamier . Also added some breadcrumbs on the top for texture/flavor. What could I add to achieve a creamier noodle? More cheese and milk ?
Rachel Gurk says
It’s definitely not a creamy mac and cheese, it’s more of an old-fashioned style recipe. If you’re looking for a creamier recipe, try this one or this one.
Heidi says
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for sharing your recipe. Just wamted to ask if you have recommendation for substitute on ground mustard. it seems majority of the stores here is out of stock.
Stay safe and excited to hear from you. :)
Rachel Gurk says
You can add in a little squirt of mustard or just leave it out!
Barbara Smith says
How many cups is 16oz of macaroni! Our box comes in metri.
Rachel Gurk says
About four cups. I hope that helps!
Angela Carter says
Recipe was good but I like it more cheesy so I think I would add one more small block of cheese not sure what the one fourth of ground mustard does for flavor or flour but everybody liked it and it was very simple and didn’t cost a lot of money to make I had all the ingredients except for the cheese
Rachel Gurk says
Glad to hear you liked the recipe! The flour thickens it up a little and the mustard brings out the flavor of the cheese. :)
Gia says
Once again, Rachel, the Mac and Cheese was a hit! I usually add garlic powder as part of my seasonings to it, I forgot this time. They still loved it though. We have left overs so I’ll make sure to sprinkle the garlic powder lightly over the portions for added flavor. Also if you need to, you can add back a splash of milk if casserole begins to dry out, then reheat. The biggest problem with this recipe is when it’s gone…it’s gone! But I always look forward to making it the next time!! Hope you’re holding up well — with all the pandemic stuff, all of our lives have surely been adjusted. Best and bright ~ Gia
Rachel Gurk says
I bet it’s so yummy with garlic powder! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. We’re hanging in there and counting our blessings where ever we can. Hope you’re healthy and well, too!