Southern Baked Mac and Cheese

4.61 from 3885 votes

This soul food Southern baked mac and cheese is creamy, cheesy, and never dry. Made with five kinds of cheese, heavy cream, and a custard-base, it bakes into that ooey-gooey texture readers love. The pasta is cooked in chicken broth for extra flavor, then finished in the oven so it stays tender but not mushy. No roux, no whisking, just a simple dump-and-bake macaroni and cheese that’s perfect for Sunday dinners, Thanksgiving, and every holiday table.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Thanksgiving

Cuisine: African American

Servings: servings

Calories: 424kcal

Author: Eden Westbrook

Equipment

9x13 baking dish
large pot or dutch oven
box grater or food processor with disc attachment for cheese
mixing bowls

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter for buttering the pan
16 oz elbow macaroni uncooked
10 cups water mixed with chicken broth (I use Better than Bouillon)
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded, save half for topping
8 oz colby jack cheese shredded, save half for topping
8 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded
8 oz American cheese cubed
4 oz softened cream cheese warmed in the microwave for 30 seconds
1 cup half and half
1 cup heavy cream
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1-2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon mustard powder
2 large eggs

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Butter an 8-by-11 or 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
1 tablespoon butter
Fill a large stockpot or dutch oven halfway with chicken broth (or water and 1 tablespoon salt if you don't have broth), and bring to a boil. Add in elbow macaroni and cook until just under al dente, according to package directions. Do not fully cook or overcook the macaroni pasta, it'll finish cooking through completely in the oven. Once just under al dente, drain the pasta.
16 oz elbow macaroni, 10 cups water mixed with chicken broth
While the pasta boils, use a wooden spoon to mix the half and half, heavy cream, half of the cheddar cheese, half of the Colby jack cheese, all of the mozzarella cheese, all of the American cheese, and all of the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl.
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, 8 oz colby jack cheese, 8 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, 8 oz American cheese, 4 oz softened cream cheese, 1 cup half and half, 1 cup heavy cream
Add smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and some kosher salt and pepper, stirring well and tasting the mixture to ensure there is a good flavor. Do not add too much salt, since cheese is pretty salty and will add its saltiness as it bakes. Once satisfied with the seasoning, stir in the cooked macaroni and eggs until well incorporated with the cheese.
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1-2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon mustard powder, 2 large eggs
Pour the macaroni mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly.
Top the macaroni and cheese generously with the rest of the cheddar cheese and colby jack cheese. Sprinkle the top with a little more smoked paprika, if desired.
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, 8 oz colby jack cheese, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Bake the mac and cheese for 35 minutes or until the cheese crust is bubbly and nicely browned. Do not over-bake or the macaroni pasta will become mushy and the cheese mixture will become dry.
Let the baked macaroni and cheese cool for about 5 minutes or until just cool enough to serve. Serve hot so the cheese is nice and creamy.
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Video

Notes

Notes for the Best Mac and Cheese

For extra creaminess, use 8 ounces of cream cheese.

Don't have half and half? You can use evaporated milk (not condensed milk!) instead.

You can use whatever cheese you like, (monterey jack, whole milk mozzarella, mild cheddar, extra-sharp cheddar cheese) as long as they aren't hard cheeses like aged gruyere or 1,000 day aged gouda. They tend to separate and not melt easily when baked.

But the less aged versions like red wax gouda and smoked gruyere, are good to go into the mac. Softer cheeses like burrata, brie, camembert, and chevre (goat cheese) are also welcome to the party to replace the cream cheese.

Doubling the Recipe

This recipe doubles just fine, only add one more egg and use a (much) larger baking dish, you'll probably need the 13x20 aluminum ones because it's a LOT of macaroni and cheese. Bake it for an extra 10 minutes as well to ensure the custard gets cooked and that cheese crust gets nice.

Make Ahead Instructions

Readers have put together this baked mac and cheese the day before, baking it the day of, with no problem. Go all the way up to Step 7 and bake the day of.

Storing and Reheating Your Southern Baked Mac and Cheese

Put the mac in airtight containers or keep in the baking dish wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil for up to 4 days. Reheat a serving in a microwave-safe bowl with a splash of milk to mix in and keep the mac and cheese creamy.

Or put the baking dish in the oven at 325ºF, covered with foil, until creamy and warmed through, about 15-20 minutes for a full pan.

Nutrition