Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Updated Nov. 17, 2025
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 3tablespoons butter
- 12ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
- 12ounces American cheese or cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
- 1pound elbow pasta, boiled in salted water until just tender, drained, and rinsed under cold water
- ⅛teaspoon cayenne (optional)
- Salt
- ⅔cup whole milk.
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
290 calories; 24 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 15 grams protein; 560 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use one tablespoon butter to thickly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Combine grated cheeses and set aside two heaping cups for topping.
- Step 2
In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, cheeses, cayenne (if using) and salt to taste. Place in prepared pan and evenly pour milk over surface. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top, dot with remaining butter and bake, uncovered, 45 minutes. Raise heat to 400 degrees and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until crusty on top and bottom.
Private Notes
Comments
Be careful with the pre-grated cheese as it is "sprayed" with a wood pulp to keep the cheese from sticking together.
I modified this recipe by swapping out some of the american cheese for smoked gouda and sharp cheddar (8 oz. of each of the three), along with a few tablespoons of ground reggiano ptarmigan. Because we believe bacon makes everything better, I chopped up 6 slices of crispy bacon and added that as well, along with a little panko on top. Every time I've made it, everyone goes back for seconds and thirds.
Easy, indeed! I used a cup of milk and think it might benefit from more milk, as others have suggested. Also a bit more cayenne -- couldn't even taste 1/8 t with all that cheese. And, I'm thinking that it might be a bit cheesier if only 1 cup of the cheese were used as topping and the rest was mixed in with the pasta. This recipe is a keeper, though, for the crunch and because it's so much easier and less time consuming than making a bechamel.
I wish I had read the comments before making. I followed the recipe closely and, at the end, it was very dry. Definitely would add more milk as others have suggested.
Increased to 2 cups milk and whisked in a single egg as other commenters suggested but the suggested bake time is WAY too long. I baked at 375 for 35-40 mins and it came out perfectly browned and moist inside. I enjoyed the American cheese. This felt like a slightly more elevated Kraft mac which is just what I wanted for thanksgiving!
I won’t make this again. Too dry. Some of the top noodles were overcooked and crunchy despite baking for a lot less time than specified.