Best 9 Basic Macaroni And Cheese Recipes

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Macaroni and cheese, a classic comfort food loved by people of all ages, is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed in various ways. From the simple and traditional stovetop version to the baked macaroni and cheese with a golden brown crust, this dish offers a range of flavors and textures to satisfy every palate. Whether you prefer a creamy and gooey sauce or a crispy and crunchy topping, there's a macaroni and cheese recipe out there to suit your taste.

This article presents a collection of macaroni and cheese recipes that cater to different preferences and dietary needs. From the classic stovetop macaroni and cheese with its velvety smooth sauce to the baked macaroni and cheese with its irresistibly crispy topping, each recipe offers a unique twist on this timeless dish. For those seeking a healthier option, there's a lightened-up macaroni and cheese made with whole wheat pasta and reduced-fat cheese, while the vegan macaroni and cheese provides a delicious plant-based alternative. Additionally, the article includes a recipe for a one-pot macaroni and cheese that streamlines the cooking process for busy individuals.

Let's cook with our recipes!

CLASSIC SOUTHERN MACARONI AND CHEESE



Classic Southern Macaroni and Cheese image

Provided by Virginia Willis

Time 1h10m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups elbow macaroni
8 ounces grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 2 cups)
2 cups milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch ovenproof casserole dish.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender (a little more than al dente), about 12 minutes. Drain well in a colander.
  • In a large bowl, combine the macaroni, cheese, milk and eggs. Add some salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared dish.
  • Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly before serving.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE



Baked Macaroni and Cheese image

Provided by Trisha Yearwood

Categories     side-dish

Time 50m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Unsalted butter, for the dish
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni with ridges
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups milk
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Steps:

  • For the macaroni: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.
  • Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the salt and macaroni. Bring the water back to a boil and cook the macaroni until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain well.
  • For the cheese sauce: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan. Using a wire whisk, stir in the flour and salt, stirring and cooking over medium heat until the roux bubbles and the flour turns pale brown, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk and then whisk in the remaining 1 cup milk. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Add the cheese and stir until it melts. Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and mix thoroughly.
  • For the topping: In a small bowl, stir the breadcrumbs with the butter until the crumbs are moistened.
  • Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the prepared baking dish and top with the buttered breadcrumbs. Bake until the dish bubbles around the edges, about 15 minutes.

SIMPLE MACARONI AND CHEESE



Simple Macaroni and Cheese image

A very quick and easy fix to a tasty side-dish. Fancy, designer mac and cheese often costs forty or fifty dollars to prepare when you have so many exotic and expensive cheeses, but they aren't always the best tasting. This recipe is cheap and tasty.

Provided by g0dluvsugly

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Pasta     Macaroni and Cheese Recipes     Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

Time 30m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 (8 ounce) box elbow macaroni
¼ cup butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
  • Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour milk into butter-flour mixture while continuously stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Add Cheddar cheese to milk mixture and stir until cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes.
  • Fold macaroni into cheese sauce until coated.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 630.2 calories, Carbohydrate 55 g, Cholesterol 99.6 mg, Fat 33.6 g, Fiber 2.1 g, Protein 26.5 g, SaturatedFat 20.9 g, Sodium 777 mg, Sugar 7.6 g

CLASSIC MACARONI AND CHEESE



Classic Macaroni and Cheese image

This is the classic baked Mac and Cheese of my childhood. You can add sun-dried tomatoes if you wish, or sometimes I substitute minced garlic for the salt and pepper to give it added zing! It can make Saturday Night more fun!

Provided by Cordi Tierno

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Pasta     Macaroni and Cheese Recipes     Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

Time 1h10m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 (16 ounce) package macaroni
1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  • Grease a 2 quart casserole dish. Place a quarter of the macaroni in the bottom, followed by an even layer of one-quarter of the cheese slices. Dot with butter and season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering three times. Pour evaporated milk evenly over the top of all.
  • Bake, uncovered, for one hour, or until top is golden brown.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 701.3 calories, Carbohydrate 64.9 g, Cholesterol 102.8 mg, Fat 33.5 g, Fiber 3.4 g, Protein 34 g, SaturatedFat 20.4 g, Sodium 552.2 mg, Sugar 7.8 g

BASIC MACARONI AND CHEESE



Basic Macaroni and Cheese image

This is a very basic macaroni and cheese that is good on it's own, or can be used as the base to many different spins.

Provided by Amber Matlock

Categories     Cheese

Time 20m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 lb elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk, warmed
1 -2 lb sharp cheddar cheese

Steps:

  • Boil and drain macaroni per box instructions.
  • Melt the butter in a skillet.
  • Sprinkle in flour and stir until pasty.
  • Whisk in warmed milk and let cook until thickened.
  • Add cheese to sauce.
  • Add sauce to pasta.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 682.6, Fat 33.1, SaturatedFat 20.5, Cholesterol 101.1, Sodium 548.6, Carbohydrate 63.5, Fiber 2.5, Sugar 2.4, Protein 31.7

EASY MACARONI AND CHEESE



Easy Macaroni and Cheese image

A wonderful and easy Macaroni and cheese recipe. Have dinner ready for the hungry kids quickly. Serve alone or as a side dish.

Provided by Chelsea_

Categories     Cheese

Time 25m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 6

230 g macaroni (uncooked)
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Steps:

  • Melt butter in a saucepan over a medium heat.
  • Stir in flour and salt.
  • Add milk and macaroni to saucepan, and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, and cover.
  • Simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
  • Add cheese, and stir until cheese melts.
  • Serve.

EASY MACARONI AND CHEESE



Easy Macaroni and Cheese image

Two steps and 20 minutes is all you need to make this cheesy pasta side dish.

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Side Dish

Time 20m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 cups uncooked small shell pasta or elbow macaroni (8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 ounces) or 8 ounces process cheese spread loaf, cut into cubes
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, if desired
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Steps:

  • Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
  • In 2-quart saucepan, stir remaining ingredients into pasta. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted and sauce is desired consistency.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 435, Carbohydrate 54 g, Cholesterol 50 mg, Fiber 2 g, Protein 21 g, SaturatedFat 10 g, ServingSize 1 serving, Sodium 590 mg

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE



Baked Macaroni and Cheese image

A friend of mine sent this recipe to me when I got my first apartment, because she knows how much I hate cooking! It's really easy -- even I can make it -- and tastes great. I'm not sure where she found the recipe, but it included the note 'Good source of protein, vitamin A, B group vitamins, calcium.'

Provided by Meredith

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Pasta     Macaroni and Cheese Recipes     Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

Yield 3

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 (12 ounce) package macaroni
1 egg
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
  • In a large pot of salted water, lightly boil the macaroni for about 5 minutes until half-cooked.
  • Whisk the egg and milk together in a large cup. Add butter and cheese to the egg and milk. Stir well.
  • Place the lightly cooked macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour the egg and cheese liquid over the macaroni, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir well. Press the mixture evenly around the baking dish.
  • Bake uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is brown.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 968.1 calories, Carbohydrate 92.6 g, Cholesterol 194.2 mg, Fat 45.4 g, Fiber 3.6 g, Protein 45.6 g, SaturatedFat 27.6 g, Sodium 736 mg, Sugar 11.2 g

BASIC BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE



Basic Baked Macaroni and Cheese image

I use this as a starting point for macaroni, and then add and subtract from here. It's perfect the way it is, though. Here I listed cheddar for the cheese, but hubby likes a colby and monterey jack combo better, so that's what I usually use.

Provided by Panhandle Sam

Categories     Cheese

Time 42m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 cups dry macaroni noodles
2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
2 cups milk
2 cups cheddar cheese

Steps:

  • Boil macaroni noodles until tender; drain and set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • In a medium sauce pan, melt butter on medium heat.
  • Add flour one tablespoon at a time, and whisking between each addition.
  • Whisk in seasonings, and cook for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly, so as not to burn.
  • Add milk, half a cup at a time, whisking together between each addition. Allow to thicken (and keep on slowly whisking).
  • Add all but a handful of cheese (for topping) and stir until completely incorporated.
  • Add cheese sauce to macaroni noodles, then put everything into a baking dish.
  • Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
  • Bake for 25 minutes, then broil for an additional couple of minutes to crisp up the top (watch it so the top doesn't burn).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 377.4, Fat 19.9, SaturatedFat 12.3, Cholesterol 61.1, Sodium 309.8, Carbohydrate 32.5, Fiber 1.2, Sugar 1.1, Protein 16.9

Tips:

  • Use a high-quality cheese, such as sharp cheddar or Parmesan, for the best flavor.
  • Don't overcook the macaroni, or it will become mushy.
  • Add milk or cream to the cheese sauce for a richer, creamier texture.
  • Season the cheese sauce with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
  • Top the macaroni and cheese with breadcrumbs or grated Parmesan cheese before baking for a crispy topping.
  • Serve macaroni and cheese immediately, or it will thicken as it cools.

Conclusion:

Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a versatile dish that can be customized to your liking by adding different ingredients, such as vegetables, meat, or seafood. The next time you are looking for a quick and easy meal, give macaroni and cheese a try.

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