Best 17 Best Mac Cheese Recipes

THE BEST BAKED MAC & CHEESE RECIPE EVER

Steps:

• Boil the pasta JUST until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and return to the pan you boiled it in. Set aside. (Mix in a little butter to keep the noodles from sticking if it's going to be awhile before you make the sauce)
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• To a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the flour, salt, dry mustard, pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika. With a wooden spoon or whisk, stir constantly for three minutes.
• Add the milk in a thin stream, stirring constantly with a whisk. Continue to stir constantly until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5-8 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add 2 cups of the cheese, stirring until melted. You'll reserve the last cup of cheese for topping. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and toss gently until all of the pasta is coated.
• Add half the pasta to a two-quart casserole dish (I like a tall 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish). Sprinkle on half the cheese. Add the rest of the pasta. Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese, then dust lightly with the smoked paprika.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the mac and cheese is bubbling and browning on top.
• Serve, topping individual servings with parsley or cooked, chopped bacon if desired.

BEST MAC 'N CHEESE EVER!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• 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; pour macaroni into the prepared dish.
• Beat eggs, sour cream, seasoned salt, and black pepper into a smooth mixture; stir Cheddar cheese and Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese into mixture until thoroughly combined. Pour over macaroni and mix well. Top casserole with torn pieces of processed cheese. Drizzle melted butter over casserole, especially along the sides.
• Bake in the preheated oven until casserole is bubbling and cheese has melted, about 30 minutes.

THE BEST STOVETOP MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, mustard powder and paprika; cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and slightly darker, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue to cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and comes to a simmer, 7 to 8 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar, American cheese and cream cheese until melted and remove from heat.
• Add the pasta to the sauce; toss, adding some reserved cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt.

BEST EVER MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a stockpot or Dutch oven, cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain and return to pan. Pulse bread, 2 tablespoons butter, Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a food processor until coarsely ground., Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt remaining butter. Add onions and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add ground mustard and cayenne; stir until blended. Stir in flour until smooth, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and cream; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in Velveeta. Slowly add remaining cheeses a handful at a time, stirring until cheese is melted. Add Worcestershire and remaining salt and pepper. Pour over pasta; toss to coat., Transfer to a greased 13x9-in baking dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs over top of casserole. Bake until topping is golden brown and sauce is bubbly, 10-12 minutes.

"WORLD'S BEST" MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter or oil an 8-inch baking dish.
• Cook the penne 2 minutes less than package directions. (It will finish cooking in the oven.) Rinse the pasta in cold water and set aside.
• Combine the cooked pasta and the sauce in a medium bowl and mix carefully but thoroughly. Scrape the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the cheeses and then the chili powder.
• Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Let the mac and cheese sit for 5 minutes before serving.
• Beecher's Flagship Cheese Sauce
• Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes.
• Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat.
• Add the cheeses, salt, chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• This sauce reheats nicely on the stove in a saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently so the sauce doesn't scorch.
• Make Ahead
• This recipe can be assembled before baking and frozen for up to 3 months-just be sure to use a freezer-to-oven pan and increase the baking time to 50 minutes.
• notes
• One-half teaspoon of chipotle chili powder makes a spicy mac, so make sure your family and friends can handle it!
• The proportion of pasta to cheese sauce is crucial to the success of the dish. It will look like a lot of sauce for the pasta, but some of the liquid will be absorbed.

BEST EVER CAULIFLOWER MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cook the cauliflower in simmering water until tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove.
• Cut the cauliflower florets into bite size pieces.
• Return water to the boil and cook the pasta in the same water. Drain.
• Combine the melted butter, breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a bowl and set aside.
• Melt the butter in medium sauce pan.
• Add flour mixed with salt, nutmeg and pepper, using a whisk to stir until well blended.
• Slowly add the milk and cream, stirring continuously until blended.
• Simmer for 2 minutes or until it thickens, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and add the cheese, stirring until melted.
• Combine the pasta, cauliflower and cheese sauce and transfer to a buttered casserole dish.
• Top with the breadcrumb mixture.
• Bake for 20 minutes, until the breadcrumbs form a crispy crust.

BEECHER'S "WORLD'S BEST" MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• To prepare sauce, melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Cook until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, salt, chili powder and garlic powder. Stir until cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter or oil an 8-inch baking dish. Cook penne 2 minutes less than package directions. (It will finish cooking in the oven.) Rinse pasta in cold water and drain well. Combine pasta and sauce in a medium bowl; mix carefully but thoroughly. Scrape the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with cheeses and then the chili powder. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

BEST EVER MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is cooked through but still slightly firm, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
• Combine the cottage cheese, sour cream, butter, and cooked macaroni in a large baking dish. Stir in the Cheddar cheese. Arrange the tomatoes on top, then pour the tomato liquid over the casserole. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then mix the macaroni and cheese thoroughly. Continue to bake until lightly browned and bubbly, about 15 minutes more.

WORLD'S BEST MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a large pot of water over high heat and cover. Place a large saute pan with 2 tbsp oil or bacon grease over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add mushrooms to the pan and saute for 7-10 minutes or until fully cooked and slightly caramelized. Toss or stir occasionally. Season with a pinch of Kosher Salt and Black Pepper then deglaze the pan with the Sherry Vinegar. Allow all of the vinegar to cook out, then remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
• Now time for the cheese sauce! Add 4 tbsp butter to a medium sauce pan. Place the pan on the stove over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, whisk in 4 tbsp all-purpose flour. Whisk for about 30 seconds, just long enough to lose the raw flour taste but not long enough for the flour to caramelize. Add the thyme, rosemary, sage and red pepper flakes. Continue stirring to allow the herbs to saute for about 30 seconds. Slowly pour in the warm milk while whisking continuously so the roux and milk incorporate smoothly with no lumps. (HINT: Sometimes removing the pot from the heat source while you stir in the milk will help reduce the possibility of lumps forming.) Allow the mixture to come to a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
• While waiting for the sauce to simmer, start the pasta. Liberally salt the pot of boiling water. The water should taste very salty for best results. Add the pasta to the water and cook for a minute or two less than the suggested time on the pasta package so that the pasta is very firm, because you will be baking it later and you don't want it to get too soft.
• Once your sauce has reached simmer, stir in the chevre, cheddar and half (2 oz) of the parmigiano reggiano cheeses. Add truffle oil and slowly stir until the sauce is smooth, with all cheese melted. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• In a small mixing bowl combine remaining parmigiano reggiano and panko.
• Remove the pasta from heat and strain immediately making sure it is well drained. Return to empty pot or use a large mixing bowl to toss the pasta, cheese sauce and mushrooms. Place mixture in a deep glass or ceramic loaf pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle the Panko/cheese mixture over the top, coating evenly. Bake on upper shelf of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and cheese sauce is bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes, then serve and enjoy the best mac & cheese you'll ever eat!

REALLY THE BEST-EVER MAC 'N' CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the panko bread crumbs with the melted butter on a small baking pan. Toast the bread crumbs until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted, then stir in the flour. Heat and stir until the mixture is smooth and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk. Add the dry mustard, white and cayenne pepper, nutmeg, salt and bay leaf. Heat and stir to boiling, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf.
• Stir in 3 cups of the cheddar until melted. Pour the sauce over the cooked macaroni in a large bowl, stirring until all of the macaroni is coated. Pour the macaroni into a well-buttered 9-by-13-inch casserole. Drizzle heavy cream around the edges of the casserole. Sprinkle on it the remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese, then the toasted bread crumbs.
• Cover the casserole with aluminum foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered an additional 10 minutes. Put under a preheated broiler for 5 minutes.

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST BAKED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook and drain macaroni according to package directions.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter a baking dish or coat with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• In large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Sprinkle flour into butter and whisk constantly until you have thick, smooth paste, about 5 minutes.
• Add mustard, red pepper and Worcestershire. Gradually whisk in milk and continue stirring until sauce thickens and returns to simmer.
• Reduce heat to low. Add 3 cups of cheese and stir until melted. Add macaroni, stirring until well coated. Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over top, followed by crumbs. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden on top.

BEST MAC AND CHEESE EVER!!

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350º F.
• Cook noodles as directed on box.
• While noodles are cooking, melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute-mixture will thicken. Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring constantly until cheese is melted.
• Drain rinsed noodles. Gently stir into cheese sauce. Pour into un-greased 4-quart casserole.
• Stir together bread crumbs and butter and sprinkle over the top of the Mac and Cheese.
• Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until bread crumbs are toasted and cheese is bubbly.

HOMEMADE MAC & CHEESE (THE BEST YOU'LL EVER HAVE)

Steps:

• Boil water.
• Add macaroni. Cook until tender.
• Meanwhile, saute onion in olive oil, then set aside.
• Combine softened cream cheese and sour cream.
• Heat cream cheese and sour cream mixture over medium heat until uniform.
• Add desired amount of garlic powder.
• When mixture is smooth, add cheeses, bit by bit.
• I don't know the exact measurements for the cheeses, I just got all the cheeses in standard blocks and shredded it all. It looked like alot to me.
• Once all the shredded cheese is incorporated, combine cooked macaroni, cheese sauce, and caramelized onions in a baking dish.
• top with bread crumbs, and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

THE BEST MAC & CHEESE EVER - REALLY!

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2. To roast garlic: Slice ½ inch off the top of the entire head of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap garlic head tightly in a square of heavy foil and roast until tender - about 45 minutes. Remove garlic pulp by squeezing garlic head. Smash cloves with a fork to form a paste.
• 3. Cook pasta according to package directions.
• 4. Cook bacon completely. Drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat. Crumble bacon when cool.
• 5. To make topping: Combine breadcrumbs, crumbled bacon, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Set aside.
• 6. Turn the oven up to 375 degrees.
• 7. Sauté shallots over low heat in reserved bacon fat for one minute. Add remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and continue to sauté shallots in butter and bacon fat until translucent.
• 8. Add flour and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Increase heat to medium. Stirring constantly with a whisk, add milk and roasted garlic paste.
• 9. Cook until sauce is thickened (coats the back of a spoon). Remove sauce from heat then add salt, pepper, nutmeg, Gruyere and Cheddar cheeses. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.
• 10. Stir in cooked pasta. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle topping to cover entire top. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until sauce is bubbly and topping is browned. Enjoy!
• 11. Hints: ....Roast the garlic well ahead, because you'll need to let it cool, or you'll burn your fingers squeezing out the pulp. Learned this the hard way! Also, I baked mine for 15 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered and it was perfect.

BEST EVER MAC N CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. Pre-heat your oven to 375*
• 2. In a large pot bring salted water to a boil
• 3. add uncooked macaroni noodles
• 4. After the noodles have cooked to al dente hold in cold water
• 5. In a second lagre pot add milk bring to a slow simmer.
• 6. Add salt, and pepper to milk
• 7. Once milk has started to simmer slowly add your cheeses. One cup at a time. stirring after each addition of cheese. Be careful not to scorch your cheese and milk. If need be turn your temp. down
• 8. In a small bowl add your flour to that add a 1/2 cup of your milk/cheese mixture. Stir until well incorperated. If you need to add more milk/cheese mixture.
• 9. Add your flour mixture to your cheese/milk mixture let cook until flour taste is completly gone.
• 10. Add butter/margerine to cheese mixture. Stir until butter/margerine is melted.
• 11. Once your cheese mixture is complete add your macaroni noodles, slowly. Stir gently
• 12. Add your noodles and cheese mixture to a oven safe deep dish pan. Do this in layers. After each layer add cheese. noodle mixture cheese ect.
• 13. Once you have filled your pan (do not over fill) top with cheese and butter/margerine
• 14. Plan pan in oven and allow to back for 45-60 minutes or until center is hot and sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted.
• 15. You can add some crispy bacon bites if you eat pork.
• 16. Serve with chicken, pork or beef with green beans your family will love you each time they have it.

BEECHER'S WORLD BEST MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare sauce, melt butter in a heavy saucepan over med. heat. Add flour. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 min. 2. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Cook until suace thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. 3. Add cheese, salt, chili pwdr and garlic pwdr. Stir until cheese melts, about 3 min. 5. To prepare pasta, cook pasta 2 min less than package directions. Rinse pasta in cold water and drain well. 6. Combine pasta and sauce in a med bowl: mix thoroughly. Transfer to an 8 in sq baking dish. Sprinkly top with cheese and chili pwdr. 7. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20 min. Let stand 5 min before serving. Serves 4.

BEST BAKED MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente. While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes. Add about 2 Tablespoons of the hot mixture to the beaten egg in a small bowl and gradually add the egg mixture back into the hot mixture (this is called tempering the egg). Stir in 8 oz of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Delicious!