Best 5 Best Macaroni And Cheese Youll Ever Eat Recipes

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Indulge in the ultimate comfort food experience with our collection of the best macaroni and cheese recipes you'll ever encounter. From the classic stovetop version to baked, slow-cooker, and even air fryer variations, we've got you covered. Our recipes cater to various dietary preferences, including gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options.

Our classic stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe embodies the traditional flavors of this timeless dish. Featuring a creamy, velvety cheese sauce made with a blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan, it's sure to transport you back to childhood memories. For a more decadent experience, try our baked macaroni and cheese, where a golden-brown crust and bubbly cheese top await you.

If you're short on time, our slow-cooker macaroni and cheese is the perfect solution. Simply toss in the ingredients, set it, and forget it. Come back to a warm, comforting meal that's ready to satisfy your cravings. And for those who love the convenience of air fryers, we have a delightful air fryer macaroni and cheese recipe that delivers a crispy exterior and a gooey, melted cheese interior.

For those with dietary restrictions, we've included a gluten-free macaroni and cheese recipe that uses a combination of almond flour and tapioca flour to create a gluten-free pasta alternative. Our vegetarian macaroni and cheese recipe swaps out the traditional cheddar for a blend of flavorful vegetables like roasted butternut squash, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. And for our vegan friends, we have a dairy-free macaroni and cheese recipe that uses a creamy cashew-based sauce and nutritional yeast to achieve that cheesy goodness.

No matter your preferences, our diverse selection of macaroni and cheese recipes guarantees a flavor-packed culinary adventure. Get ready to embark on a cheesy journey and discover your new favorite comfort food!

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

BEST-EVER MACARONI AND CHEESE



Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese image

In the South, mac 'n cheese is like everyone's favorite aunt-and this best-ever recipe beats out the rest.

Provided by Southern Living Test Kitchen

Categories     Casserole

Time 1h10m

Yield Serves 10

Number Of Ingredients 14

16 ounces uncooked large elbow macaroni, large shells, or cavatappi pasta
6 tablespoons salted butter
⅓ cup grated yellow onion
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 ½ cups milk
1 ¾ cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 ounces extra-sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup), plus 4 oz. diced (about 1 cup), divided
4 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded, (about 1 cup), plus 4 oz. diced (about 1 cup), divided

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare pasta according to package directions for al dente.
  • Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium. Add next 6 ingredients; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add flour, and cook, stirring, until golden, 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and cream. Bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, whisking, until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat; stir in 3/4 cup each of shredded Cheddar cheeses until melted. (Reserve remaining 1/4 cup each of shredded cheeses.) Stir in pasta and diced cheeses; pour into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch (3-quart) baking dish.
  • Bake on a rimmed baking sheet in preheated oven until bubbly and golden, 30 minutes. Remove from oven; increase oven temperature to broil. Sprinkle with reserved shredded cheeses; broil 6 inches from heat until cheeses are melted and golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from oven; cool slightly on a wire rack, about 15 minutes.

BEST MACARONI AND CHEESE YOU'LL EVER EAT



BEST MACARONI AND CHEESE YOU'LL EVER EAT image

Categories     Cheese     Side     Fry     Kid-Friendly     Quick & Easy     Dinner     Lunch

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 Cups Elbow Macaroni
3 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Steps:

  • Pour macaroni in boiling water and cook for 7 or 8 minutes. When done, drain and set aside. In a medium to large sauce pan, melt butter. When totally melted add in flour and salt. Whisk with spoon or fork until completely uniform in texture. Add milk and cream and cook over medium heat until bubbling and thick. Add cheese and stir into mixture until completely melted. Add macaroni and enjoy!

BEST EVER MACARONI CHEESE RECIPE



Best ever macaroni cheese recipe image

This perfect baked macaroni cheese recipe comes with a creamy cheese sauce, a hint of mustard and uses leftover French stick for its crunchy topping

Provided by Jennifer Joyce

Categories     Dinner

Time 50m

Number Of Ingredients 9

50g baguette, cut into small chunks
2 tbsp butter, plus 1 tbsp melted
350g spiral or other short pasta
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp English mustard powder
3 tbsp plain flour
500ml whole milk
250g vegetarian mature cheddar, grated
50g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated

Steps:

  • Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Spread the baguette chunks over a baking sheet, drizzle with the melted butter and season. Bake for 6 mins until crisp, then set aside.
  • Boil the pasta for 2 mins less than stated on the pack, then drain. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic and English mustard powder, cook for 1 min, then stir in the plain flour.
  • Cook for 1 min more, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a lump-free sauce. Simmer for 5 mins, whisking all the time until thickened. Take off the heat, then stir in the cheddar and half the parmesan.
  • Stir the pasta and some seasoning into the cheesy sauce. Tip into a large ovenproof dish, or four individual dishes.
  • Scatter over the bread and the remaining parmesan, then bake for 20 mins until crisp and golden. Can be frozen before baking - defrost thoroughly before cooking.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 860 calories, Fat 42 grams fat, SaturatedFat 25 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 88 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 9 grams sugar, Protein 38 grams protein, Sodium 1.9 milligram of sodium

REATA'S BEST DAMN MACARONI AND CHEESE EVER



Reata's Best Damn Macaroni and Cheese Ever image

This is the recipe that caused me to buy the Reata's cookbook. Boy, was it worth it! I've loved homemade mac and cheese since forever, but finding one that my family would enjoy hadn't worked until now. I've tried recipes from all sorts of cookbooks: Martha Stewart's, Better Home and Gardens, and too many others to list. I'd given up hope until I found this one. This is a keeper! My daughter and I did have trouble finding asiago cheese in our small West Texas town, so she drove to San Antonio and bought some for me. That is trust and love.

Provided by LoriLee in TX

Categories     Cheese

Time 17m

Yield 1 casserole, 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 cups heavy cream
1/2-3/4 cup asiago cheese, grated
1/2-3/4 cup plain monterey jack cheese, shredded
4 cups elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
1/4 cup fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
4 -5 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
salt and pepper
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups dried breadcrumbs (optional)

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven on the broil setting.
  • Heat a large pot to medium and add the heavy cream. When the cream begins to bubble around the edges, add 1/2 cup each of the asiago and Monterey jack cheese, stirring constantly until the cheeses are melted.
  • Remove from heat and add the macaroni, stirring until thoroughly incorporated.
  • Add the diced jalapenos and bacon. The cheese mixture should be like glue now. If it's not add a little more of the remaining 1/4 cup of asiago and Monterey jack cheeses until they are melted and the mixture isn't too wet looking. If the mixture seems too dry, add 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream until it's the consistency you like.
  • Sprinkle in a little salt and pepper. I didn't use very much. The bacon and cheese must have plenty of salt.
  • Pour the mixture into a large baking dish and distribute evenly. Top with the cheddar cheese and if you wish, the bread crumbs.
  • Place the dish under the broiler. It's done when the cheese on top begins to bubble and brown around the edges.
  • Note: Don't be afraid to add all the jalapenos. I was afraid they'd be too hot for the grandkids who don't care for the heat. But the peppers didn't seem hot at all.

BEST MAC 'N CHEESE EVER!



Best Mac 'N Cheese Ever! image

This is the best mac 'n cheese ever! I started out by going through the recipes on this site and when I found one I wanted to try, I was putting together the first few ingredients and said, 'Ya know what would be great to add to this...' and that's where the 'Best Mac 'N Cheese Ever' was created. By the time I was done and it was served at our New Year's Day lunch everyone was raving about how delish it was. Try this easy recipe for a down-home Southern taste of the Best Baked Mac 'N Cheese Ever!

Provided by CASS CLARK

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

Time 1h10m

Yield 15

Number Of Ingredients 11

cooking spray
1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1 cup evaporated milk
4 extra large eggs
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend
6 slices processed cheese food (such as Velveeta®), torn into 4 pieces
½ cup butter, melted

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 427.5 calories, Carbohydrate 27.3 g, Cholesterol 130.2 mg, Fat 27.9 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 17.1 g, SaturatedFat 17.2 g, Sodium 551 mg, Sugar 3.6 g

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the mac and cheese will be. Use a sharp cheddar cheese that melts well, and a good quality pasta.
  • Cook the pasta al dente: This means cooking it until it is just tender, but still has a little bit of a bite to it. This will prevent the pasta from becoming mushy.
  • Make a roux: A roux is a mixture of butter and flour that is used to thicken the cheese sauce. This will help to prevent the sauce from being too thin or runny.
  • Use a combination of cheeses: Using a combination of cheeses will give the mac and cheese a more complex flavor. Cheddar is a classic choice, but you can also add other cheeses like Parmesan, Gruyère, or Gouda.
  • Season the sauce: Don't forget to season the cheese sauce with salt, pepper, and other spices. This will help to bring out the flavor of the cheese.
  • Bake the mac and cheese: Baking the mac and cheese will help to brown the top and give it a crispy texture. You can also sprinkle some bread crumbs on top before baking for an extra crunchy topping.

Conclusion:

Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a versatile dish that can be made with a variety of different ingredients, so there is sure to be a recipe that everyone will love. Whether you like your mac and cheese simple or loaded with toppings, there is a recipe out there for you. So next time you are looking for a quick and easy meal, give one of these mac and cheese recipes a try.

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