Best 7 Classic Southern Macaroni And Cheese Recipes
In the realm of comfort food, macaroni and cheese reigns supreme. This classic dish, deeply rooted in Southern culinary tradition, is a symphony of flavors and textures that has captured hearts and taste buds across generations. As you embark on this culinary journey, you will discover a diverse collection of macaroni and cheese recipes that showcase the versatility and creativity of this beloved dish.
From the classic Southern macaroni and cheese, featuring a rich and creamy cheese sauce enveloping tender macaroni noodles, to unique variations like the spicy chorizo macaroni and cheese, which adds a vibrant kick, and the decadent lobster macaroni and cheese, where succulent lobster meat elevates the dish to new heights of luxury, this article presents a symphony of flavors and styles that will tantalize your palate.
But the culinary adventure doesn't end there. Discover the secrets of the ultimate mac and cheese, a step-by-step guide to creating the perfect balance of creamy sauce and perfectly cooked pasta. Explore the secrets of the perfect cheese blend, learning how to combine different cheeses to achieve a harmonious and flavorful result. And for those seeking a healthier twist, uncover the secrets of a lightened-up macaroni and cheese, featuring reduced-fat cheese and healthier ingredients without compromising on taste.
Welcome to the world of macaroni and cheese, where every bite is a journey into culinary bliss. Let these recipes guide you on a flavor-filled exploration, transforming your kitchen into a haven of comfort and indulgence.
BEST-EVER MACARONI AND CHEESE
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
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.
CLASSIC BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Think Stouffer's without the freezer. While it can be enjoyed straight from the pot, this macaroni and cheese has a slightly looser sauce than the stovetop variety to allow for thickening in the oven. Bread crumbs, while optional, make it truly spectacular.
Provided by Alison Roman
Categories dinner, lunch, casseroles, pastas, main course, side dish
Time 1h
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it's barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It's going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
- Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
- Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
- Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 3-quart or 9 x 13 baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1076, UnsaturatedFat 24 grams, Carbohydrate 85 grams, Fat 61 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 46 grams, SaturatedFat 31 grams, Sodium 1027 milligrams, Sugar 12 grams, TransFat 1 gram
SOUTHERN MACARONI AND CHEESE
Rib sticking macaroni and cheese.
Provided by LINDA PAGE
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Time 1h
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- 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.
- In a large bowl combine cooked pasta, cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs, Cheddar cheese and cayenne pepper. Mix well and transfer to prepared dish. Sprinkle with paprika.
- Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 476.8 calories, Carbohydrate 38.9 g, Cholesterol 114.8 mg, Fat 24.3 g, Fiber 2.1 g, Protein 25.1 g, SaturatedFat 14.3 g, Sodium 489.8 mg, Sugar 1.2 g
SOUTHERN MACARONI AND CHEESE
There is macaroni and cheese, and then there is special occasion macaroni and cheese like this one. Unlike most recipes, which start with a roux, this one begins with a milk-and-egg base, which gives the dish an incredibly rich, silky taste. It's adapted from Millie Peartree, the owner of Millie Peartree Fish Fry & Soul Food restaurant in the Bronx, who has been making this dish since she was a little girl. The recipe was passed down in her family for generations, but because of the generous amount of cheese used, the dish was only made for events like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Extra-sharp Cheddar adds tartness and a layer of Colby Jack creates a gooey, molten center. If you can't find a Colby Jack blend, shredded mozzarella or a Mexican-style blend will work in its place.
Provided by Kiera Wright-Ruiz
Categories dinner, weeknight, casseroles, noodles, pastas, main course, side dish
Time 45m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions until a little under al dente, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk milk and eggs. Add cooked macaroni, 2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, melted butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir until well combined.
- Add half the macaroni mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups Colby Jack evenly on top. Spread the remaining macaroni mixture on top in an even layer. Cover with aluminum foil, transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Carefully remove and discard the aluminum foil. Top the macaroni mixture with the remaining 2 cups Cheddar and 1/2 cup Colby Jack. Broil on top rack until cheese is browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. (The broiled cheese can go from golden to burnt fairly quickly, so keep a close eye on it.)
- Remove from oven and let cool until the macaroni and cheese is fully set, 10 to 15 minutes. (The mixture may first appear jiggly, but it will firm up as it cools.) Serve warm.
CLASSIC MACARONI AND CHEESE
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
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
SOUTHERN LIVING'S CLASSIC BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese has an ample amount of protein to be a meatless main dish. Couple it with a steaming bowl of tomato soup for a balanced, whoesome supper.
Provided by senseicheryl
Categories Cheese
Time 40m
Yield 4 bowls of mac & cheese, 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Prepare pasta according to package directions. Keep warm.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in salt, peppers, 1 cup shredded cheese and cooked pasta.
- Spoon pasta mixture into 4 lightly greased (8-ounce) ramekins; top with remaining 1 cup cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 596.3, Fat 30, SaturatedFat 18.6, Cholesterol 91.9, Sodium 746.7, Carbohydrate 54.6, Fiber 2.1, Sugar 1.4, Protein 26.5
GRANDMA'S SOUTHERN MAC AND CHEESE
This is my grandmother's macaroni and cheese recipe that we all crave and only get to have twice a year, if we play our cards right. Fairly simple and straightforward. The key is cooking time more than anything.
Provided by Rhett Towles
Categories Side Dish
Time 48m
Yield 20
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
- Layer some of the macaroni in a 5-quart baking dish; top with a layer of Cheddar cheese. Continue layering macaroni and Cheddar cheese into the dish, ending with a Cheddar cheese layer.
- Beat milk, eggs, and mustard together in a bowl; pour over macaroni mixture, ensuring milk mixture gets to all of the macaroni.
- Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and just before cheese around the sides gets crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with black pepper.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 477.8 calories, Carbohydrate 19.1 g, Cholesterol 143.3 mg, Fat 32.1 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 27.8 g, SaturatedFat 19.8 g, Sodium 599 mg, Sugar 2 g
Tips:
- Use a good quality cheese. The type of cheese you use will have a big impact on the flavor of your macaroni and cheese. A good cheddar is a classic choice, but you can also experiment with other cheeses, such as Gruyère, Parmesan, or Gouda.
- Cook the macaroni al dente. You don't want the macaroni to be too soft or mushy. Cook it until it is just tender, but still has a slight bite to it.
- Make a roux. A roux is a mixture of butter and flour that is used to thicken the cheese sauce. It will help to keep the sauce smooth and creamy.
- Use milk and cream. A combination of milk and cream will give your cheese sauce a rich and creamy flavor. You can adjust the ratio of milk to cream depending on your desired consistency.
- Season the sauce to taste. Add salt, pepper, and other seasonings to taste. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little bit of heat.
- Top with breadcrumbs. Buttered breadcrumbs add a nice crunchy texture to macaroni and cheese. You can also use crushed crackers or grated Parmesan cheese.
Conclusion:
Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food that is loved by people of all ages. It is a simple dish to make, but there are a few tips and tricks that can help you make the best macaroni and cheese possible. With a little practice, you can master this dish and impress your family and friends.
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