Comfort food doesn't get much better than mac and cheese. This classic dish is a favorite of kids and adults alike, and it's easy to see why. It's creamy, cheesy, and downright delicious. Plus, it's incredibly versatile and can be customized to your liking. Whether you prefer a simple baked mac and cheese or something more adventurous, like a spicy buffalo mac and cheese, there's a recipe out there for everyone.
This article features a collection of the best mac and cheese recipes, each with its unique flavor and personality. From the classic stovetop mac and cheese to the ultimate baked mac and cheese, you're sure to find a recipe that you'll love. There are also some more creative recipes, like the bacon and jalapeño mac and cheese, for those who like a little bit of heat. And for those who are looking for a healthier option, there's even a cauliflower mac and cheese recipe that's just as delicious as the traditional version.
HOMEMADE MAC AND CHEESE
This is a nice rich mac and cheese. Serve with a salad for a great meatless dinner. Hope you enjoy it.
Provided by Judy
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Time 50m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.
- In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole dish, and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
- Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. Spread over the macaroni and cheese to cover. Sprinkle with a little paprika.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 858.2 calories, Carbohydrate 66.7 g, Cholesterol 141.6 mg, Fat 48.7 g, Fiber 3.4 g, Protein 37.7 g, SaturatedFat 29.9 g, Sodium 879.3 mg, Sugar 10.7 g
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.
MAC AND CHEESE
Raise the volume with Ina Garten's creamy Mac and Cheese recipe, made with Gruy�re, fresh tomatoes and nutmeg for warmth, from Food Network's Barefoot Contessa.
Provided by Ina Garten
Categories side-dish
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
- Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
EASIEST MAC-N-CHEESE EVER!
I have tried many more-complicated recipes for macaroni and cheese. Not only is this one often requested for family functions, but it is easy to make! Kids LOVE this recipe. It is so handy for busy moms.
Provided by Anncredible
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Time 20m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.
- Place a saucepan over medium-low heat. Combine the cheese food, milk, and pepper in the saucepan; cook until the cheese has melted, stirring frequently. Stir in the drained macaroni until evenly coated.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 136.2 calories, Carbohydrate 15.9 g, Cholesterol 15.7 mg, Fat 5.2 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 6.2 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Sodium 241.5 mg, Sugar 2.4 g
MACARONI AND CHEESE
Try Ree Drummond's creamy Macaroni and Cheese recipe from Food Network.
Provided by Ree Drummond : Food Network
Time 55m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the macaroni until still slightly firm. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg. In a large pot, melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly. Don't let it burn. Pour in the milk, add the mustard and whisk until smooth. Cook until very thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
- Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Whisk together until smooth. Pour the egg into the sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Add in the cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt and the pepper. Add any additional spices if desired. Taste the sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.
- Pour in the drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Serve immediately (while it's still very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese and bake until bubbly and golden on top, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until slightly crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and cut into bite-size pieces.
- In a separate pan, cook the onions in the butter over a low heat until caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Use a fork to crumble the gorgonzola.
- Put the bacon, caramelized onions and crumbled gorgonzola into separate bowls. Serve as delicious toppings for both sliders and macaroni cheese.
SIMPLE MACARONI AND CHEESE
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
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
BAKED MAC AND CHEESE
Even people who have had their own homemade baked macaroni and cheese recipe for years ask for mine when they taste this crumb-topped version. For the best baked mac and cheese, use extra-sharp white cheddar cheese for more flavor. -Shelby Thompson of Dover, Delaware
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 50m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°. Cook macaroni according to package directions for al dente; drain., In a Dutch oven, heat 1/3 cup butter over medium heat; saute onion until tender. Stir in flour and seasonings until blended; gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened. Stir in cheese until melted. Stir in macaroni. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., In a microwave, melt remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake, uncovered, until heated through, 30-35 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 689 calories, Fat 37g fat (22g saturated fat), Cholesterol 104mg cholesterol, Sodium 834mg sodium, Carbohydrate 62g carbohydrate (10g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 28g protein.
Tips:
- Use a good quality cheese. The type of cheese you use will have a big impact on the flavor of your mac and cheese. Use a cheese that melts well and has a good flavor. Cheddar is a classic choice, but you can also use Gruyère, Gouda, or Fontina.
- Cook the macaroni al dente. You don't want the macaroni to be too soft or it will become mushy. Cook it according to the package directions, but taste it a few minutes before it's done to make sure it's still slightly firm.
- Make a roux. A roux is a mixture of butter and flour that helps to thicken the cheese sauce. It also adds a bit of flavor to the sauce. To make a roux, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes, or until it is golden brown.
- Use milk or cream. You can use either milk or cream to make the cheese sauce. Milk will make a lighter sauce, while cream will make a richer sauce. If you're using cream, you may want to use less butter in the roux.
- Add seasonings. Salt, pepper, and garlic powder are all classic seasonings for mac and cheese. You can also add other seasonings, such as paprika, cayenne pepper, or nutmeg.
- Top with breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs add a nice crunchy texture to the top of mac and cheese. You can use plain breadcrumbs or seasoned breadcrumbs. To make seasoned breadcrumbs, mix together some breadcrumbs, melted butter, and herbs or spices.
Conclusion:
Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food that is easy to make and loved by people of all ages. There are many different ways to make mac and cheese, so you can find a recipe that suits your taste. Whether you like it cheesy, creamy, or crunchy, there's a mac and cheese recipe out there for you.
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