Homemade Baked Mac & Cheese (with Infographic)

Macaroni and cheese is a creamy classic. Who doesn’t love pasta and cheese? It’s as simple to prepare as it is gooey and delicious. It speaks to the child in all of us and conjures up fond memories of family gatherings with mothers, grandmothers, and favorite great aunts.

Mac and cheese is a welcome side dish at almost any occasion involving food— holiday feasts, potluck suppers, covered dish parties, and quick work night meals.

This delicious mac and cheese recipe offered by Davis Rice, an attorney in our Upstate Office in Clinton, appears in Joye Family Favorites, our collection of recipes from our team, family, clients, and dear friends. We enjoy sharing recipes. We trust that you’ll enjoy this baked mac and cheese recipe as much as we do.

If you prefer, you may also check our baked mac and cheese recipe infographic by clicking the image below.

Let’s start with the ingredients you’ll need:

½ pound Elbow Macaroni
12 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
¾ stick of Butter
3 tablespoons of Flour
3 cups of Milk
½ cup Onion, diced
1 large Egg
1 cup Breadcrumbs for topping
Salt and Pepper to taste

How to Make Mac and Cheese-Step by Step

Preparation:

The temperature to bake mac and cheese is 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Preheat the oven.
Boil pasta, drain, and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add flour, stir until smooth. Add milk, spices, and diced onion.
Temper in the egg.
Add ¾ of the shredded cheese and begin adding cooked macaroni. Stir until all macaroni is coated.
Pour mixture into 2-quart pan and cover with remaining cheese.
To make the mac and cheese crispy on top, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in saucepan and coat breadcrumbs, then sprinkle the buttery crumbs over the mixture.
Bake the mac and cheese for approximately 30 minutes until golden brown.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Mac and Cheese

Here are a few general tips to help avoid some pitfalls when preparing baked mac and cheese.

Don’t rush the process of combining the melted butter, flour, and milk. Cook the butter and flour for a minute or two until well blended and smooth. Then add the milk a little at a time while stirring continuously for a creamy texture to the sauce.
When cooking the macaroni, it’s best to cook the pasta al dente and to err on the side of undercooking the pasta slightly at this stage. Keep in mind that the macaroni will continue cooking when you add the sauce and bake the dish. This can help prevent overcooked noodles.
Don’t skimp on the cheese on top! Before baking your mac and cheese, be sure to top it with a healthy sprinkling of fresh cheese. The top layer of cheese will help seal in the moisture of the dish.
When your mac and cheese comes out of the oven golden brown, it’s hard to resist digging in immediately. But baked macaroni and cheese will taste even better if you give it 10 to 15 minutes to rest before serving. If you can’t wait, we understand!

Get a Copy of Joye’s Family Favorites

We hope you will enjoy Davis’s baked macaroni and cheese recipe. If you try it, we’d love to hear from you. It gives us pleasure to hear others’ experiences with our recipes. If you would like to see more recipes from Joye Family Favorites, our cookbook is available free of charge. Click here and fill the form to download Joye Family Favorites.

Do you have a recipe you’d like to share, or do you wish to receive future communications from Joye Law Firm? Just let us know! Call 1-877-941-1019 or email gethelp@joyelawfirm.com.

Joye Law Firm has been offering legal services to the people of South Carolina for more than 50 years. Our team of accomplished South Carolina injury and disability attorneys represents injured people in cases involving personal injury, car wrecks, 18-wheeler accidents, motorcycle accidents, workers’ compensation, product liability, premises liability, veterans’ disability, and more. Visit www.joyelawfirm.com to learn more.