Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese

5 from 2 votes

Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Nothing compares to a creamy, cheesy homemade mac and cheese for dinner, and our Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese is knock-your-socks-off good! Our recipe is easy to prepare and takes about 1 hour from start to finish.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: baked mac and cheese using evaporated milk, baked mac and cheese with evaporated milk, southern baked mac and cheese

Servings:

Calories: 552kcal

Author: Kristina Tipps

Equipment

Ingredients

16 oz elbow macaroni
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon flour
12 oz evaporated milk
8 oz whole milk
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese freshly shredded
2 cups white cheddar cheese freshly shredded

Instructions

Boil the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. It will continue cooking in the oven, so you don't want it to be too soft. While the pasta cooks preheat the oven to 400℉.
In a large mixing bowl, melt the butter. Add flour to create a roux, stirring constantly for a few minutes until it thickens into a paste. Alternatively, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-heat, whisking in the flour to form a thick paste.
Gradually whisk the milk into the roux to form a smooth sauce. Stir in the paprika and salt. Generously butter or oil a 9x13 casserole dish. Add the cooked pasta to the dish. Pour the milk/roux over the pasta. Stir in 3 cups of shredded cheese. Mix well with a wooden spoon to evenly combine all ingredients. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the inside is hot and bubbly.
Allow to cool slightly before serving as a comforting dinner or side dish.

Notes

Tip 1: Use freshly shredded cheese for the best melt and texture. Bags of pre-shredded cheese contain a coating that prevents it from sticking, but also doesn't allow it to melt as smoothly as freshly shredded blocks of cheese.

Tip 2: The macaroni will continue to cook when it's in the oven baking so make sure it’s al dente or slightly undercooked so it doesn't become mushy.

Make Ahead Instructions: Completely assemble the mac and cheese as the instructions indicate. Then cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, follow the instructions for temperature and timing as usual.

How To Store: Store leftovers in the fridge in a covered container for up to one week or in freezer safe storage containers for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

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