Best Classic Mac Cheese Recipes

CLASSIC MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• 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, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Melt the butter in the bottom of an oven-proof fry pan. Add the flour and stir over heat until just beginning to brown - don't let it get too brown. Take it off the heat and stir in about 1 cup of milk until the butter and flour mixture is fully incorporated. Put it back on the heat and simmer until just beginning to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the milk; stir to fully incorporate.
• Add all of the cheeses and stir to melt. Once melted, add the cooked macaroni. Stir to mix.
• Cover the top of the mac and cheese with panko crumbs and place the pan in the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until it is bubbling and the bread crumbs are slightly browned.

CLASSIC VELVEETA MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook macaroni according to directions and drain.
• Melt margarine in a large saucepan.
• Add flour and whisk together.
• Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat until mixture starts to bubble and thickens.
• Stir constantly.
• Add chunks of Velveeta and allow to melt.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour macaroni into a 13x9 oblong baking dish.
• Pour sauce over macaroni.
• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then put extra slices of cheese on top.
• Bake for another 5 minutes until cheese melts.
• Allow to cool for a few minutes, then serve.

CLASSIC BAKED MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
• In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, salt, and pepper and whisk until smooth and bubbling, about 1-2 minutes.
• Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly, until smooth. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4-5 minutes. Add the cheddar cheese and stir until melted and the sauce is creamy.
• Fold in the cooked pasta until evenly coated.
• Pour the mac and cheese into a 9-inch square pan.
• Make the bread crumb topping: In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, salt, garlic powder, and paprika with a fork until combined. Add the panko bread crumbs and stir until evenly coated in the butter mixture.
• Sprinkle the bread crumb topping evenly over the mac and cheese.
• Bake the mac and cheese for 10-15 minutes, or until the topping is browned (if the top isn't browning, broil on high for 2-3 minutes).
• Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• Enjoy!

CLASSIC SMOKED SAUSAGE MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse and drain. Set aside.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large saucepan on medium heat. Cook and stir sausage and onions 3 to 5 minutes or until onions are tender. Stir in Alfredo sauce, and half and half. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Simmer 1 minute.
• Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in cheese and black pepper until cheese is melted. Stir in pasta and sausage mixture.
• Pour mixture into lightly sprayed 139-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with combined bread crumbs and 1/4 cup melted butter. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crumbs are golden brown and pasta mixture is hot and bubbly.

CLASSIC MAC & CHEESE (SOUTHERN LIVING FEB 2007)

Steps:

• 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, black and red pepper, 1 cup shredded cheese, and cooked pasta.
• Spoon pasta mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish; top with remaining 1 cup cheese.
• Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
• Note: For testing purposes only, we used Kraft Sharp Cheddar Cheese. To lighten, 2% reduced-fat milk and reduced-fat cheese may be substituted.
• One-Pot Macaroni and Cheese: Prepare recipe as directed, stirring all grated Cheddar cheese into thickened milk mixture until melted. Add cooked pasta, and serve immediately. Prep: 10 min., Cook: 7 minutes.

CLASSIC MAC AND CHEESE-AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN

Steps:

• DIRECTIONS FOR THE BREAD CRUMBS: Pulse bread and butter in food processor until crumbs are no larger than 1/8 inch, ten to fifteen 1-second pulses. Set aside. FOR THE PASTA AND CHEESE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt; cook until pasta is tender. Drain pasta and set aside in colander. In now-empty Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour, mustard, and cayenne (if using) and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to fully thicken). Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cheeses and 1 teaspoon salt until cheeses are fully melted. Add pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is steaming and heated through, about 6 minutes. Transfer mixture to broiler-safe 9-by 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs. Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, rotating pan if necessary for even browning. Cool about 5 minutes, then serve.

CLASSIC CREAMY MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375ºF.
• Cook macaroni in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt; drain. Return to pan. Add sour cream and cheeses; mix lightly.
• Spoon into 1-1/2 qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; top with corn flakes. Drizzle with butter.
• Bake 20 min. or until heated through.

CLASSIC MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Butter an 8-inch square baking dish or pan or six 8-ounce ramekins; set aside.
• Fill a 4- to 5-quart pot about 3/4 full of water and add 1 tablespoon of the salt.
• Bring to a boil and add the pasta.
• Cook, stirring once or twice, until tender but firm, about 4 minutes, and drain; reserve the pot.
• While the pasta is cooking, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
• Turn off the heat and add the bread crumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano; stir until mixed well; set aside.
• Using the same pot you used to cook the pasta, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat.
• Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Slowly whisk in the flour and stir constantly until the onion is coated with the flour, 30-45 seconds.
• Continue stirring for about 2 minutes more, or until the mixture starts to darken slightly and smell a bit nutty.
• Slowly whisk in the milk, cream, and remaining 1 tsp salt and cook until the mixture is just beginning to thicken and bubble around the edges, 5-7 minutes.
• It should be similar in texture to cake batter.
• If it's soupy, continue cooking until it thickens.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar, the Gruyere, mustard powder, cayenne, and nutmeg and stir until the cheeses have melted and the sauce is smooth but not too runny.
• Again, it should be similar in texture to cake batter; continue cooking if too soupy, until it thickens.
• Add the pasta and stir to combine.
• Pour into the prepared baking dish.
• Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar and top with the bread crumb mixture.
• Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until bubbling and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

MAC & CHEESE - CLASSIC

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 2. Prepare the elbow macaroni according to package directions. 3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Stir in the flour until a cream colored paste forms. Then pour in the milk and onions, and stir constantly until this comes to a hard boil, then stir for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and add all the cheeses, and any optional items. 4. When the macaroni is cooked, mix all the ingredients together, and place in a 9 X 13 pan. 5. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes. 6. Uncover and spread the buttered Panko bread crumbs over the top. Baked uncovered at 425 for about 15 minutes or until crumbs are golden brown.