Grandma's Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Macaroni and Cheese - the ultimate comfort food! Decadent and ultra-creamy with layers of gooey cheese - perfect for any cheese lover’s craving.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Cavatappi Pasta Mac
- 8 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 tsp Chicken Bouillon Paste
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter
- 16 oz Mozzarella Cheese
- 8 oz Sharp Cheddar, (+ 4 oz set aside)
- 8 oz Colby Jack
- 6 oz Gruyere Cheese
- 24 oz Evaporated Milk
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tbsp Yellow Mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt, (more or less as desired)
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 4 oz Cream Cheese
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
- 2 large Eggs
- 6-8 slices Mozzarella Cheese
Optional breadcrumb topping
- 3 tbsp Salted Butter
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbw
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use 2 tbsp of softened butter and grease a 9x13 pan, making sure to get the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Shred all of the cheeses. Set aside 4 oz of the cheddar cheese (this is for the top of mac and cheese)
- Bring chicken broth to a boil, then cook pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and add to a large bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper, then add 2 tbsp of butter and 1 tsp chicken bouillon paste. Mix together until the paste is incorporated and the butter is melted.
- Add evaporated milk and heavy cream to the same pot over medium heat. Stir until warmed through (do not boil), then add the Mozzarella, Sharp Cheddar, Colby Jack, and Gruyere (all of the cheese except the 4 oz of cheddar cheese). Add mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper, and cream cheese. Stir until combined, then taste for salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat and add in the sour cream. Mix until combined. Add in the seasoned noodles. Stir until all of the noodles are coated in the cheese sauce. Add eggs and mix until combined.
- Add half of the macaroni and cheese into the pan, then add the mozzarella cheese slices in an even layer. Add the remainder of the macaroni and cheese on top. Sprinkle the remaining 4 oz of cheddar cheese macaroni and cheese on top.
- (optional) For the breadcrumb topping, melt butter in a skillet, then add the breadcrumbs. Toss together for about 5 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of the macaroni and cheese. Add a dash of paprika on top for color (optional)
- Place baking dish on top of a baking sheet. Bake the cavatappi mac and cheese in a 350-degree F oven for 25-30 minutes, uncovered, until bubbling. Finish for a few minutes under the broiler for a golden top. Allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Grate your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheeses are often coated in starches that help prevent clumping. But they also inhibit melting! For a gooey mac and cheese, aways buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. The pasta will continue cooking as the mac and cheese bakes, so only boil your cavatappi to al dente.
- Boil your pasta in chicken stock. This adds so much more flavor than water!
- Skip the low-fat options. Evaporated milk, heavy cream, and sour cream are essential for a rich and luxurious cream sauce. There’s no getting around it – this baked mac and cheese recipe is rich and indulgent.
- Bind your mac and cheese with eggs. The custardy texture of eggs creates an extra thick and luxurious sauce. Just be sure not to add them while the pasta is piping hot, or they’ll scramble.
- Finish under the broiler. The high heat of your broiler gives the baked macaroni and cheese an even crispier, golden-brown breadcrumb topping.
Nutrition
Calories: 748kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 37g, Fat: 43g, Saturated Fat: 25g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 154mg, Sodium: 1713mg, Potassium: 458mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 1471IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 652mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @BritneyBreaksBread or tag #BritneyBreaksBread!