Description
This Southern Baked Mac and Cheese is a rich and creamy comfort food classic, featuring a blend of sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, pepper jack, and Velveeta cheeses baked to golden perfection. The creamy cheese sauce is infused with warm spices and baked until bubbly and crispy on top, making it a perfect dish for gatherings or a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheeses
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, block-style
- 8 ounces smoked gouda cheese, block-style
- 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, block-style
- 8-ounce block Velveeta (original flavor), cubed
Pasta
- 1 pound dried elbow macaroni pasta
Sauce
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking dish: Preheat the oven to 375°F and generously grease or butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
- Shred cheeses: Shred the cheddar, smoked gouda, and pepper jack cheeses using a food processor or handheld grater. Place shredded cheeses in a large bowl and cubed Velveeta in another bowl.
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add elbow macaroni. Cook until al dente, about 6 minutes, then drain and rinse with cool water to stop cooking. Leave pasta in colander and keep pot on stove.
- Make roux: Add butter to the pot over medium heat. Once melted and sizzling, stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until roux turns light golden and flour taste cooks off, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add liquids: Slowly whisk in the milk and half-and-half, ensuring no lumps form. Bring mixture to a simmer while whisking and cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Season and add cheese: Stir in salt, pepper, ground mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, nutmeg, and cayenne (if using). Fold in three-quarters of the shredded cheeses until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add cooked macaroni into cheese sauce and toss to coat all pasta evenly.
- Assemble: Transfer macaroni mixture to prepared baking dish. Evenly distribute the cubed Velveeta pieces throughout the macaroni, gently submerging them. Sprinkle reserved shredded cheeses on top. Place dish on a baking sheet to catch any spills.
- Bake: Bake uncovered for 35 minutes until the top is golden brown, crispy, and bubbly.
- Broil for finishing touch: Optionally, set oven to broil and broil for 2 minutes to achieve a deeper, slightly blistered crust on top.
- Serve: Serve immediately and enjoy your rich Southern Baked Mac and Cheese!
Notes
- Use gluten-free flour instead of all purpose flour for a gluten-free version.
- Cover leftovers tightly with foil and refrigerate for 2-3 days; reheat in microwave or oven.
- Do not overcook pasta; it will continue cooking while baking.
- Adjust seasoning according to taste preferences.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
