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Southern mac and cheese on a spoon.
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Southern Baked Mac and Cheese

This southern baked mac and cheese is the cheesiest! Enjoy this creamy mac and cheese as the perfect BBQ side or as a standalone main dish.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Mac and Cheese
Cuisine: American
Keyword: southern baked mac and cheese
Servings: 12
Author: Emily Richter

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. elbow macaroni noodles
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups whole milk
  • 12 oz. evaporated milk
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 16 oz. shredded cheddar cheese divided (~4 cups)
  • 4 oz. shredded Monterey jack cheese ~1 cup
  • 4 oz. cream cheese
  • 5 oz. grated parmesan cheese ~2 cups
  • 8 oz. Velveeta cheese cubed (~2 cups)

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 1-2 minutes less than the package recommends. About 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ and spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the whole milk and evaporated milk to the pan. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pot to be sure the roux is whisked in. Cook for another 2 minutes.
    a pot filled with liquid on a white background.
  • When the milk has thickened add the spices, 3 cups of cheddar, the Monterey jack, cream cheese, and parmesan. Cook until all of the cheeses have melted. About 3 minutes.
    a pot filled with cheese and other ingredients.
  • Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles and mix. Stir in the cubed Velveeta chunks.
    cheesy macaroni and cheese in a pot.
  • Transfer the noodles to the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the macaroni.
    cheesy casserole in a square dish.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes uncovered.
  • Allow mac and cheese to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
    cheesy tater tot casserole in a white dish.

Video

Notes

  • We chose a variety of cheeses for this dish. We recommend keeping the cheddar the same.
  • Skip the cayenne pepper if you don’t like spice.

Nutrition

Calories: 544kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 31g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g