There are just certain recipes that everyone needs to have in their recipe box, aren’t there? You know those recipes that are so basic that you can make them into hundreds of different things? Like a basic tomato sauce, or a basic recipe for mashed potatoes, or even a basic vinaigrette. You can take those basics and create dozens of different recipes from each of them.
I think one of the most classic, home-style recipes that any cook should have is a good macaroni and cheese. It’s always a hit with both children and adults, pairs well with most proteins and can you ever dress it up! You can use this basic recipe and add in whatever you like. Cooked, diced ham is great. A cupful of frozen peas. Some fresh, blanched spinach. Or how about throwing in some sun-dried tomatoes and smoky bacon. Hmmm. Or change to a different cut of pasta, maybe some penne, and add in some shrimp or lobster. You can vary the cheese as well. Maybe your family prefers American. Go for that instead! Or maybe you’d like to try a combination of parmesan, asiago, and goat cheese. I have an idea for making a bleu cheese and bacon mac and cheese that I can hardly wait to try. Now, that’s how you take a classic recipe and turn it on its ear.
Whatever you choose to do to take your mac and cheese over the top, here’s a good basic recipe to start with.
Begin by cooking 8 ounces of elbow macaroni according to the package directions. Drain it and set it aside for now.
Grate 10 ounces of extra sharp cheddar cheese. Set that aside, too.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle in the flour, whisking until smooth. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, for one minute.
Meanwhile, microwave the milk on high for 1 ½ minutes. Gradually whisk the warm milk into the butter and flour mixture. Cook the sauce while whisking for five minutes or until it becomes slightly thickened.
Stir in the salt, black pepper, cayenne (if using), and 1 cup of the grated cheese. Mix well and then add the well-drained macaroni. Stir to combine.
Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased two-quart baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Enjoy!
Classic creamy, baked macaroni and cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz. elbow macaroni, cooked
- 10 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 tblsp. butter
- 2 tblsp. all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
- dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Grate the cheese and set it aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, melt the butter.
- Sprinkle in the flour, whisking until smooth.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for one minute.
- Meanwhile, microwave the milk on high for 1 ½ minutes.
- Gradually whisk in the warm milk.
- Whisk constantly for five minutes or until thickened.
- Stir in the salt, black pepper, 1 cup of the grated cheese and cayenne (if using).
- Stir in the well drained macaroni.
- Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased two-quart baking dish.
- Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Other macaroni and cheese recipes you might enjoy from around the internet:
- Ina Garten’s Lobster Mac and Cheese
- Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese from Brown Eyed Baker
- Greek Style Macaroni and Cheese from Angie McGowan via Steamy Kitchen
- Dianasaur Dishes’ Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese
- Brie Style Mac and Cheese with Mushrooms from The Kitchn
- A Cozy Kitchen’s Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
What I was cooking…
- One year ago: Spicy Breakfast Sausage
- Two years ago: Chicken Noodle Soup
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Perfect! Rich, creamy, cheesy, I love your version. But oh how I love all those alternative versions and ideas! Seafood? Yes, please! Great recipe and it has been way too many years since I made this! It never goes out of style!
Thanks, Jamie. I love taking a classic, standard recipe like this and putting a twist on it. By the way, lobster in mac and cheese…fabulous!
You can never have too many recipes for mac and cheese!
So true, Lydia. I don’t think ever met anyone, young or old, who didn’t like mac and cheese.
You can never have too many basic recipes. I was looking for this two days ago and ended up doing a more complicated one. Thanks
Yes, this is definitely a classic and a perfect start for making all the great variations!
Yes, please! To the classic and to Lobster Mac & Cheese – you read my mind :)
Yum it is! One of my favorite mac and cheese recipes is totally stovetop with green chiles. But right now this has me craving the classic stuff; but I’m not kidding. I want to smoke it. Hickory smoked mac and cheese? I’m thinking yes.
That sounds incredible, Barb. Who’d have thought of smoking mac and cheese but you!
You can never go wrong with mac n cheese, it’s such a classic and I don’t know a single person who doesn’t love it!
Looks so tasty!
Mac and cheese is always great! Even though it’s a basic recipe, you’d be surprised how many people ask me for just this sort of thing. Now I need to scrounge up some cheddar…
I think lots of people appreciate a good basic recipe like this. You can build off of it to make so many different variations.
My girls would eat this EVERY night! lovely photos and delicious mac and cheese :)
Mary x
A true american classic! You are so right…everyone should know how to make this homey comfort food from scratch. Those boxes with the neon orange powder that kids think is food make me crazy! Hooray for real food, real cheese, real milk! I posted a version of my own a while back with some tomatoes and breadcrumbs on top that even my teenage daughter approved of…
I have to be honest and tell you that I’ve used those box mixes before. They do not in any way imaginable compare with this recipe! Make homemade mac and cheese once and you’ll never go back to the box type.
Now I must have this for dinner!
Oh gosh Lana. I seriously could eat this all day long. Looks gorgeous. Yum!!!
xoxo
Heather
It was a mistake to eat dinner and THEN read blogs. Now I’m hungry again and good mac and cheese is by far one of my favorites!
It is hard to resist, isn’t it, Maris?
This mac and cheese looks amazing. My daughter and I would totally love it.
I have bookmarked this recipe since I did not grow up eating mac n’ cheese. In fact, my first experience with it was in college when my roomate made the “blue box” version – which I thought was vile and thus assumed I did not like Mac n’cheese. It wasn’t until quite a few years later that I discovered mac and cheese was pretty awesome – I know enjoy it (and enjoy making it) but I definitely need a good basic recipe for my collection!
Hopefully this one will provide you for the basis of many interesting variations to come, Nancy.
Yum! There’s nothing more comforting than mac and cheese on a chilly day. I make mine much the same, with the exception of white pepper instead of black. I too love the fact any old cheese can be used as I often have bits of assorted cheese ends needing to be used up.
Have to confess I cheat and make my sauce in the micro though. Tried it after reading the hint in the paper a few years ago, and haven’t made it stove top since!
Making your sauce in the microwave isn’t cheating, Jocelyn! It’s just using another of your kitchen tools :-)
Wow. Looks cheesy.
Very nice – i grew up with macroni and ketchup and not macoroni and cheese but enjoy a good one. I prefer stronger cheese like gryere or bluecheese but this recipe looks fabulous and i am sure you can just change the cheese.
We actually had macaroni and tomatoes much more often than mac and cheese when I was growing up. It was a delicious concoction of macaroni, chopped tomatoes, onion and bacon. Yum. I should make some tonight :-)
I do agree–mac and cheese is like the little black dress of cooking, right?! It’s always a crowd pleaser :)
Hey Foodies, LanaAnn’s Pasta recipe has been selected by Knapkins to be in our Recipe Guessing Game. Can you guess the recipe? http://knapkins.com/guess_games/705?source=blog