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This is the cheesiest, creamiest, altogether best homemade mac and cheese recipe you’ll ever make! The whole family will definitely approve!
We love IT – a lot!
Macaroni and cheese is always a safe main dish in our home because the entire family loves it! We make it for Sunday dinners, holidays – you name it!
This homemade mac and cheese recipe is filled with cheese, milk, butter and topped with Panko making it incredibly delicious. We love it as a pasta dish to enjoy all year long, but it’s also a classic side dish for big family gatherings and special meals.
The kids have claimed it the “BEST homemade mac and cheese recipe out there” – and we have to agree!
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- This dish is simple! It’s prepped in 15 minutes and on the table in 40.
- It’s cheesy and delicious. With Panko bread crumbs on top and loads of cheese in between, everyone loves this recipe.
- Can be made ahead of time. For busy nights and holidays (like Thanksgiving and Christmas), it’s always great to have dishes that can be made in advance.
Ingredients
- PREP TIME: 15 minutes
- COOK TIME: 25 minutes
- 1 (16-ounce) box elbow macaroni – we prefer elbow macaroni, but other pastas to use are: shell, Cavatappi, penne, Farfalle, fusilli, or rotini
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons salted butter – divided
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- black pepper to taste
- 4 cups milk – using 2% or whole milk is suggested for the creamiest sauce
- 6 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese – we also like equal parts mozzarella, cheddar, and American. Other cheeses include Parmesan, White Cheddar, Fontina, smoked Gouda, Gruyere, Colby Jack, and Gorgonzola.
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs – We use plain Panko breadcrumbs, but flavored crumbs or regular breadcrumbs work. Crushed Ritz crackers and crushed cornflakes also work.
How to Make Homemade Mac and Cheese
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- PASTA. Boil 16 ounces of macaroni according to package directions.
- SAUCE. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt ½ cup butter over medium heat. Whisk in ½ cup flour and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon garlic salt and black pepper. Slowly pour in 4 cups milk, whisking until smooth. Heat to a low boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 4–5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- COMBINE. Drain pasta and transfer to a lightly greased 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle 6 cups shredded cheese over pasta. Pour thickened cheese sauce over pasta and cheese. Let sit until the cheese has melted, then stir together.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle on the bread crumb topping, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 3–5 minutes. Sprinkle over the mac and cheese.
- BAKE. Bake for 14–15 minutes. Serve warm.
CROCK POT VERSION
- COMBINE. To make this version in the slow cooker, follow the instructions through step 1, then add hot pasta to a greased crockpot. Sprinkle 6 cups shredded cheese over pasta. Pour the thickened cream sauce over the pasta and cheese. Let sit until the cheese has melted and stir together.
- HEAT. Cook on Low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- TOPPING. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add in bread crumbs, stirring constantly until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Pour over the mac and cheese and let warm for 5 minutes before serving.
For our favorite Crock Pot Mac and Cheese.
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Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) package elbow macaroni
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- pepper, to taste
- 4 cups milk
- 6 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Boil pasta according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt ½ cup butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic salt and pepper. Slowly pour in milk, whisking until smooth. Heat to a low boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Drain pasta and transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle shredded cheese over pasta. Pour thickened cream sauce over pasta and cheese. Let it sit until the cheese has melted, then stir.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 3–5 minutes. Sprinkle over the mac and cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- This recipe uses a flour roux as a thickener. It takes a bit of time for the sauce to simmer before it thickens, so be patient.
- Shred your cheese. Preshredded cheese is coated and doesn’t melt as well.
- Some easy variations include mixing the cheddar cheese with other cheese, adding bacon bits, diced ham, or broccoli florets, or making it spicy using jalapenos or red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Spice. salsa, jalapeños, or chili flakes
Meats.cooked bacon bits, diced ham, grilled chicken, or cooked hamburger
Veggies. chopped spinach, broccoli, or roasted red peppers
Seasoning. a dash of flavor with garlic powder, dry mustard, onion powder, or paprika
> Use high-quality aged cheddar cheese.
> Grate the cheese yourself – do not buy pre-shredded cheese (it does not melt as well and makes a sauce less creamy).
> Bring the cheese to room temp before grating.
> Make sure you add the cheese AFTER the roux sauce has thickened and cook on a low temperature or with the heat off – just needs to be able to melt.
> When the roux technique is added to mac and cheese, it not only thickens the dish but keeps the cheese from separating and/or clumping together. It takes a few minutes, so be patient as it thickens up.
> If the sauce, isn’t thick enough you can add a cornstarch slurry: In a separate bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of COLD water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and stir it in to cook a bit more.
Prepare the mac and cheese according to the recipe. Before baking, cover the dish tightly and keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days. When you are ready to use, add the Panko Topping and bake per recipe directions.
Make sure the pasta is cooked al dente. This pasta dish can be frozen for 2-3 months.
Thaw then bake. Thaw it in the refrigerator and bake according to the recipe directions.
Straight to the oven. Put it directly from the freezer into the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake until it’s hot in the center (about 1 hour).
Allow the mac and cheese to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or wrap it tightly and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Reheat. Thaw, if needed, and reheat, covered, in the oven or microwave. Add a splash of milk or cream to prevent dryness.
Hi-
Just discovered your site today as I was looking for Snickerdoodles-will try your recipe.
I also looked at the homemade mac and cheese and noticed a couple of small errors-If I had a blog, I would like to know if something seemed amiss, so I hope you don’t mind. In the recipe it says:
COMBINE. Drain pasta and transfer to a lightly greased 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle 6 cups shredded cheese over pasta. Pour thickened cheese sauce over pasta and cheese. Let sit until the cheese has melted, then stir together. Shouldn’t it say pour thickened sauce or white sauce, not cheese sauce? Also in the the nutritional info it says Serving: 1g,. One gram?? That would be like one or two noodles. Made me chuckle. Darling family and great recipes that I have seen thus far. I will have to check back often and try some more recipes.
I tried making the roux twice with the ingredients given, and no matter how much I slowly poured in the flour and milk and continued whisking, it always came out extremely lumpy and couldn’t be amended anymore.
I hope you don’t mind me replying, but I make white sauce all the time for peas and potatoes, sausage gravy, cheese sauces, etc. What I find that works for me, is to melt the butter, add the flour and stir it into the butter, and then add the milk. That is how I make all my white sauces. It works for me since the flour gets mixed in with the butter first-making a type of roux, and then stirring/whisking in the milk. Once it starts thickening and reaching that close to boiling point, it is usually smooth. That has worked for me for years. Just a suggestion. I also add the cheese to the sauce, stirring it until it melts, then I pour it on the noodles, the veggies, etc., but either way works.
I have several recipes in my mac & cheese rotation, and this one makes a frequent appearance. The whole family enjoys it, and I can use milder cheeses or stronger, sharp ones, and it always turns out great.
I love Mac n cheese for Thanksgiving! This seems so yummy and easy, I can’t wait to try this recipe out for our family Thanksgiving gatherings!!! 🙂
This is my go-to mac and cheese now. My picky son LOVES it and requests that I make it often. He asked me to make it for him and his buddies who were going on a hunting trip so they could have an easy dinner. He said they devoured it. Everybody wanted the recipe and said it was the best mac and cheese they had ever had. All of the recipes I have tried of yours are winners! Thanks so much for all you do!
Since cheese is a bit wonky to measure, how many ounce block of cheese do you need to obtain 6 cups? Thanks
How much flour???
How much milk??
How much cheese?
You are putting a recipe out there without listing that??? Shame.
Hi U ARENT THINKING, So if you scroll to the bottom of the post (or click on “jump to recipe”), the full ingredient list and instructions are all there. Hope that helps!
Are you blind or just stupid?
This is the best mac and cheese recipe I’ve ever tried! It’s super creamy and so delicious!! Thank you so much for sharing!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
My ultimate comfort food! This homemade mac and cheese is incredibly scrumptious, rich and cheesy. It’s addicting!
It’s our favorite!! I am so glad you like it! Thank you!
Homemade is the best! This was my first time making it myself and it was so easy. Everyone loved it!
Homemade really is the best!! I am glad you tried it! Thank you so much for sharing that!
This looks DELICIOUS I love Mac and Cheese so this is a must thanks for posting!!!!!’
This receipe (Homemade Mac & Cheese was easy and a hit with the family! I did sub the bread crumbs for crushed corn flakes (I remembered my grandmother doing this). EXCELLENT!
Wow oh wow!!!!!! The topping sets this Mac and cheese recipe off the charts!!!!
Love it been making it like 4 years now!
Creamy and AMAZING! We smoked it and it was the best mac and cheese I have ever tasted!
My kids loved this recipe. It made more than we could eat so I froze the other half of it. It reheated pretty well in the oven.
Wowza! Hands down best mac n cheese I’ve made for my family. I cut the recipe in half and it was perfect. Checked all the boxes, cheesy and creamy. I had a small chunk of Mexican Velveeta I threw in but the rest was sharp cheddar I shredded. My adult sons said it was the best I’ve made. That’s all I needed to hear. Thanks so much!
Oh that makes me so happy to hear! I love that your adult sons loved the recipe too. Thanks for sharing!
The Panko bread crumbs sprinkled on top of this Mac and Cheese are my favorite!
This is comfort food. We all love this creamy dish… Especially that crunchy crust on top! It’s so good.
This recipe goes so fast at family dinners! Love the panko breadcrumb topping – makes it extra tasty!
This mac and cheese is so cheesy and yummy! I love the flavor of the sharp cheddar cheese and the texture the panko bread crumbs add. A crowd pleaser for sure!
What size is a serving? 1/2c 1 cup?
Yes, about 1 cup!
Amazing and makes a lot
Makes a ton which we love to eat as leftovers
My favorite recipe….use it all the time. Family dinners, holiday dinners, and potlucks!🤗😋
Just enough creamy goodness and the bread crumbs on top is perfect. My kids and I love it.
This is our family’s favorite!!! I even make it with unsweetened almond milk & it was STILL awesome!!! 😉 SO. GOOD.
This is the best Mac-n-cheese I’ve had in years❣️
I have been making this Mac and cheese for every holiday for years— I love love love it. It always gets so many compliments!
The best Mac n cheese! Everyone loved it! I was afraid the roux wasn’t thickening up because I used almond milk instead of regular milk but it just took time to get the right consistency. I also prepared it the night before and the next day I baked it and it still came out wonderful. Thank you!
This Mac and Cheese had potential, but unfortunately, the flavor was overpowered by the tablespoon of garlic salt. After making this dish I thought that perhaps I’d read the instructions wrong. But that wasn’t the case. It calls for a TBS of garlic salt.
All seven of us who had tried it all agreed that the garlic was overpowering. I honestly think if it had half or 1/4th of the garlic it would’ve been fantastic. I’m willing to give it another go but with less garlic — maybe none at all.
Thanks so much for the feedback! You can definitely play with the amount of garlic if the recipe has more than your family prefers. 🙂
I love every single recipe.My sis n law has diabetes and can’t eat much sugar.My email is [email protected]… I was wondering if you could send some tasty sugar free cookies and cakes ,candy and pies. I made her fudge from your site and she was so happy she had tears coming down her face. She goes by her Drs instructions so good. She’s my best friend and I love her so much.This year we drew names 1st time since my mother passed and that’s when she found out she had diabetes. It was another shocker and heart ache over and over. I had lung cancer and she took me and went in every time. So could you help me ,make this Christmas the best one since we lost Mama.(13 yrs ago). With pandemic n all the bad news and life being crazy on its own. So would you or could you if you have a minute Help Me Please. Thank you,Wanda Burt ,Thomaston Ga. God bless and keep you safe
What a beautiful and sweet tribute to your sister! I imagine the shift in her dietary needs has been difficult. We have a few recipes I can think of that use Splenda Naturals Stevia in place of sugar. Here are a couple of those: https://lilluna.com/mini-chocolate-chip-cookies/ https://lilluna.com/homemade-applesauce/ https://lilluna.com/chocolate-mug-cake/. You can also take a recipe from our site that calls for sugar and replace it with a sugar free substitute. Best wishes and blessings to both you and your sister!
I made this last Sunday and it was a big hit. Thank you Lil Luna
You’re welcome!! So glad to hear you all enjoyed the Mac and Cheese!
This really is the cheesiest Mac I have ever made! The bread panko crumbs send this over the top.
YUM! I absolutely loved the panko topping that gave it such a perfect crunch. And my kids LOVED the cheese sauce. And what a great suggestion – sharp cheddar cheese absolutely makes all the difference!
Agreed! I love the flavor of that sharp cheese. Yay! I’m so glad your family enjoyed the Mac and cheese. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
We make your mac & cheese a lot!! It’s a hit at the holidays. No more boxed mac & cheese over here!
Fam really loves this mac and cheese recipe! Will surely make this again, so easy to make and so delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Loved it!
so good my kids were loving it so much i have 4 kids and they ate a full size in like 1 or 2 hours so crazy but so good
Oh that is awesome! I’m glad they enjoyed the Mac and cheese! Thanks for sharing!
How long should I cook the white sauce?! I always wonder if I’ve cooked it long enough or not long enough? How thick do I want it to get? Thanks!
You don’t want it super thick, more still of a liquid, so you can pour it over the pasta. It only takes a few minutes.
Absolutely fantastic and so much easier than my old way….really great!
Love to hear that! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
We love this mac and cheese! So creamy and delicious. I love the method of mixing everything in the casserole dish. So easy! Thanks for the recipe!
I have made this mac and cheese multiple times. It works for a crowd, or just my family. It is so good and creamy. It is without a doubt the best mac and cheese recipe I have found!
Made several batches for our high school football team and they couldn’t get enough of it. Thank you for such a yummy recipe.
This Mac and cheese was so good! I made it exactly as the recipe said for Thanksgiving as a side because I knew it was something that my kids would eat, and there was nothing left! My husband was sad, so I made it again the next night and added a little ham and steamed broccoli. It’s now a favorite among my family.
You know a recipe is good when you mess up the first time & it still comes out super yummy! This is the first Mac & cheese recipe I’ve found that my dad actually loves!
Love that! Thank you for sharing that! Happy he likes it!
My brother in law who never eats anything at holidays -ate this! And he took the leftovers home! So yummy!
So good! Best mac n cheese Ive ever made!
I made this for the first time as a side dish for Thanksgiving 2020. It was a big hit! My 22 year old grandson is a huge Mac and Cheese lover! He was so happy and went back for a big second helping! The comments around the dinner table from everyone was that is was a a huge success!
I did do the suggestion of using half cheddar and half another cheese. I chose Mozzarella and it was so yummy and creamy!
This has now replaced all other Mac and Cheese recipes in my recipe box! If I could have given this more than 5 stars, I would have! Not only is it yummy and creamy but it was so easy!
How long does homemade baked macaroni and cheese stay good for in the fridge?
I personally would only keep up to a few days. It just dries out & we like fresh best. You can freeze it, too. If you know you plan to freeze the dish, make sure the pasta is cooked al dente. This pasta dish can be frozen for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to bake, you can thaw it in the fridge and bake according to the recipe directions, or you can put it directly from the freezer in the oven. In the latter case, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the foil covered mac n cheese dish in the oven and bake until it’s hot in center (about 1 hour).
I added frozen broccoli so it messed with the melting process but I also added green Chili to the cream sauce and let it marinade for a bit cooked it at the recommended time gave everything an additional stir to make sure the cheese was mixed and melted throughout then added the bread crumbs after and cooked for another 5-8 min. To toast the breadcrumbs It turned out perfect!
Great options 🙂 Thanks for sharing what you did!!
Hey Kristyn! This is an amazing plus delectable recipe for foodies. I made it yesterday, and my kids were truly overwhelmed by the dish. As my family is a spice-lover, so I added some chili flakes and jalapenos along with Julian cut chicken in the pasta, too. I must say, this recipe is a new addition to my food diary. Thanks for this yummilicious share. ?
Those are great additions 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing that. I’ll have to try that!
It made it everyone loved it .. i made a big amount there was nothing left
That’s what I love to hear! Glad it was all gone! Thank you!
So I don’t like the flavor of garlic so I just took that out and used plain salt and pepper and this is the best macaroni and cheese recipe I have found by far and I’ve searched far and wide!! I actually have made this recipe for two different big company events (50-75 people each) and it was a hit and actually got me a round of applause at one!
LOL..love that! I haven’t gotten a round of applause! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
I made this last year three times and had no issues making it. I’m making it again for thanksgiving and my sauce just won’t thicken! Any suggestions?
Did you do anything different? Did you form a roux before adding the milk?
Hey there, made this last year for thanksgiving and loved it. Quick question on the crock pot instructions. Am I cooking the noodles first or are they going to cook in the time they are in the crock pot? Thanks in advance!
So, glad you like it!! I would cook according to directions, then add them 🙂
I make mac n cheese often, almost for every event i go to where i bring a dish but also for my boyfriend who loves it. This is my go-to recipe because it is easy, cheesy and people go crazy for it! Its so rich and creamy. By far the best mac N cheese recipe ive tried!
Thank you so much for saying that! And, I agree!!
Omg.. ive tried so many mac n chz recipes this was the best
I am so glad you think so!! Thank you so much!
I have been searching for a long time for a good macaroni & cheese recipe. I made this for Easter dinner & I will no longer be searching for another Mac & cheese recipe! It was easy to make & the taste is fabulous!
Woohoo!! Love to hear that! Thank you for trying it & for letting me know!
made this yesterday for a family gathering it was a hit! Easy to follow directions. Very creamy and yummy!
This was my first time making Mac and cheese from scratch and this recipe was simple and easy to follow. It turned out so creamy and cheesy everyone loved it. Thank you!
I love to hear that!! Thank you so much for trying it & for letting me know!
So cheesy and delicious! Love those breadcrumbs on top!
Wow does this look so good, comfort at it’s finest!
What is better than homemade mac and cheese, this recipe is my kids favorite!
There is nothing better and more comforting then HOMEMADE mac n cheese.
This is just down right delicious! The only mac and cheese recipe I’ll ever need.
I was probably the only child ever who did not like boxed mac n cheese. I still wont eat it, but i do enjoy homemade mac n cheese. This is such a yummy and easy recipe. Also, thanks for all the tips.
This is the only way I will eat mac & cheese, now! It is incredibly cheesy & I love the panko on top! I would have never thought about adding it, but now I can’t imagine it without it!
This recipe is must when the kids are out of school- They absolutely love it! Great flavor and real cheese! Delicious
You will love the ease of this recipe. Its creamy and cheesy and your kids will love this!
Does this need to be baked in a 9X13” casserole dish or can i bake it in a dutch oven type of dish?
Either of those work 🙂 Enjoy!
I Made this last night for our minute to win it christmas party and it was a hit! Love it!! I was thinking of adding crab meat to it when i make it for Our christmas (7 fish) dinner!
I am glad it was a hit!! Thank you for sharing that!
I love good mac and cheese, I would add a little American cheese with the sharp cheddar cheese, and use “GARLIC POWDER” and NOT “GARLIC SALT”, too much salt is not good for you, especially people with blood pressure problems as myself.
Those are all great options!!
Thank you so much for the recipe. This was my first time making Mac and cheese. The intructions were easy to follow and above all it was delicious. I Made on thanksgiving, and half of it was gone BeFore dinner time. Thank you again
Love this at Thanksgiving!! I am so glad to share! Thank you so much for giving it a try 🙂
OMG just made it..can’t wait to dig in..Thank you so much for sharing. .Have a Blessed Thanksgiving ; D
Happy Thanksgiving!! Thank you so much for trying it!! Hope you all enjoy!
Hi! Im following the “make ahead” directions and have a quick question… When you say “make completely” does that include baking it Or Complete all the steps Except for baking and bake it the next day?
Thank you!
Make, but not bake yet 🙂 You may just need to add a few minutes to the baking time. Enjoy!
What if your making 3lbs of Mac and cheese what are the measurements????
You just triple the rest of the ingredients 🙂
If theres ever a favorite meal that our kids love it would be macaroni and cheese. Much better than the box version this recipe does not disAppoint. Easy and yummy!
I made this mac n cheese In 2017 fOr thanksgivIng. It has been requested at every family gathering since then. So good and so easy! Travels well and reheats great!
Did you use salted or unsated butter never sure what to use
I like to use unsalted butter 🙂
Added leftover ham (cubed), corn and broccoli. Perfection!
Perfect!! Thank you for sharing that!
THANK YOU for this crazy easy and very YUMMY macncheese. Hate box macaroni, but love homemade, and this one has become my new favorite. I like to add 1 tsp of dried mustard but I know that’s not for everyone. BTW, I have frozen the leftovers and they warmed up great! 🙂
This was such a hit with my family!! I loved the breadcrumbs on top. It was super easy & everyone wanted seconds!
I made this for a barbecue open house for a friend and it was awesome! What makes this so creamy is making the roux (the flour and butter) keeps the cheese from separating. Also, I took 6 thick strips of bacon, crisped it up and mixed them with the Panko bread crumbs and sprinkled it on top before placing the whole dish in my Traeger Grill and smoked it rather than baking it in the oven. The smoke made it perfect for this barbecue party!
Sounds perfect! Thank you so much for sharing that!
I’ve never liked mac and cheese from the box so my kids don’t get to eat it often. BUT this recipe is delicious and has become a regular favorite at my house. My kids and I thank you!
Love love love this recipe. I have a lot of vegans in the house so I substituted vegan cheese and vegan milk and my family loves it. My nieces say I make the best mac and cheese now 🙂
Yay!!! That’s what I like to hear! Thank you so much!!
This Mac n’ cheese was not just for the kids. We all loved it, and it was super easy to make. Thank you for the recipe!
I am so glad to hear your whole family enjoyed it! We love it, too!! Thank you!
I found this to be the best because you pour the sauce over the cheese unlike most recipes that tell you to add the cheese into the sauce. I found that doing it this way gives it a creamier consistency awesome technique thank you so much!
You are so welcome 😉 I like this way too! Thank you so much!
Krityn,
Great recipe! Your hair is sooooo beautiful in your pic. ????
Awe, thank you so much!! You are so nice 🙂
Very good recipe! Made this tonight for dinner. I used rotini instead of macaroni, I also just had garlic powder instead of garlic salt. Equally delicious.
Thanks for sharing that!! I am happy to hear that you liked it!
We only used 4 cups of cheese as I as only putting in 2 cups at a time, 6 seems like way too much! Turned out great!
It is totally a preference 🙂 I am so glad you liked it.
I can’t wait to try some of these recipes ,They are makng my mouth water.
That’s a good thing 🙂 I hope you like the ones you try! Thank you!
Can this be frozen before cooking it?
It could 🙂 Hope you like it!!
Are the nutritional facts correct for the mac and cheese recipe? Whoa! What is the serving size?
will it taste nice if you freze it? Thanks!
I haven’t tried, but it should still be good 🙂 Thank you!
The calories in one serving are more than my daily allowance?! How? Where are all the calories coming from?
I don’t believe the nutritional information is correct. It can’t possibly be 1600+ calories per serving, right?
Tried the home made mac & cheese tonight. Let me tell you, I’m the only female in our 6 person household that includes a couple ridiculously picky eaters, & I can’t thank you enough for this recipe! Everyone loved it! Thanks again & keep ’em coming!
I am so glad to hear that! Thank you for letting me know!
Come up with your own recipe it’s easy everyone has their own blend of cheeses to use and you really don’t have to use the flour mixture I don’t if you bake it the macaroni will absorb the liquid and become creamy anyway
Hello.
Just to clarify.. I am a paranoid cooker.
With your “Best Macaroni and Cheese”, you poor the cream sauce over the shredded cheese and then you mix them together in the pan???
Please let me know. I would LoVe to make this for my family and for a meal I am taking to a family on Friday (4/16/18).
Thank you for your time and for your yummy recipes.
Yep, pour the sauce over the cheese & pasta, let sit for a minute, to melt the cheese, then stir right in the pan. Good luck! It will be a hit! Thank you for trying my recipes 😉
Just made this for my group of picky eaters. My crew loved it! My pickiest eater just went back for seconds! I used 4cups preshredded cheese, cheddar and Colby jack because that’s what I had. So good! Keeping this recipe handy for future use! Easy to make too, as I’m a novice in the kitchen.
Woohoo!! Love, love to hear that!! My kids love this stuff! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Hello! Made this today and flavor was delicious but my husband felt like it had a little chalky texture to it. What did I do wrong? Also when should I add the garlic salt, I didn’t see it in the directions?
The chalky texture is probably due to not cooking the sauce out enough
You add it in step one. I just say salt, but it is the garlic salt 🙂 I am not sure about the chalky texture. I’m thinking it is not letting the sauce cook long enough, like Tara mentioned. Mix well 🙂
You should maybe modify the recipe to say garlic salt. I missed this addition too because “add salt and pepper to taste” has a different meaning than “add a tablespoon of garlic salt”. I noticed my garlic salt left over at the end of the recipe and was disappointed i wasn’t prompted to use it. Hopefully it still has the great flavor everyone’s raving about!
How many ounces is the 6 cups of cheese?
It’s roughly 24 ounces 🙂
It’s 48 ounces
Okay, now I’m really confused. 24ozs or 48ozs? Big difference! Help
Google suggests 4 ounces equals 1 cup grated cheese.
I’ve tried many recipes from online over the years, but this is the first time I felt the need to comment on one. Macaroni and cheese is one of my favorite dishes, but I’ve never been able to make a satisfying homemade one until now. This is definitely a recipe I will be making over and over again. Thank you for sharing such an amazing meal!
I love hearing that!! Thank you so much for letting me know. We love this recipe!
I just came across this recipie I didn’t have macaroni noodles but I had penne so I used that it was so good lol
That works 🙂 Glad you liked it! Thank you!
I made this tonight for my family and it was a huge hit! Seriously best mac and cheese recipe ever!
Awe, thank you so much!! I’m glad it was a hit 🙂
This looks delish!! Would I be able to make ahead and bake it after I’ve had it in the refrigerator? I’m not sure of that will affect the outcome? Thanks!!
It shouldn’t affect it 🙂 Hope you like it!
I love trying new recipes for just 2 my husband & I sometimes my family of 4 who live beside us! I’m really excited ???? to try your mac & cheese for Thanksgiving day! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! ???? ????????
You are so welcome!! How awesome to have family close! I hope everyone loves it, like we do!
Sounds great. I like to grate fresh parm on top. Add about last 15 min. of bake time.
Perfect!! Thank you for sharing!
Have you ever tried to freeze this? Thinking about making it for my SIL who just had a baby.
I have not, but I’m sure it would be fine. That would be great, for her!
Made this today for my son’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor. I actually multiplied it by 5 (it fit in two really large aluminum trays). I used mild cheddar instead of sharp, and added Havarti cheese slices before cooking. Instead of panko, I used crushed up ritz type crackers for the top. (I also left out the garlic.) It was so creamy and awesome and I got so many compliments. Thanks so much. It was the first time I have ever made homemade mac n’ cheese!
That sounds yum! I’m so glad it was a hit! Thank you so much for sharing!
Why am I unable to pin this???
You should be able to. When my cursor is over the pictures, the PIN it button appears. You may need to add the Pintrest button, if you don’t have it on your computer. I hope that helps. Let me know 🙂
This was hands down the best & EASIEST homemade mac & cheese recipe ever. My sisters are super picky about mac & cheese and they loved it! It was the perfect addition to our Father’s Day lunch. Going to be a staple for me moving forward!
So glad your sisters even liked it!! Who doesn’t love a good homemade mac & cheese? 🙂 Thank you!
Made this last night and it was delicious!! Velveeta always grosses me out so it was nice to find a simple recipe that can create the cheesy texture with cheddar cheese. The garlic salt was a game changer and I got so many compliments!! Thank you ????
Isn’t is great?! Thank you so much for letting me know!! And, thank you for giving it a try 🙂
I alwsys use some sharp cheese and instead of bread crumbs , i use rosemary and olive oil flavored triskets crushed …. the triskets work good on chicken casserole too…
I also add a small amount of Velveeta cheese too.. cheeseier… and thats cabot sharp cheese
The triskets do give nice flavor
Sounds delicious!! Thanks so much for sharing!! I’ll have to try!
If you wanted to pre make this for an event do you cook it and then Re heaT it?
You can make it, without baking it, then bake when you are ready, if that helps?
Added it 🙂