Baked mac and cheese with velveeta and cheddar

Q: Should mac and cheese be baked covered or uncovered?

No, its not necessary to cover mac and cheese while it bakes. You want the topping to become golden brown and crispy so baking uncovered is a must.

Q: What 3 cheeses go well together for mac and cheese?

Even if you dont want to make a mac and cheese that is made purely out of goat cheese, it can be a tangy addition to your traditional recipe and pairs well with other cheeses like parmesan, gruyère, and gouda.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

Table of Contents Show

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Get the Recipe: Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients ½1x2x
Instructions
What is the best cheese combination for mac and cheese?
What cheeses are best for baked mac and cheese?
Should mac and cheese be baked covered or uncovered?
What 3 cheeses go well together for mac and cheese?

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Gradually stir in milk and bring to boil; cook and stir until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add Velveeta; cook and stir until melted, about 3 minutes. Stir in cooked macaroni.

Spoon mixture into the prepared dish; sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Mix melted butter and cracker crumbs until combined; sprinkle over casserole.

Bake in the preheated oven until heated through, about 20 minutes.

I Made It Print

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

497Calories26gFat47gCarbs19gProtein

Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition FactsServings Per Recipe 5Calories 497% Daily Value *Total Fat 26g33%Saturated Fat 16g80%Cholesterol 75mg25%Sodium 869mg38%Total Carbohydrate 47g17%Dietary Fiber 2g8%Total Sugars 7gProtein 19gVitamin C 0mg1%Calcium 277mg21%Iron 2mg9%Potassium 279mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

I’m pretty sure you all know how hard it is to find a good, southern, soul food style baked macaroni and cheese recipe, right?

People tend to keep a tight grasp on their prized macaroni & cheese recipes, but not in my family. We share our favorite recipes like they are going on out of style! “Aint no sense in taking recipes to the grave” is how my grandmother sees it.

Well, imagine my shock when my sister sashayed in on Thanksgiving and casually placed this baked macaroni & cheese on the table. I could have sworn I had all of my family members baked mac n cheese recipes.

What was this impostor all about! The proof was in the taste. I had one (ok three) plates of this macaroni and cheese and was on her heels like ash in the wintertime trying to get this recipe.

My husband took a bite and said, “um, you need to take your mac n cheese recipe off your blog and put this one up. This one is way better than yours!”

THANKS A LOT, MATT…You’ll pay for that comment dearly! lol

Yall this baked macaroni and cheese is FULL OF SOUL!! That is the first thing that came to mind when I took that first bite. Usually, I’m not that into mac and cheese recipes that involve Velveeta, but this one….yeah, this one gets a pass!

I just love how that top layer of smoked cheese forms like a crust. It’s super creamy, flavorful, and easy. The MVP is definitely that SMOKED CHEDDAR! Good God, I couldn’t stop eating this stuff.

So big sis…I will bow down gracefully to you and say that you make THE BEST Baked MAC N CHEESE EVER!
I have printed out this recipe, took a photo of it, laminated it, and put it in my recipe album. Not many recipes get to make it to the album. She’s a keeper!

I’m sure that if you give it a try, it will end up going into your recipe collection, as well.

Get the Recipe: Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

4.53 from 825 ratings

This southern baked macaronis and cheese is full of soul and flavor. Smoked cheddar is the secret to this truly addictive, baked macaroni and cheese recipe.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 35 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

Servings: 6

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Ingredients ½1x2x

3 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 ½ cups milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup Colby & Monterey Jack, shredded (cheese blend)
6-8 oz Velveeta cheese, shredded (feel free to cut back on the Velveeta if you don't want it to be super creamy)
1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded (can use less if you don't like a sharp taste in your mac n cheese)
salt & pepper, to taste
2 eggs
1 cup smoked cheddar cheese, shredded (a must)
paprika, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cook macaroni until just al dente or a little under al dente. (Look on the back of the box to see how long you need to cook your pasta for it to reach al dente.) Be careful not to overcook.
Drain pasta and set aside.
In a large bowl, add milk, heavy cream & cheeses (except for the smoked cheddar).
Stir to combine.
Taste the milk mixture and add salt & pepper until it has a good taste. (You can also add in other seasonings like onion powder, paprika, etc. Tasting will help avoid having a plain, bland baked macaroni & cheese.)
When you are content with the taste, add the eggs.
Stir well until combined.
Butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.
Add macaroni to the baking dish.
Pour cheese mixture over macaroni.
Make sure the cheese is distributed well.
Top with the smoked cheddar cheese. (I add a little more Colby jack as well.) Sprinkle with paprika and/or black pepper, if desired.
Bake for 35-45 minutes. Do not overbake. It may be a bit jiggly when you take it out of the oven. It will firm up as it cool.
Let cool for about 10-15 minutes or until fully set.
Enjoy!

Video

Notes

~Tips~
Smoked cheddar cheese can be found in grocery stores in the specialty cheese section, not with the shredded, common cheeses. I get mine from Walmart.
Do not over bake! Mac and cheese may be a tad jiggly when removed from oven but it will firm up as it cools.
Feel free to use other cheeses, but that smoked cheddar is a MUST!

Cuisine: American, southern

Course: macaroni and cheese, Main, Main Course, Side Dish

Author: Divas Can Cook

Tried this recipe?Mention @divascancook on Instagram or tag #divascancook.

*UPDATE* Sorry sis but I think I’ve discovered a new best-baked macaroni and cheese recipe lol I’ll be posting it soon guys, but this one is still a favorite!!

What is the best cheese combination for mac and cheese?

For a mac and cheese recipe, consider the combination of sharper cheddar cheeses and a flavorful Parmesan. This cheese adds a boost of fruity, nutty notes to your favorite macaroni recipes. Parmesan is also ideal for grating on top of mac and cheese before you bake it to add golden color.

What cheeses are best for baked mac and cheese?

Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.

Should mac and cheese be baked covered or uncovered?

No, it's not necessary to cover mac and cheese while it bakes. You want the topping to become golden brown and crispy so baking uncovered is a must.

What 3 cheeses go well together for mac and cheese?

Even if you don't want to make a mac and cheese that is made purely out of goat cheese, it can be a tangy addition to your traditional recipe and pairs well with other cheeses like parmesan, gruyère, and gouda.