Description
This Southern Baked Mac and Cheese is a decadent, cheesy comfort food classic featuring a blend of sharp cheddar, Colby Jack, mozzarella, American, and cream cheese baked to perfection with a golden, bubbly cheese crust. Creamy, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned with smoked paprika, garlic, onion, and mustard powder, this mac and cheese is ideal for family gatherings or any cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Preparation
- 1 tablespoon butter for buttering the pan
Pasta
- 16 oz elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 10 cups water mixed with chicken broth (or water and 1 tablespoon salt)
Cheese Blend
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded, divided (half for mixing, half for topping)
- 8 oz Colby Jack cheese shredded, divided (half for mixing, half for topping)
- 8 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded
- 8 oz American cheese cubed
- 4 oz softened cream cheese warmed in the microwave for 30 seconds
Liquids and Dairy
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 cup heavy cream
Seasonings
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1-2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
Other
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat and Butter the Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Butter an 8-by-11 or 9-by-13-inch baking dish thoroughly and set it aside to prepare for the mac and cheese later.
- Cook Pasta: Fill a large stockpot or Dutch oven halfway with chicken broth or water with 1 tablespoon salt and bring it to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook until just under al dente, following package directions. Avoid overcooking as pasta will finish cooking in the oven. Drain pasta once ready.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: While the pasta cooks, in a large mixing bowl, combine half of the shredded cheddar, half of the Colby Jack, all mozzarella, all American cheese, and the warmed cream cheese. Add half and half and heavy cream. Stir together well until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Season the Cheese Mixture: Add smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Stir and taste to adjust seasoning, remembering cheese will add saltiness during baking.
- Combine Pasta and Egg: Stir the cooked pasta and the 2 large eggs into the cheese mixture until evenly incorporated, creating a well-mixed mac and cheese base.
- Assemble in Baking Dish: Pour the mac and cheese mixture into the buttered baking dish and spread it evenly. Top generously with the reserved cheddar and Colby Jack cheeses. Optionally, sprinkle a little additional smoked paprika on top for color and flavor.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake at 350ºF for 35 minutes or until the cheese crust is bubbly and nicely browned. Avoid overbaking to prevent the pasta from becoming mushy or the mixture drying out.
- Rest and Serve: Let the baked mac and cheese cool for about 5 minutes until just warm enough to serve. This allows the cheese to settle and ensures a creamy texture. Serve hot for the best experience.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of milk in the microwave or bake covered at 325ºF until warmed through.
Notes
- For extra creaminess, use 8 ounces of cream cheese.
- If you don’t have half and half, evaporated milk can be a substitute (avoid sweetened condensed milk).
- Feel free to swap out cheeses: Monterey Jack, whole milk mozzarella, mild cheddar, or extra-sharp cheddar work well. Avoid hard cheeses like aged Gruyere or very aged Gouda as they don’t melt smoothly.
- Softer cheeses like burrata, brie, camembert, and goat cheese (chèvre) can replace cream cheese for different flavor profiles.
- Doubling the recipe is possible; add one more egg and use a larger baking dish (13×20 inches). Increase baking time by about 10 minutes to ensure proper custard set and cheese crust.
- This mac and cheese can be assembled up to Step 7 the day before and baked fresh later.
- Reheat leftover mac and cheese in the microwave with a splash of milk or covered in the oven at 325ºF for 15-20 minutes until creamy and hot.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
