Name: Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 ounces macaroni noodles; 2 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 2 cups milk; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 10 ounces sharp cheddar cheese; paprika, optional

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Baked Macaroni and Cheese is the perfect side dish for any meal. Pasta baked with a cheesy sauce until bubbly and delicious. Simple enough for a weeknight dinner but tasty enough for a holiday meal!

Love cheesy side dishes? Try Hashbrown Casserole and Bacon Cheddar Mashed Potatoes, too!

Originally published April 30, 2013. Updated September 19, 2024.

Today we’re gonna talk about why I canceled this year’s Thanksgiving on last year’s Thanksgiving. And it’s because of macaroni and cheese.

I made one of those fancy mac and cheese recipes that involve several different cheeses that you can’t find at my small town grocery store and, listen, I spent a lot of money on that mac and cheese.

So when all of my children said it was “okay” or “not the best” after I’d spent all morning and all of the day before in the kitchen, I canceled this year’s Thanksgiving.

I’ve had 9 months to reconsider and I’m still not sure I’ll be doing a whole spread BUT IF I DO, this is the macaroni and cheese I’ll be making. It’s easy, quick, cheesy, delicious. Everything you want in a macaroni and cheese without being fussy and expensive.

And you can make it ahead and leave it in the fridge until you need to bake it! Which I really appreciate on a holiday.

Ingredients

Macaroni – you can use any small pasta shape but macaroni noodles are the classic, of course.
Butter
Flour – this is going to thicken your cheese sauce.
Milk – I used whole milk.
Salt and pepper – I put a conservative amount of salt and pepper in the recipe so taste the sauce to make sure it’s seasoned enough to fit your taste.
Cheddar cheese – I highly recommend a sharp cheddar for this macaroni and cheese but if you have mild on hand, it will be fine.
Paprika – optional, it gets sprinkled on top before baking. I love the way it looks after baking – it really gives it that “baked” look but it doesn’t add much as far as flavor is concerned.

How To Make Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Pasta. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
Make roux. Melt butter and whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in milk and let simmer for about 5 minutes, until thickened.
Add cheese. Add salt, pepper, and cheese. Stir until well combined.
Add pasta. Add cooked pasta and stir until pasta is coated.
Transfer. Transfer to a greased 8×8-inch baking dish.
Top. Sprinkle with paprika, if using.
Bake. Bake at 400F for about 20 minutes, until bubbly.

How Long Is It Good For?

Baked macaroni and cheese is good for up to 4 days in the fridge. Make sure to store it in an airtight container.

You can reheat it in the microwave or the oven.

baked macaroni and cheese with paprika on top in a baking dish

Can You Freeze It?

You can freeze baked mac and cheese for up to 3 months. I like to portion it out in these individual containers and then once frozen, pop them out of the containers and put the frozen cubes in freezer ziploc bags.

When you are ready to enjoy it, let it defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or oven.

What To Serve With It?

I think mac and cheese goes with anything but some favorites are Baked Caesar Chicken, Maple BBQ Sloppy Joes, and Cheeseburger Quesadillas!

If it’s grilling season, try Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs!

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders is also a great, easy option.

overhead shot of a plate of macaroni and cheese

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Yield: about 6 servings