Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese (Southern Plate Favorite)

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This oven-baked mac and cheese recipe is a favorite among Southern Plate readers and it’s easy to see why. You need just a short list of ingredients to make this easy baked macaroni and cheese dish the whole family will love.

Close-up spoonful of baked mac and cheese.

It’s just about a requirement that all Americans love classic baked macaroni and cheese in some form and at some time in their lives, I’m no different. Growing up, my mother made a creamy homemade mac and cheese with a sauce that was smooth as silk and permeated every particle of perfectly cooked macaroni. It was my brother’s favorite comfort food, so she usually made it every Sunday.

As kids we all became well acquainted with the boxed stuff, thrilling over the marvel and convenience of the powdery sauce which combined with milk to deliver the ideal after-school snack for busy families. 

Now as an adult I’ve found that if I have a few extra minutes, homemade Macaroni and Cheese really does taste about 1000x better and everyone in the family prefers it.

This delicious baked Macaroni and Cheese is super simple and easy to make. All you need is 5 ingredients (well six or seven if you count the salt and pepper 🙂 and after about an hour and your macaroni and cheese will be ready. These Easy Baby Back Ribs in Oven and The Best Coleslaw would help make this the perfect meal.

I’d recommend watching my quick tutorial video above so that you can get a lay of the land with this recipe.

Okay now I bet you’re REALLY hungry so let’s get started!

Ingredients for oven-baked mac and cheese.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Cheddar cheese
  • Plain flour
  • Macaroni pasta
  • Butter
  • Milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Simple ingredients = an amazing oven-baked mac and cheese recipe!

Helpful Kitchen Tools

How to Make Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese

Cook elbow pasta and then drain.

Cook the pasta until tender and then drain it.

Mix all of the dry ingredients together.

Mix all of the dry ingredients together and then set them aside.

Place half of the macaroni in a casserole dish.

Spray an oven-safe bowl or dish with cooking spray. Place half of the cooked macaroni inside.

Sprinkle half of flour mixture over the pasta.

Sprinkle half of the flour mixture over the top.

Top with butter slices.

Then top it with half of the butter slices.

Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Sprinkle 1+1/2 cups of shredded cheese over the top.

Repeat layering process to make oven-baked mac and cheese.

Repeat the layering process again.

Pour milk over entire mac and cheese casserole.

Pour milk over the entire macaroni and cheese casserole.

Cover casserole with foil and bake.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Oven-baked mac and cheese.

Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Serving the baked mac and cheese.

Everything I’ve ever wanted in oven-baked mac and cheese is pictured right there! 

A lot of people view this as a side dish but I confess, it’s been the entire meal on more than one occasion.

At this point, my son came in and said “Ma, when is the macaroni and cheese gonna be done?”.

I showed him this and his eyes got “big as dollars” as my grandmother would say!

Oh to be a kid again :).

Bowl of baked mac and cheese.

Storage

Store mac and cheese leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave.

Recipe Notes

  • You can definitely make this oven-baked mac and cheese recipe your own. Here are some ideas:
    • Add shredded chicken or cooked bacon.
    • Need some vegetables? Add sautéed onion and finely chopped bell pepper.
    • Add the dried herbs of your choice, such as onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika for heat.
  • As I said, I totally serve this as a main dish and my family doesn’t complain! But if you serve it as a side dish, it goes great with Southern favorites like fried chicken and pulled pork.
  • Need to top your Southern baked mac and cheese with a crumbly topping? Sprinkle on some panko breadcrumbs and you’re good to go!
  • You can use any grated cheese you like (just not pre-shredded cheese!). I like sharp cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese combined.

You may also like these recipes:

Baked Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Mama’s Mac and Cheese

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

One-Pot No Drain Mac and Cheese

Macaroni Salad

Bowl of baked mac and cheese.

Oven-Baked Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

This easy oven-baked macaroni and cheese recipe is a Southern Plate favorite. You need just 5 ingredients to make this family favorite.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 27 minutes
10 minutes
Total Time: 52 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: casserole, cheese, macaroni
Servings: 5
Calories: 968.1kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups uncooked macaroni
  • 2 1/2 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp salt
  • pepper to taste I use about a teaspoon
  • 4 tbsp butter, thinly sliced
  • 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese mild or sharp, your preference
  • 1 cup whole milk

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta until tender and then drain it.
    2 1/2 cups uncooked macaroni
  • Mix all of the dry ingredients together and then set them aside.
    2 1/2 tbsp flour, 1 1/4 tsp salt, pepper to taste
  • Spray an oven-safe bowl or dish with cooking spray. Place half of the macaroni inside. Sprinkle half of the flour mixture over the top and then top it with half of the butter slices. Sprinkle 1+1/2 cups of cheese over the top and repeat.
    4 tbsp butter, thinly sliced, 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Pour milk over the entire macaroni and cheese casserole.
    1 cup whole milk
  • Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

Size of dish: You can make this in a 9x13 baking dish or a large ovenproof bowl, depending on your preference.

Nutrition

Calories: 968.1kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

 

Close-up spoonful of baked mac and cheese.
 

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488 Comments

  1. Wow, that looks divine! I can’t wait to try it. I wonder how it’d be with some chunks of ham in it? Or some sort of veggie? Do that, and you would have an entire meal!

  2. I love mac and cheese and this recipe looks wonderful! I can almost taste it – I think I’ll make it this weekend. I have no idea how my kids can stand the boxed stuff either!

    Thanks for all of your great recipes!

    Beth

  3. Hey!! thank y’all so much for reading and taking the time to comment!!! My mother makes a PHENOMENAL pumpkin roll! I am going to get her to do it soon so I can post it soon!

    This mac and cheese definitely seems to appeal to moms, I dont know why kids and husbands insist on that boxed stuff when they can have this! LOL!

    Hope y’all are having a great day! i’m hoping to get caught up on my comments today, we’ll see!
    Christy 🙂

    1. I would love to try your Mother’s macaroni and cheese recipe also, the ony she made when you were a child. Would you please send it to me or is it posted anythere.

      I am going to try making your version of macaroni and cheese. Loved the pictures to assist with the directions. Looks delicious. I have tried many different recipes and most of them come out grainy and on the dry side for me, but yours looks yummy!

      1. Hey Lorraine!

        I sent it out as a bonus recipe to my email subscribers the week I sent this one out (I send printer friendly versions of my recipes to email subscribers, usually once a week but during Christmas and now my current plague of illness on the kids I’m behind). I don’t think I still have it typed up but I’ll try to get it posted on SP soon for ya! If I run across it during my chaos, I’ll shoot it right off to ya, too!!!

        Its been a loooooooooooooooooong sleep deprived week! I probably shouldn’t be responding to comments on this little sleep as I have no idea what I am actually saying at this point. Hmmm…maybe a shower and a nights sleep are in order. Wonder if the kid’s colds and coughs will cooperate?
        Thank you for commenting, I’m enjoying reading them!!
        Gratefully,
        Christy

  4. My girls LOVE homemade macroni & cheese. In fact, every year I make it and take to friends house the day before Thanksgiving. The kids have a half-day and so we eat lunch together and the mom there makes me Pumpkin Roll! yum yum!!!

    I can almost smell yours baking now… Thanks for sharing.

  5. I have never made it in the oven, I have always done it on the stove top, I will have to try this. My kids don’t love it as much as I do though! I was raised on this stuff! They and my Hubby like the box stuff, yuck! I am trying and loven all your recipes!!

    1. When my mom baked her mac and cheese she would put buttered pankie on the top for a little extra crunch. Mmm mmm good!

        1. Is it okay to make a day ahead and reheat the following day? Just wondered if macaroni would be hard. I may boil noodles a day ahead only.

      1. 🙂 My Mom would melt butter in a pan, put in Croutons, and soak up butter, then top mac and cheese with it-YUMMY!

      2. My family does Mac and cheese like this too. We put crushed ritz or saltine crackers on top with a little cheese for crunch. Yummy!

    2. 5 stars
      Yea ! Finally someone who post a macaroni and cheese dish without having to make a
      roux sauce on top of stove. My mom used to make our macaroni and cheese exactly the same way that you have printed. It is rare that you see this particular macaroni and cheese made. I don’t understand why because it is so much easier I think to do it this way. I myself enjoy it made this way so much better. For those who have never tried it this way I suggest you give it a try. You just may find it to be your Number one way to make it and enjoy it of course.

      1. Agreed! I SPECIFICLY CAME LOOKING FOR A RECIPE WIRH THE DRY FLOUR ADDED RIGHT TO DISH…SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE CREAMY ROUX SAUCE!

  6. Oooh its yummy. I eat it by itself whenever I make it. Did you know you can get out a whole bowl full if you do it while its hot and then just kinda smooth it back down in the dish and no one can tell!?
    ~grins~
    Christy

    1. I think Southern Plate is a classic but never trust the south it can give you diabetes. Always keep the plate, it gives you good luck.

      -Owner

  7. Christy, that looks so easy to make not to mention delicious. I’m so tired of the box stuff. I will definitely be serving this one up.

    Laura-Athens

      1. At last! A recipe for mac’n’cheese that doesn’t require you to make a white sauce and add cheese to it! My mom made great macaroni and cheese without the cream sauce and it was wonderful, but I never got her method. After all, that’s what kids eat. Now in my later years I want my mama’s comfort dish and she’s no longer here….this sounds like it’s just the ticket!

    1. I love this recipe! I’m making it for the 2nd time. I love that you layer the ingredients instead of having to use a separate pan to make the cheese sauce. The easiest and yummiest Mac n cheese ever!!

        1. I made this casserole yesterday, stuck it in the fridge to bake it later in the day. It didn’t get baked (grr) so it should be ok today when I go to bake it? I don’t think I saw this dilemma addressed. Thanks!

        2. 5 stars
          This is absolutely hands down the best mac and cheese EVER!! Although, I have a large family so I normally double it. However, it’s NEVER gone to waste!

          There are times where I also make a gluten free version for my youngest kids, along with almond or coconut milk, smart butter, gluten free pasta and gluten free flour and they love it as well!

          Thank you so much for this recipe, I have never commented on a recipe blog before. We have enjoyed it so many times that I just had to thank you.

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