Creamy Baked Velveeta Mac and Cheese
This baked Velveeta mac and cheese is exactly what you want waiting for you in the oven. It takes less than thirty minutes from start to finish, combining Velveeta and other simple ingredients you’ve already got at home into a rich, bubbling dish that tastes like a massive upgrade from anything out of a box.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Baked Velveeta Mac and Cheese
- Serves: 6
- Main Ingredients: Velveeta, cubed, whole milk, flour, butter, dry macaroni (elbow noodles)
- Why You'll Love It: Velveeta is the star of the show in this baked Velveeta mac and cheese recipe. It's the easiest, tastiest, and creamiest mac and cheese ever.
The Cheesiest of Meals
We have all fallen victim to a homemade mac that looked stunning on the counter but turned out grainy, oily, or completely split once you put it on a plate. It’s incredibly frustrating to spend time on a classic recipe from scratch only to end up wishing you’d just torn open a box of Kraft mac. My secret to avoiding that tragedy altogether is a trusty block of Velveeta cheese.
Purists might sniff at it, but anyone worth their cheese knows that Velveeta is the way to go for a flawless, creamy texture. Unlike bags of pre-shredded cheese (which are coated in powdery potato starch that prevents them from melting smoothly), this classic block liquefies into pure, velvety gold. It wraps itself around every single macaroni noodle, making sure you don’t end up with dry, naked pasta hiding at the bottom of the pan.
And because there’s no such thing as bad mac and cheese, give this creamy mac with Hidden Veggies a taste!
“I bake this about once a week.”
“My 3-year-old grandson loves it. So does Mom and Grandma!” – Terrie
Ingredients For Baked Velveeta Mac and Cheese
- Elbow noodles
- Whole milk
- Flour
- Butter
- Velveeta
Expert Tips from My Kitchen
- If you boil your macaroni until it’s perfectly soft on the stove, it will turn into a mushy, sad mess in the oven. My golden rule is to shave two full minutes off the package instructions. You want the noodles to have a definitive bite to them; they will soak up that extra creaminess and finish cooking to absolute perfection while baking.
- Don’t just lazily chop up that block of Velveeta and hope for the best. If you have big chunks mixed with tiny pieces, the small ones will scorch in the microwave before the big ones even think about melting. Take an extra sixty seconds to slice them into neat, even little cubes. It’s the secret to getting that completely seamless, velvet-smooth sauce without any stubborn lumps.
- While the standard recipe calls for a naked, uncovered bake, my favorite way to elevate this dish is to toss a handful of crushed Ritz crackers (or Panko if you’re fancy) with a tablespoon of melted butter in a small bowl, and scatter it over the top right before it goes into the oven. It creates this buttery, golden-brown crust that shatters when you scoop into it. If you’re into crunch, you’d love these mac and cheese balls!
How to Make Baked Velveeta Mac and Cheese
1. Cook the Pasta
Heat oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your macaroni noodles until they are almost done (al dente). Drain well in a colander and set aside.
2. Build the Creamy Sauce Base
In a microwave-safe bowl or medium saucepan, melt your butter (or margarine) in the microwave. Whisk in the flour and whole milk until smooth.
Then season with a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste.
3. Melt the Cheese
Pour your cubed Velveeta cheese directly into the milk mixture. Microwave the bowl in 30-second intervals over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cheese sauce is completely melted, smooth, and creamy.
Gently fold the cooked macaroni into the cheesy sauce until every noodle is completely coated.
4. Bake
Grease a 9×13 baking dish or casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour the cheesy mac into the dish, spreading it out evenly.
Place it in the oven and bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 20 minutes until bubbling and lightly golden on top. Allow it to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before serving so the sauce sets!
Baked Velveeta Mac and Cheese FAQs
Absolutely! While Velveeta provides a dreamy cheese sauce base, you can add a cup of sharp cheddar, Colby Jack, or Monterey Jack cheese to the remaining ingredients for a sharper flavor profile. Just avoid using entirely pre-shredded cheese for the melting base, as it won’t be quite as silky.
Place any leftover mac into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat it the next day, add a splash of milk or a dollop of sour cream before reheating it in the microwave or oven to bring back that original creamier sauce texture. You can also freeze it for 2-3 months!
This makes a fantastic complete meal on its own, but it’s a great side. I love pairing it alongside a saucy plate of babyback ribs, smoked brisket, or classic hot dogs for the kids.
Similar Recipes
Looking to switch things up for your next pasta night? Put away the baking dish altogether and try making a zesty, one-pot chili mac on the stovetop for a completely different flavor experience.
Once you pull this bubbly, golden masterpiece out of the oven, I’d love to hear how it went over at your house! Drop your thoughts in the comments section below and rate this recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Velveeta, cubed
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cups dry macaroni (elbow noodles)
Instructions
- Cover macaroni with water and cook until almost done, then drain well.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt margarine in the microwave, then stir in the flour and milk. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour cubed cheese into milk mixture and microwave at 30-second intervals until melted, stirring often. Stir in cooked macaroni.
- Place in an oven-safe baking dish and bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20 minutes.
Notes
- Shave 2 full minutes off the package instructions so the noodles remain slightly firm (al dente). They will finish cooking in the oven and soak up the sauce without turning mushy.
- Cut the Velveeta into neat, uniform cubes. This keeps the smaller pieces from scorching in the microwave while waiting for the larger chunks to melt, ensuring a completely smooth sauce.
- For a quick upgrade, toss a handful of crushed Ritz crackers or Panko breadcrumbs with a tablespoon of melted butter in a small bowl. Scatter it over the top right before baking for a perfect golden-brown crust.
uhm….
bad mac n’ cheese – yup.
I was teaching my nephew to cook – and mac n’ cheese was the last piece of our evening meal. We had a large pot of a similar recipe of mac n’ cheese on the front burner. BUT I had way more cheeeeeeeesy soupy stuff than noodles so I put some more water on to boil on the back burner. I was hot and tired….so I went in the other room to sit down/wait.
Me from the Family room to him in the kitchen: Is the water was boiling?
Nephew K: “yup it is”!
Me – still relaxing in the FR: “Okay pour the noodles in the water and when they get done cooking we’ll be back in business.”
Nephew K: “OKAY”.
I expected his immediate reappearance….when things got suspiciously quiet in the kitchen.
Me: K, What ya doing?
Nephew K: “Just stirring in the noodles. I want to make sure it’s all mixed up real good.”
Me: “Okay, make sure you set the timer for the noodles.”
Silence.
dead silence.
K’s head pops around the corner – “Auntie, what’s the water boilin’ for?”
ME…jump off the couch and see his new crunchy mac n’ cheese creation…non-salvageable….
but the birds and the deer had a yummy dinner.
=)
Oh, gosh! I’ve had a couple of experiences like that cooking with beginners, too 🙂 I’ll bet you could have salvaged your mac and cheese by adding a little milk and water to the pot, then pouring it all into a baking dish, covering it, and baking it until the noodles absorbed all the water. Too late now though!
I absolutely ADORE your column. You have such a good style with your story telling. I think I enjoy them even more than your recipes (almost). Keep up the excellent work, you are a real keeper.
Judy
thanks for the mac and cheese recipe i have never tried it this way i cant wait to try
Congratulations on your Darla Shine visit!! I know you did a great job!! Thanks for Mac & Cheese recipe. I think I’ll make it tonight!
Mac and Cheese….. comfort food and so good. My son thinks that this is what he should eat for breakfast, lunch and supper. And if I would fixed it every meal he would eat it. Sometimes I add a little dice ham to it to make it a little better. Thanks for sharing this , it is so much easier then the one I have been making.
I am going to try this recipe, I use velveeta but never the flour and margarine. My family likes the creamy kind the best.
BTW I made a ham yesterday and followed your directions. It was the best ham i have ever eaten(my husband and kids also said the same thing)!!!! That is how I am doing it from now on.
Thanks for your great website!!!
Rachel
You are soo right about the mac and cheese, if its homemade its going to be great!! I just had me a big ole helping of it. I need to go check out your stringy one. I am hoping its similar to what Daddy used to make when I was really little