Gooey Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese
This Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese recipe is a favorite among Southern Plate readers, and it’s easy to see why! With just a short list of everyday ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen, you can create a rich, creamy, and utterly delicious macaroni and cheese dish that is sure to bring smiles to the table.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese
- Serves: 5
- Main Ingredients: uncooked macaroni, flour, salt, pepper to taste, butter, thinly sliced, shredded cheddar cheese, whole milk
- Why You'll Love It: This easy oven-baked macaroni and cheese recipe is a Southern Plate favorite. You need just 5 ingredients to make this family favorite.
5-Ingredient Homemade Mac & Cheese
It’s a requirement that all Americans love classic baked macaroni and cheese in some form, at some point in their lives. And I’m no different. Growing up, my mother made a creamy homemade mac and cheese with a sauce as smooth as silk, permeating every particle of perfectly cooked macaroni.
As kids, we all became well acquainted with the boxed stuff, but as an adult, I’ve learned that homemade Macaroni and Cheese really does taste about 1000x better, and everyone in the family prefers it.
This delicious oven-baked mac 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 🙂. After about an hour, your macaroni and cheese will be ready. These Easy Baby Back Ribs in the Oven and The Best Coleslaw additions would help make this the perfect meal!
Reader Review
“This oven-baked mac and cheese recipe is an absolute delight! Not only does it bring back nostalgic memories of comforting family meals, but it also offers a simple yet incredibly flavorful dish that’s sure to please everyone at the table.” – Anna
Recipe Ingredients
- Cheddar cheese (use any grated cheese you like – just not pre-shredded cheese!)
- Plain flour
- Macaroni pasta
- Butter
- Milk
- Salt & pepper to taste
Your Mac, Your Way!
Feel free to make this oven-baked mac and cheese recipe your own! Try adding shredded chicken or cooked bacon for extra protein, or toss in some sautéed onion and finely chopped bell pepper for a veggie boost. You can also mix in your favorite dried herbs, like onion powder, garlic powder, or a pinch of paprika for a little heat.
Need to top your Southern oven-baked mac and cheese with a crumbly topping? Sprinkle on some panko breadcrumbs, and you’re good to go!
How to Make Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese
1. Preheat the Oven
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F, and don’t forget to spray your baking dish with a little cooking spray so nothing sticks!
2. Cook Pasta & Mix Dry Ingredients
Now go ahead and cook your macaroni pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain it well.
While the pasta cooks, mix all of your dry ingredients together and set them aside.
3. Layer Up Your Mac
Next, place half of your cooked macaroni into the baking dish and sprinkle half of the flour mixture over the top, followed by half of the butter slices.
Then go ahead and sprinkle 1+1/2 cups of shredded cheese over everything. Now repeat those layers one more time.
Finish by pouring the milk evenly over the entire casserole.
4. Bake
Cover the dish with foil and pop it in the oven for 35 minutes.
Then, remove the foil and let it bake for another 10 minutes until it’s golden and bubbly.
Everything I’ve ever wanted in oven-baked mac and cheese is pictured right there!
My Top 2 Important Tips for this Mac & Cheese:
- I always recommend grating your own cheddar cheese rather than buying pre-shredded. It melts so much better and gives you that perfectly creamy texture!
- Let it sit for about 5 minutes after pulling it out of the oven. I know it’s tempting to dig straight in, but it helps everything set up nicely.
Storage
Store mac and cheese leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you’re ready for round two, just reheat in the microwave and enjoy!
Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese FAQs
Yes, I do cover it for most of the baking time, but I like to pull the foil off for the last 10 minutes or so. That’s the secret to getting that gorgeous golden, crispy top that makes it truly irresistible!
There are a few things that can go wrong when making mac and cheese. First, avoid using pre-shredded cheese as it tends to make the sauce grainy. You’ll also want to pull your pasta off the heat while it still has a little bite to it, since mushy noodles are nobody’s friend. Be gentle with your cheese sauce too, because too much heat can cause it to separate and get greasy.
A lot of people view this as a side dish, but I confess, it’s been the entire meal in our house on more than one occasion! But if you serve it as a side dish, it goes great with Southern favorites like fried chicken and pulled pork.
Did this recipe make it to your dinner table? Tell me all about it in the comments and don’t forget to leave a star rating below! 🧀
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups uncooked macaroni
- 2 ½ tbsp flour
- 1 ¼ 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
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and spray 9×13 baking dish or a large ovenproof bowl with cooking spray.
- Cook the pasta until tender and then drain it.2 ½ cups uncooked macaroni
- Mix all of the dry ingredients together and then set them aside.2 ½ tbsp flour, 1 ¼ tsp salt, Pepper to taste
- Place half of the macaroni inside your baking dish. Sprinkle half of the flour mixture over the top and then top it with half of the butter slices. Sprinkle 1½ 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 for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I have tried for years to find a good make ahead recipe for mac and cheese and this was perfect!!! I used corkscrew pasta(which was really fabulous) and doubled the recipe into a large disposable pan. I finished the recipe all but the addition of the milk. Placed plastic wrap over the pan and refrigerated it until the next afternoon. Took it out of the fridge heated my milk almost to a boil and poured it overtop the mixture and added about 10-15 extra minutes to you cook time. It was AWESOME and so great to be able to make ahead of time!!!
I have to watch my fat intake due to high cholesterol, so I tried this recipe at Christmas using skim milk, fat free cheddar cheese, and light vegetable oil spread. I know there are a lot of traditionalists out there who think comfort foods like this are ruined if you don’t use high fat ingredients, but I’m telling you this turned out beautifully and tasted great! My extended family (who are typically skeptical of anything “healthy”) loved it and happily took home left-overs. My son who was not a mac & cheese lover (either from the box or from scratch) ate it up like crazy and complained that I sent too much of it home with the relatives! He’s asked for this multiple times since, and I’m making it for him tonight, so he’s eagerly awaiting dinner! By the way, I also froze some of the left-overs at Christmas in individual servings as an experiment, and they thawed and reheated just fine in the microwave. Definitely a keeper recipe at my house!
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! This was my 1st time making baked macaroni and cheese and this will be the only recipe I ever use!! Man oh man this is good!! Thank you so much!!!
HOT DAMN!!!!!!!!!!! Your right dis is the best recipy ever my mout is watarin just tinking about it
Thanks so much for this easy as 1-2-3 recipe! I was afraid to attempt baked mac and cheese. My children love it when others make it. I’ve always felt bad that I didn’t know how to make it. I love cooking all types of food. And though Im a soul sister Im more better at italian! LOL. They are eating it now! (all smiles) Thanks sooooooo much!
hella good… Best mac n cheese ive had in a long time. Definitely gonna make it again soon.
Just went around looking for a recipe for Baked Southern Style Mac & Cheese. I have grown up on it and have thru many moves lost my recipe. It is a tradition in the family and is made every sunday with dinner . Im a Southern Girl Born and raised so thsi si something I hold a Heart Warming food for the soul and Family lol.
So I will deffantly be getting the things I dont have already in my kitchen so I can make this. OMG I cant wait. Love the gooeyness of it all and as my mom mad it I will add the Crunchy cheesy parts to the top. Do love that and the whole mac and Cheesy goodness so much so thank you for posting this on the web for ppl like myself to find.
Tank care and Keep up with the wonderful Southern Belly Warming foods for the Soul and heart and Family:)
It’s in the oven right now!!! I love that I usually always have all of the ingredients and my 3 year-old mac’n’cheese lover can help with it!!!!