Description
This Southern Baked Mac and Cheese recipe offers a rich, creamy, and cheesy pasta dish combining sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, pepper jack, and Velveeta cheeses baked to golden perfection. Perfect as a comforting main course or side dish, it's a delightful twist on classic mac and cheese with a blend of smoky and spicy flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheeses
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, block-style
- 8 ounces smoked gouda cheese, block-style
- 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, block-style
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese (original flavor), cubed
Pasta
- 1 pound dried elbow macaroni pasta
Sauce
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups half-and-half
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the baking dish. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Generously grease or butter a 9×13-inch baking dish or a similar sized oven-safe vessel, then set it aside.
- Shred the cheeses. Use a food processor or a handheld grater to shred the cheddar, smoked gouda, and pepper jack cheeses. Place these shredded cheeses into a large bowl. Place the cubed Velveeta cheese into a separate bowl.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook until just al dente, about 6 minutes. Avoid overcooking as the pasta will continue cooking in the oven.
- Drain and cool the pasta. Drain the pasta in a large colander and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process. Keep the pasta in the colander and set aside. Return the empty pot to the stove.
- Make the roux. Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Once it’s fully melted and sizzling, add the flour. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the flour dissolves and the mixture turns a light golden color, about 2-3 minutes.
- Prepare the cheese sauce. Slowly whisk in the whole milk, followed by the half-and-half. Bring the mixture to a simmer while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Season and add cheese. Stir in salt, black pepper, ground mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, nutmeg, and optional cayenne pepper. Then fold in three-quarters of the shredded cheeses until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Combine pasta and sauce. Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and toss well to ensure all pasta is coated evenly.
- Assemble the dish. Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish. Distribute the cubed Velveeta evenly, lightly submerging them. Sprinkle the reserved shredded cheese evenly on top. Place the baking dish on a large baking sheet to catch any overflow.
- Bake. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes until the top is golden brown, crispy, and bubbly. Optionally, switch the oven to broil for about 2 minutes to get a deeper browned and slightly blistered top.
- Serve. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy this creamy, flavorful Southern baked mac and cheese.
Notes
- Use gluten-free flour instead of all purpose flour if a gluten-free version is needed.
- Store leftovers covered tightly with foil in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
- Do not overcook the pasta initially to avoid mushy texture after baking.
- For extra smoky flavor, consider using smoked paprika as listed or add a sprinkle of smoked cheese topping.
- Broiling at the end is optional but enhances the dish’s texture and appearance.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
