Southern Baked Mac & Cheese

Baked macaroni and cheese is a quintessential Southern side dish. Although the dish has European roots, the version Americans are familiar with today can be attributed to James Hemings, President Thomas Jefferson's highly skilled, enslaved chef. Hemings learned of the dish during his travels to Europe with Jefferson and produced the cheesy, savory side we all know and love. Word of the dish spread like wildfire and the cooking technique was passed along through the enslaved community, creating what would become a staple of the African-American and Southern dinner table.

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How To Make Southern Baked Mac & Cheese

INGREDIENTS

• Macaroni: There's something about elbow macaroni—all those folds and pockets so perfectly engineered for cradling melty cheese and creamy sauce—that makes it unsurpassed for mac & cheese. Still, you can use whatever short, curly noodles you have on hand to good effect.
• Butter: Mac & cheese is a celebration of dairy, so it stands to reason that butter is my fat of choice.
• Cheddar: I prefer extra-sharp cheddar, as it lends some balance to this rich dish. But if you don’t like sharp cheese, feel free to use your favorite mild melting cheese.
• Colby Jack-Cheddar: Mild, slightly sweet Colby Jack takes some of the edge off the cheddar and melts to a smoother, creamier consistency.
• Eggs: I don't see the need for a béchamel in my mac & cheese. A simple custard of eggs and milk gives the sauce all the weight and creaminess it needs.
• Milk: I find using whole milk in my custard give me just the right consistency: thick and rich enough to bind the mac & cheese without going overboard.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First, let's attend to the pasta. Boil the macaroni in a large pot of generously salted water until al dente. Bite into one to check—it should put up some resistance. You don't want to cook the pasta any further at this stage—it will get plenty tender when baked in the oven. Drain the pasta and immediately rinse under cold running water to halt cooking.

When the macaroni is cool enough to touch, melt the butter over medium-low heat in the same pot you used for the noodles. Add the pasta and season with salt and pepper; stir to coat. Stir in 2 cups of the cheddar. Don't worry about melting the cheese here; the melting will happen in the oven.

Layer like lasagna! Transfer half of the macaroni mixture to a large, deep baking dish greased with cooking spray or butter and spread it out into an even layer. Top with all of the Colby-cheddar blend, then layer with the remaining macaroni mixture.

Time to make the custard—won't take but a minute. Whisk together the eggs and milk (or cream or half-and-half, depending on how rich like your mac) and pour evenly over the macaroni.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake the mac & cheese at 350° for 25 to 35 minutes, until bubbling but still a little jiggly. I like to set the baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips.

Let's finish the job. Remove the mac & cheese from the oven and heat the broiler. Remove the foil from the baking dish and top the mac with the remaining cheddar (I like to include a little more Colby-cheddar blend too). Return the baking dish to the oven and broil until the cheese is melted and golden on top. Let cool slightly before serving, to allow the mac to set up further.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Make sure your pasta is al dente: Boil it for too long and your baked macaroni will be mushy. Drain under cool water to stop noodles from cooking any further.
• Layer it like lasagna! I put an entire layer of pure cheese in between two layers of (already cheesy) macaroni.
• Make a custard: Don't skip the eggs! Whisking together eggs and milk and pouring it over the mac & cheese will make it extra creamy, saucy, and decadent. Feel free to use cream, half and half, or evaporated milk for even creamier mac, depending on how rich you want your mac and cheese to be.
• But don't scramble it: Getting your noodles cool to the touch will also ensure that the beaten eggs don't turn into scrambled eggs when you add your custard to the noodles.
• Let it cool! Allowing the mac and cheese time to cool will help the custard set

What To Serve With Southern Baked Mac & Cheese

Baked mac and cheese will always steal the show but there are a few mains that are worthy enough to grace the same table, like this oven-baked BBQ chicken or this juicy rib-eye steak. Can't get enough of my recipes? You'll find more of 'em right here.

Make Ahead & Storage

Save your future self some time and prep this macaroni ahead. Once it's done baking, allow it to cool to room temperature and wrap the entire pan tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Reheat at 350° until heated through. Baked mac and cheese will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.