Southern Baked Mac and Cheese – super creamy, cheesy, soulful baked mac and cheese filled with great Southern flavors. You will never break open a box again!
I wasn’t a fan of Mac and Cheese back in the day. But as they say, things change. Over the years, I’ve learned how to love that cheesy creamy goodness which is a staple in every American household. Thanks to my son who seriously would live for mac and cheese every single day of his life.
But of course, I’ve got to say no to breaking open those boxes from time to time. “Wait, what? You said boxes?”
Yes, he is a huge fan of those boxed mac and cheese! He’d gladly turn down any scrumptious chicken dishes I make just for a plateful of his all-time fave. You could imagine my face the day I tricked him into eating REAL mac and cheese. Ahhh, it was a sweet victory!
Mac and Cheese Sauce
To start off, this cheesy bechamel sauce here is over-the-top! Aside from 1/2 cup of half and half (of light cream and whole milk), I also added a can of evaporated milk (different from condensed milk) to add more creaminess and texture to my mac and cheese.
And another secret I’m adding to this sauce? CREOLE SEASONING. Yes! Sprinkling it with 1/2-1 teaspoon adds dimension to this Southern Baked Mac and Cheese. I’m telling you it makes all the difference unless you like bland food.
Best Cheese for Baked Mac and Cheese
Don’t be scared when using cheese for this recipe. I used three types of cheeses to grace every noodle of this dish. For the best flavor, I highly recommend adding a sharp cheddar to your baked mac and cheese. Just a warning though, don’t use the pre-shredded bagged cheese as it has preservatives that make it drier compared to fresh-grated cheese.
Sharp cheddar cheese, mozzarella, jack cheese, are my top fave. Or you can also use pepper jack cheese, gouda, fontina, and Gruyere.
How Long to Bake Mac and Cheese?
There is only one rule that you need to remember when baking mac and cheese: don’t bake it too long otherwise you’ll bake away the sauce leaving you with a dry mixture.
Baking it at around 20 minutes at 375 degrees F (190 C) guarantees you that same stretchy cheesy baked mac and cheese with all the heart-melting sauce. Or you can also bake it at 30 minutes at 350 F(177 C);
Although we’ve tried a couple of Mac and Cheese recipes, nothing compares to this one which has a smooth silky sauce that permeates every inch of elbow macaroni there is.
You’d fall head over heels with the brimming Southern flavors of what this baked mac and cheese has to offer. It’s got a note of heat and smokiness. You’d need a bigger a spoon, for sure!
This would be delightful at any time. Oh, especially during these cold winter months. So don’t wait for special occasions to whip up a pan of this.
Heck, you could even make this on the daily. You can also explore different southern comfort food ideas to prepare every day! Go ahead, take a bite, nobody’s looking.
Want more recipes like this? Try my Ground Beef Casserole here, my mac and cheese the Caribbean way – Trinidad Macaroni Pie and my heartier and meatier Chili Mac and Cheese.
Happy eating!
More Crowd-Favorite Recipes To Explore
- Easy Lasagna
- Skillet Cornbread
- Chicken Alfredo
- Buffalo Wings
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Caesar Salad Dressing
- Pulled Pork Recipe
How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese
Add butter to skillet, as soon as butter melts whisk in flour. Continue whisking until flour is fully mixed with butter. Then cook for about a minute to get rid of the flour taste.
Slowly add evaporated milk a little at the time, followed by the half and half; you do not want the mixture to form any lumps. Simmer for about 3-5 minutes until mixture thickens slightly.
Add seasonings, onion and garlic powder, creole seasoning and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer and let it simmer gently for about 2 minutes. Stir in the cheeses (reserve some as toppings later), and continue stirring until everything’s melted and evenly combined and, smooth. Salt & pepper, to taste.
Then add the pasta to the pot, stir to evenly incorporate.
Transfer the pasta mixture into a cast iron skillet or into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish; top with remaining cheese.
Watch How To Make It
Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounce uncooked macaroni
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
- 1 cup half and half (or ½ cup cream and ½ cup milk)
- ½ -1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ -1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- ½ cup
sharp cheddar cheese ,
grated - ½ cup jack cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.
- Add butter to skillet, as soon as butter melts whisk in flour. Continue whisking until flour is fully mixed with butter. Then cook for about a minute to get rid of the flour taste.
- Slowly add the evaporated milk a little at a time, followed by the half and half; you do not want the mixture to form any lumps. Simmer for about 3-5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Add seasonings, onion and garlic powder, Creole seasoning, and cayenne pepper.
- Bring to a simmer and let it simmer gently for about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the cheeses (reserve some as toppings later), and continue stirring until everything’s melted, evenly combined, and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Then add the cooked pasta to the pot, and stir to incorporate evenly.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to a pan or a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish; top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake at 375F°/190℃ for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Tips & Notes:
- Place a small skillet on medium heat with 2 tablespoons butter, then toss in 1 teaspoon minced garlic, stir for about 30 seconds and throw in bread crumbs. Saute for about 3-4 minutes or until fragrant. Lightly season with salt and pepper, if desired. Then top the mac and cheese with the bread crumbs and bake.
- In a medium bowl, beat the egg then add about ½ cup of the sauce to the egg, return the egg mixture to the sauce, stirring to blend well. Proceed with the cheese and the proceeding steps.
- Don't use pre-shredded bagged cheese as it is drier. You have to get blocks of it and shred it yourself.
- Sharp cheddar cheese, mozzarella, and jack cheese are my top faves. Or you can also use pepper jack cheese, gouda, fontina, and Gruyere.
- More mozzarella cheese can be added for it gives it a nice gooey pull in every bite.
- Do not cook cheese sauce too long.
- You can also throw in special ingredients such as garlic herbs, dried mustard, crispy fried onion strings, and so on.
- For extra flavor, add chicken breast pieces, spinach, and red bell peppers.
- In case you want to cut down on the calories, use low-fat milk instead of evaporated milk and cut back on half of the cheese.
- It’s best to warm milk. Cold liquid interrupts the cooking process. Heated milk also has a richer flavor than cold milk.
- To avoid lumps, try adding the milk about 2-3 tablespoons at a time. Whisk until it’s incorporated before adding more. Once the can of evaporated milk is all mixed in, add in all the half and half at once.
- Mac and Cheese can be made ahead up to the point of baking, then bake about 30-40 minutes before serving, so it’s hot and fresh. It can as well be made right in the morning and baked just before dinner time.
- It can also be made ahead up to the point of baking and then frozen. It freezes better if you don't bake it first.
- Reheat in the microwave if there are any leftovers then spray the top with oil or butter for moisture.
- You don't cover baked mac and cheese with foil as it would steam the inside and prevent it from achieving that slightly crusty golden bubbly top.
- If making for bigger groups of people, you can double or triple the recipe.
- In the absence of cast iron, Mac and Cheese can be baked in almost any oven-safe casserole dish.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Sherrylynn Jack says
I plan to make this recipe this weekend and I have a question.
For 3 lbs macaroni ( 48 oz)do I use 6 cans of carnation Milk?
Thank you Imma
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Sherrylynn. Yes, 6 of those will do. Do not forget to increase your half and half to 6 cups as well! Let me know how it turns out for you.
Wendi C says
Mac n Cheese is one of my all-time favorite things to eat! This recipe sounds so delicious and I can´t wait to try it.
Imma says
Yeah, this is my weekly go-to dish, my family loves to eat it. Thank you so much!
Lucky13 says
Wow! This was great and I even adjusted it for 4 servings so my hubby and I could have it again this week. I used egg noodles since I was out of elbows, and used half cheddar and half gouda. I was in a hurry and accidentally left out the half and half. But this was the best mac + cheese I’ve ever made! My calorie counter said it was only 322 calories per serving as well! I can have delicious, creamy mac + cheese more often! Thanks for sharing your recipe. Five stars all the way!
Imma says
Thank you so much, Lucky. I am glad to see your comment and all the story. I am trying to bring an amazing recipe with more benefits:)
Christal says
Your recipes are always a hit in my family. This is another I have pinned and will use often. I was drooling just looking at the pictures. Thanks girl!
Imma says
Thank you much Christal, Yayy! I am super happy to help you:)
Kimberli says
I used this recipe for a large dinner gathering that I had and everyone LOVED it! Thanks so much!
Imma says
Thank you so much for your feedback, I am glad my recipe helps you 🙂 Visit the blog regularly to have more amazing go-to recipes.
Katherine says
This came out excellent! I used a bit more heavy cream because I prefer the creamier flavor. I will definitely make again!
Imma says
Yeah, you can adjust as per your preference, Thank you so much for trying out and sharing your valuable feedback. Stay tuned to have more amazing recipes:)
Clarice says
Love recipe
Imma says
Thank you! Explore more amazing and easy recipes on the blog, I am sure you would love them for sure:)
Carrie says
Not sure what happened to mine…it went into the oven looking creamy and delicious. It came out of the oven curdled :-(. Maybe because I added frozen corn and pease while cooking the cheese sauce? I’m not sure. The flavors are still great!
Imma says
I’m glad it tasted great. That’s the most important part. The only thing I can think of is maybe your oven runs hotter than mine. High heat has the tendency to curdle sauces that contain cheese. Using milk instead of half & half lowers the fat content, and makes it more prone to curdle as well. Hope that helps and that it turns out perfect the next time.
Isaac Mazack says
Using the seasoning mix in the mac recipe I have, and man… it spices it up sooooo well!! Great job!
You have like 1/2 tbsp-1 tbsp for two of the seasoning ingredients, and I used the most I could! Tasty
Imma says
Yup, you can adjust as per your taste. Thank you for sharing