Easy Mac and Cheese

Easy Mac and Cheese that’s cheesy and delicious!  Let me show you how to ditch the box and make this homemade recipe for dinner tonight.

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Seems easy enough yet there are so many different ways to prepare mac and cheese for your family’s dinner. For some people, it means opening a box and boiling some water.  Other’s might pull a box out of the freezer.

But after you read this post I hope you’ll see that making homemade Easy Mac and Cheese is so much better than a box…really!

For years I have been making one recipe that I named Olivia’s Mac and Cheese because she loves it so much and I enjoy making my kids happy.  But recently I’ve started making this recipe that I’m sharing with you today.

This recipe bakes in the oven while my other recipe, named after my daughter, is a stove top recipe. Both are creamy and delicious. They make the perfect side dish for grilled chicken or hamburgers.  I even enjoy eating a bowl of mac and cheese as the perfect comfort food after a long crazy day.

Helpful Baking Tools

• This is my favorite casserole dish probably because of the color. Looks great if you’re having company too. 
• Measuring cups
• Stainless steel whisk
• Box grater – I have used shredded cheddar cheese many times for this recipe, but grating your own cheese is always best. 

Ingredients

• 1 package pasta; 16 ounce size
• Butter
• All-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper
• Mustard – your favorite. I like to use Dijon but have used a spicy mustard at times as well. 
• Milk
• chicken bouillon cube – I know this sounds strange, but I like to add a cube of chicken bouillon for extra flavor. 
• 3 cups medium cheddar cheese, shredded and divided. 

What kind of cheese is best?

For a traditional mac and cheese recipes, cheddar cheese is best. You can use a combination of sharp or medium cheddar cheese. I always use a medium cheddar cheese. 

Other cheeses that work great for mac and cheese are: 

• Gouda
• Gruyère – this cheese melts beautifully. 
• Parmesan – is great to use as a topping for mac and cheese. 
• Monterey Jack – also works good and is one of the cheeses I use for the Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese recipe also on this site. 

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan.  Remove from heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and mustard and stir until smooth. Now add the milk and stir constantly until the mixture returns to boiling and starts to thicken.

Remove from heat and stir in TWO cups of cheese. Reduce heat to low and continue to stir until everything is combined.

Stir in pasta and pour into a baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining one cup of cheese.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until the cheese on top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly.

Ready to serve hot and bubbly from the oven.

I recently redid the photos for this recipe.  The photo above and the photo below are from the original post that was published in 2013.

Sometimes it’s hard to believe so many years have passed since I posted this recipe and since I started blogging.  So much has changed with blogging and with my life.

I know you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as my family does.  In fact, we had it just the other night with grilled steak.  It was amazing.

How to Freeze Mac and Cheese

• If you want to freeze the mac and cheese, use a freezer-safe pan. I like to use aluminum pans. 
• After the mac and cheese has baked, allow it come to room temperature. 
• Don’t try to freeze mac and cheese while it’s still hot or ice crystals may start to form on top. 
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil. 
• Homemade Mac and Cheese can be frozen for up to two months. 

How to Reheat Frozen Mac and Cheese

• Remove from the casserole from the freezer the night before and allow it to defrost in the refrigerator. 
• Reheat in a preheated 350 degree oven until warm. 
• You can also reheat the casserole frozen. Keep it covered with the aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about an hour or until warmed all the way through. 

You might also Enjoy these Side Dish Recipes: 

• Twice Baked Potatoes
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Asparagus
• German Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Fiesta Corn Salad