Southern Baked Mac and Cheese

5 from 2 votes

Southern Baked Mac and Cheese

This 7-cheese Southern Baked Mac and Cheese is the perfect blend of an irresistible creaminess, ooey gooey bites, and a crispy topped pack with flavor. Its the ultimate comfort dish that will impress at any gathering and is guaranteed to be the first one to go!

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course, Pasta, Side Dish, Sides

Cuisine: American, Cajun

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 467kcal

Author: Briana

Equipment

cheese grater
dutch oven
large stockpot
skimmer (or colander)
13x9-inch baking dish
Whisk
Rubber Spatula

Ingredients

16 ounces macaroni elbow noodles (or shape of choice)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup all purpose flour
24 ounces evaporated milk (about 2 cans)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (to taste)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons mustard
4 ounces low-moisture part skim mozzarella freshly grated
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
4 ounces mild cheddar cheese freshly grated
4 ounces parmesan cheese freshly grated
4 ounces pepperjack cheese freshly grated
4 ounces colby jack freshly grated
4 ounces Swiss cheese freshly grated
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt to taste, this will really depend on the cheeses you use

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water for your macaroni. Hand shred your cheese or use a food processor to shred it. Set aside in a large bowl. Prepare a buttered baking dish.
In a large Dutch oven on medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. You can also brown the butter at this stage, and watch very carefully to avoid burning it. Add the flour to the melted butter and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, while whisking to prevent clumping or burning. Cook until it is golden brown to remove the flour flavor. This will make the roux. https://afullliving.com/how-to-brown-butter/
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼ cup all purpose flour
Next, slowly add in the heavy cream, milk, and evaporated milk while whisking continuously. Simmer for 5 minutes and don't allow to boil.
24 ounces evaporated milk, 1 cup milk, 1 cup heavy cream
Keeping the heat low, add in the mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, smoked paprika, and Cajun seasoning to the milk mixture. Mix well until fully incorporated.
2 tablespoons onion powder, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons mustard, 1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
Using only ⅔ of all of the cheese (reserving some to top), slowly melt handfuls of batches into the mixture. Melt slowly until all of the cheese is fully mixed before adding more and until a creamy texture is achieved. Add salt to taste if desired.
4 ounces low-moisture part skim mozzarella, 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, 4 ounces mild cheddar cheese, 4 ounces parmesan cheese, 4 ounces pepperjack cheese, 4 ounces colby jack, 4 ounces Swiss cheese, 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
Cook the macaroni elbow noodles until a minute or two before al dente (per the instructions of the packaging). When done, use a large skimmer to drain the noodles and rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer cooled noodles to a buttered casserole dish.
16 ounces macaroni elbow noodles
In the casserole dish, combine the cooked macaroni and the creamy cheese sauce gently with a rubber spatula. (This will prevent too many noodles from breaking apart).
Take the remaining cheese and top the macaroni evenly from top to bottom.
Bake the macaroni for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 5-7 minutes for the top to set and get crispy.
Top with parsley, black pepper, and bread crumbs if you like and enjoy!
Store any leftover mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or the air fryer.

Notes

Use freshly shredded cheese. Use freshly shredded blocks of cheese, as pre-shredded cheese can have anti-caking agents that can affect the consistency of the cheese sauce.
Add milks and liquids slowly. Adding in the liquids slowly while whisking will prevent lumps and clumps in the texture.
Melt your cheese in batches. Adding tons of cheese will reduce the heat of the mixture, make the sauce clumpy, and be much more difficult to stir with a whisk. Slow and steady!
Melt your cheese on low heat. Higher heat does not equal faster melting. Melt your cheese on lower heat to prevent the cheese sauce from becoming grainy.
Undercook the noodles. Undercooking the noodles just a bit will prevent them from becoming mushy. As they continue to cook when baking in the oven, undercooking them actually prevents them from becoming overcooked!
Let it rest. Letting the dish rest after baking will allow it to settle, become crispy, and settle for easier serving and better bites.
Add ins and toppings. Feel free to add your favorite toppings or add ins to this dish. Green onions, cooked bacon bits, breadcrumbs, and cooked proteins are just a few options to choose from with this versatile dish.
To freeze. This recipe can be frozen and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months, but it freezes much better if you freeze it before baking rather than after baking. The texture may change.

Nutrition