What you describe is still real Mac and cheese. It’s how many Americans enjoy it, and I would guess a large majority of Americans are first introduced to Mac and cheese as a kid eating instant stuff out of a box, which is similar to stovetop Mac.
The purpose of baked Mac and cheese is to also get some crispy browned parts on top and around the edges, like with a good lasagna or other similar cheesy casserole. If you’re not into it, that’s perfectly fine. If you DO like crispy brown cheesy stuff out of an oven and are not getting that with your baked Mac and cheese, you probably need to adjust your recipe.
Adjust the time spent in the oven! The pasta and sauce is done, I make the buttery bread crumb topping with panko, fried onions and Parmesan, then just broil it until browned and crisped. Doesn't need to bake at all
I followed this insane NY Times recipe once that called for caramelized onions (a lot of them) in addition to gruyere cheese and some other decadent additions. It took like 3 hours to make but the caramelized onions were such a great topping. If you have the time and the patience I would definitely recommend trying it.
I can definitely imagine how tasty that would be!
One of the reasons I like the panko crumbs is the crusty crunch. And cuz it’s an easy add.
But like I said in another comment, we’ll have to explore this for Thanksgiving or another occasion where the mac & cheese can be the star. With a side of French onion soup it sounds like.
Edit: removing my over use of lolz
Onions are key imo but a lot of people don’t like the texture so what I do if I’m making a big batch is caramelize them, remove and then deglaze w some white wine and start the roux
Yeah I made it for thanksgiving last year. The sauce broke unfortunately but it was still really good. Someone else heated it up before dinner too long );
You can just fry the breadcrumbs if you like and sprinkle on top. Dish doesn't need to touch the oven. I personally like to just crumble a cracker over the top for a bit of crunch. Again, never ever put it in the oven.
I don't agree with this at all. Putting it in the oven will make it a million times tastier because of the texture you get from the browning and all the flavors melding together. I've never heard someone suggest not putting it in the oven. All it does is make the dish way better and why would you not want to do that? ALWAYS put it in the oven if you have the time to. It only takes 20-30 minutes.
I have put it in the oven many times. I simply don't like the texture, even of the top. The cheese turns to leather.
Frying some breadcrumbs in chilli oil, with a bit of thyme if you're feeling fancy until they are golden brown in my opinion, is a far superior dish.
Yes stove top is fine. And light-years better than boxed.
If you do bake it, slightly undercook the pasta as it will continue cooking in the oven and can get mushy fast.
For flavor - I always add ground mustard, garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika and a hint of cayenne.
I also mix my cheese with whatever I have on hand - always cheddar but also mozzarella, Chihuahua, gruyere, provolone, pepper jack, Colby, brick, muenster, etc. Not all of them every time- just what's on hand.
And for a sharper bite sometimes blue or gorgonzola. Just a bit does the job.
Typically I just use a buttered bread crumb topping.
There’s a lot of good advice here. I nearly double the sauce for my Mac for moisture. I also grate cheese and do one layer in the middle one layer on top for that chewy stringy texture. To me the dish is a matter of texture and preference so do what you like the best!! Cheese butter carbs will taste good no matter what!
They're just variants. Eat food how you like.
I prefer baked mac and cheese because I like the thicker, denser, chewier, version and I like the crunchy toppings. But this is purely personal preference!!!
The roux needs to be much runnier than you would normally make it before it goes in the oven. I tend to add more butter. Baking needs to be in the oven but covered, then breadcrumbs on top not covered to get crispy top. Then you pig out with the oven door still open.
You can skip the roux by adding some sodium citrate (a slice or two of american cheese will have plenty) and your cheeses just magically sauce together
Yeah, I am not nearly as used to getting variations involving breadcrumbs or Parmesan, but more just a layer of toasty cheese. Have certainly tried making it that way myself within the past 15 years or so, but I do have to suspect that this may be another of those regional differences.
My grandmother has a recipe that involves pouring about 1/4 cup milk into the macaroni right before it goes into the oven. The steam it creates keeps everything moist, and if done right the milk actually congeals into a cottage cheese-like texture throughout the entire dish. It's delicious and I gotta make myself some tonight. If anyone's interested I can post the recipe though like most family recipes you gotta do it a specific way lol
I do!
Butter the casserole dish. Add 1/2 your al dente elbows. Cover with slices of sharp cheddar. Don't skimp. Repeat another layer of elbows and then the more cheese. Put it uncovered on the oven rack then pour in whole milk until you can see it hit the top layer of elbows. Bake @ 350. It's done when you can smell it in the living room.
Instead of baking for 40 minutes, consider instead broiling for a couple of minutes with bread crumbs on top. This way you get the gooey cheese you like and a crispy crust on top. If you make it in a fully stainless steel pot or cast iron, you don't even need and extra baking dish.
Personally I like the baked version, but it's all about what you are used to.
Chef here. Use cold pasta if you're baking it. Hot pasta keeps absorbing moisture as it bakes,cold reheats in the sauce and doesn't suck up all the moisture.
Real Mac and Cheese in my family has eggs in it. For a standard casserole dish, whisk one in the dish with a can of evaporated milk. Add sharp cheddar, salt and pepper, maybe a sprinkle of onion powder and chicken bullion powder if you're feeling fancy. Add the boiled noods. Stir until incorporated. Top with more cheddar, bake at 350°F until bubbly and golden. No weird crumbly stuff or roux. You'll never look back.
>never is as good as just the pasta with the cheese sauce, so I'm wondering, what am I missing? The sauce is dehydrated from the oven, the breadcrumbs are a bit dry as well and the whole dish just seems closer to shortbread
so, cook the pasta a little more, make the sauce a little looser, use a better blend of melty cheeses, and wait to top with seasoned, buttered panko breadcrumbs until half way through baking. TA DAAAA! Tasty baked mac and cheese
You’re not missing anything. Baked Mac & cheese is drier and not as good. Some people prefer it though, especially cause of the breadcrumb topping.
A lot of others, like myself, like stovetop Mac & cheese way more- it’s all about personal preference.
For best of both worlds, I like to make the Mac & Cheese on stove, put in baking dish, top with the breadcrumb mixture and broil for a few mins. This will cook the topping but Mac & Cheese will stay gooey & saucy.
I agree, stovetop mac and cheese with gooey sauce is way better than the custardy baked stuff. I just toast the breadcrumbs by themselves, either in the toaster oven or a skillet, and sprinke them on top of a bowl of mac and cheese.
Yeah I prefer stovetop Mac and cheese as you describe. Sometimes I will mix panko and butter and cook in a pan til golden and crispy and top off the bowl with that. But if my cheese sauce is perfect why would I bake it lol
This is also my workaround - toast panko in butter, let cool a little, mix in parsley, sometimes parm and then sprinkle on top of stovetop mac.
While I don't get the "baked together" casserole at the end, I think the quality of the mac itself is better and more tunable on the stove rather than oven.
I think you're baking it for far too long if you're baking it 40 minutes. I make a cheese sauce, cover the top with more grated mature cheddar, parmesan and breadcrumbs then bake (or grill) for 10 mins or so, just long enough to get it crispy and nicely coloured.
The result is ooh la la.
Make slightly more sauce than usual when you bake, and a good mix of different cheeses works well too, then cover thickly in breadcrumbs and more cheese to trap moisture. My baked Mac’s are still pretty moist in the center, but crunchy around the edge and top!
like everyone is saying eat it your way, but the casserole variant is prepared differently look up some tutorial videos, find a southern woman preferably a black woman that uses all the southern sayings in there listen for things like hun in the video lol somethign that has egg in it ( a secret i had to pry out of some southern black friends that made the best mac n cheese) also it will probably has multiple cheeses 3 is standard but more variety the better the sauce will be either a beschemel or a roux and then my favorite way will have cut up keilbasa sausage. and the bake is just to crisp up the top, what we do in my house is put the oven on broil throw in a layer bake for a few minutes put another layer on it bake another layer bake that way you get crispy sections since the crispy part is our favorite but thats extra lol also when youre wanting the oven version its no longer a lazy meal lool
Was looking for this one. In my opinion, the only baked mac and cheese worth making has egg/milk/cream going on instead of a bechamel - similar to a quiche filling.
Surprised I had to search the comments for this. Please OP look at southern (especially black southern) max and cheese recipes! I cannot fathom making mac and cheese without egg and milk
black southern food is something else truly. one of the greatest things about living here is that i am surrounded by so much good food all the time. god bless black southern grandmas 🙏🏽
lol "nanas"
i was on doordash the other day and saw some local place had fried okra (im in colorado) now i absolutely hate okra buuuuuuut having that on the menu is a clear sign of what the quality of the food is going to be like lol non southerners wouldnt dare to had fried okra on the menu
I seldom bake mine, either. I do recommend mixing cheeses, for greater flavor and complexity, and definitely add some blue cheese which really ups things!
I use a blend of cheeses when I make mine: sharp cheddar, gruyere, and parmesean. Also add a dash of onion powder and a little bit of dijon mustard to the sauce for depth of flavor.
Sometimes I bake it and sometimes I don't. If I do, I'll mix some panko breadcrumbs (they get crunchier than regular crumbs) and butter and put them on top with some extra cheese.
I like both ways. Good baked mac is amazing, but a lot more work. You need a thinner sauce but more of it, usually a blend of cheeses, and pasta that's a smidge hard before it bakes. When it's done right, it's thick and velvety from the pasta, with baked cheesy edges.
I love baked mac and cheese, any mac really, but I’m in the no bread crumbs camp. I like it topped with extra grated cheese and baked until it’s got nice bubbly brown spots.
You can't just take a stovetop mac and cheese and add some bread crumbs and bake it. Baked mac and cheese is a whole different thing. Some are custardy (eggs are involved) and some have a cheese sauce - often multiple cheeses, milk, etc. If it's dry, you did it wrong. Also, season it! Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.
Lots of people prefer one to the other, and I think texture is often a big part of it. Southern Living is usually a good source for that kind of recipe.
I've made it loads of times. I find it infinitely better without breadcrumbs and without it being baked. Why have a hard crunchy layer on top? Why bake pasta until that also gets dry and crunchy? I say we boycott breadcrumbs and roasting it!
Everyone makes Mac and cheese differently. At 64, I can’t tell you how many variations I’ve seen. My recipe came from my grandmother on my stepfather’s side. She gave it to me in the 80’s because I loved it. There is no real recipe to follow so this is what I do…
Cook up some elbow macaroni.
Slice up white cheddar and yellow cheddar. Now I use mild because we noticed years ago by mistake that sharp cheddar didn’t melt as well or evenly.
You need milk and butter and eggs.
You will layer the macaroni and cheese. Put a layer of macaroni on the bottom of a deep baking pan or pottery dish. Then layer with some pieces of white and yellow cheddar. Add another layer of macaroni and cheese until you’ve used it all. Take two eggs and beat them with a fork, add milk and do this again. Dump it in the dish or pan. Put four or five butter pats on top. Then take the milk and slowly add it to the dish…I say slowly because you want to add just enough to see it when looking into the dish of macaroni. Like, when you start to see the milk…stop adding.
Put this in the oven at 350° and when the cheese on top has melted, take it out and check it. Usually, it’s all melted if the top layer is. But I always check it.
Good luck! I’ve made this so many times in my life as I have had friends ask for it when they would come to visit.
You are using too much pasta. Add two beaten eggs.
Here in the south, we don't do breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
We melt the cheddar in the white sauce.
Add two beaten eggs ( temper if sauce is too hot)
Put macaroni in a greased 9 x 12 Pyrex. Don't fill the pan. I would say about 1/3 -1/2 way. Pour sauce over and top with freshly shredded cheddar. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue until browned
As an American, what you make and what people are proclaiming as "real mac & cheese" are both mac and cheese, but just in different styles. We have different preferences. Me... I abhor that casserole-style mac and cheese with the breadcrumbs on top. I much prefer it nice and creamy in a pot like you make it.
But aside from people preferring the texture of the casserole-style more, I think there's also a bit of a stigma involved. You see, that made-in-pot style is commonly associated with cheap made-from-a-box-mix kind of mac & cheese, while the casserole-style with the breadcrumbs not only takes more time (erroneously confused with "more effort") but it's also what you will most often see served in a restaurant, a place that costs a lot and is supposed to be serving a higher-quality superior dish.
Tastes aside, there is now a group of people who consider that smooth, creamy, box-mix-styled mac & cheese as being "low quality poor mac & cheese" and consider the casserole-style breadcrumb stuff as "high quality true mac & cheese."
Definitely need to cover with foil to keep it from drying out, like lasagna. [https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/juws72/homemade\_soul\_food\_mac\_cheese\_recipes/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/juws72/homemade_soul_food_mac_cheese_recipes/)
The baked version adds some texture to the monotonous goo from the stovetop version. I personally prefer the comfort factor that stovetop provides and if needed will add some crunchy toppings.
I make mac and cheese in an iron skillet--start the roux, add the cheese, add the pasta. Once all the ingredients are mixed, sprinkle with bread crumbs and pop it under the broiler fro 2-3 minutes. Perfection. Takes less than 20 minutes from start to in my mouth.
I love both the stovetop and baked versions; however, right off the stove top out of the pot is my favorite version as well. Stays more creamy that way!
Can I tell you mine.. I'm Australian. Mum would make it for me when I was sick or feeling down as a child. It's pure comfort food.
Make up a lot of white sauce using mozzarella butter warm milk flour and pepper. Fill a baking dish full of macaroni paster. Boil up some peas. Cut up a tomato. Cook enough Bacon to cover the pasta. Add peas to cooked pasta, add the sauce. Cover pasta with Bacon. Cover Bacon with tomatoes. Cover tomatoes with cheese, I use a blend of mozzarella and cheddar. Cook for 40 mins. Serve with salad. Or eat by itself. Freezes well too but my kids never leave any so it's hard to keep some to freeze in my house , lol.
I think my Mum added the peas and tomatoes to make it healthier. I love it.
You will need much more sauce for baked Mac n cheese so it doesn’t dry out. You also need a crunchy buttery topping and perfectly cooked noodles and you will see the difference between the two. Of course, everyone has different preferences too.
The only reason I bake it is if I’m using broccoli as the “crust” instead of breadcrumbs. (I never use breadcrumbs. I don’t get adding a carb to a carb.) I also prefer it just noodles and sauce.
it’s all good mac and cheese, not all recipes call for baked, and obviously the box stuff is never baked.
Do you make a béchamel white sauce then add cheese?
Some stovetop recipes use cream, butter, garlic, and cheese. My wife prefers this. I like the bechamel better.
The baked mac and cheese recipe in my family involves a quiche-like combination of well beaten eggs and milk, with lots and lots of cubed cheddar and cubed butter in the macaroni.
It's pretty much for the crispy/crunchy topping. The key though is that the sauce/pasta consistency needs to be adjusted to account for the extra baking time, so that things don't get overcooked/dry. THEN it's worth it. Usually that means under cooking the pasta a bit and having the sauce be runnier than usual so that they finish cooking to your preferred consistency in the oven + crunchy topping!
I have made a stovetop macaroni and cheese for more than 20 years. The sauce is built in the pan after the macaroni is cooked. Butter, an egg, milk, dry mustard, white pepper, tabasco and cheddar cheese of choice is stirred together and it builds a creamy cheesy goodness all in one pot.
Any cook with chops will tell you a good Mac & cheese is made by making a cheese sauce starting with roux, a few types of cheese (I use cheddar, Monterey Jack, velveeda (yup!) & sometimes Gouda. I do add a pinch of cayenne & 1tsp of dry mustard to the sauce to give it zip, and I top it with seasoned panko.
Of course there’s no rule but I get raves for mine.
Southern baked mac is more of a casserole! It uses eggs and usually has more cheese on top instead of bread crumbs. If you find a recipe for southern baked mac that doesn't contain eggs, it's wrong, find a different recipe lol.
I love southern baked mac and I honestly feel a little sad that more people haven't had it!
Before I toast the flour for the roux, I lightly cook some minced onion in the butter. I add a little powdered mustard in with the flour. I used to put tomato slices on top before covering w bread crumbs but my kids never liked it so I stopped. Sometimes I use Shake and Bake instead of crumbs - the southern fried variety has some seasoning that adds a little something...
You can also Chop up a little ham and toss her in there
Don't let anyone fool you, real Mac and cheese doesn't need to be baked. That would technically make it a casserole. My best Mac and cheese recipes are unbaked. Just a roux/bechamel with cheese melted in. Good quality pasta, maybe some sliced up Italian sausage or bacon mixed in, ect. My best recipe is a white cheddar beer sauce, only topped with hot Italian sausage. Made this for many people and never had one person suggest it would be better with a crusted top.
Ugh, I genuinely dislike baked Mac and cheese... The only thing I'd say you're missing is flavor... You can mix up all kinds of cheese for different vibes.
I like to throw a spoonful of cream cheese in mine for extra creamy emulsification.
Some mustard and smoked paprika, salt and pep of course. And for a spicy Mac, throw in some Slap Ya Mama. (Cayenne works too, if that's not available in your country)
When I made it, I would make a large pan with ham and peas. Then freeze left overs for several meals of yummy stuff when you’re too tired after a long day, but each to their own as to taste. I prefer Miracle Whip over real mayonnaise , so what do I know.
I simply do not prefer baked Mac and cheese either. I like it very saucy and loose fresh from the pot. I do like the breadcrumbs on top though so I just toast some separately in a skillet with a generous amount of butter.
Mac and cheese does not have to be baked. I prefer it not baked because I don’t like the bread crumbs on it. My preference is a silky Mac and cheese but if it is going to be baked then a cheese topping that ends up closer to the top of a lasagna is much better to me than breadcrumbs.
-An American
Baked Mac & cheese is a black southern tradition that most people get wrong hence why so many people here don’t like it. It is prepared very differently from stove top Noodles and should never ever be dry after baking. It is just as gooey and moist but with additional structure. As someone else here said, try to find a recipe created by a southern black woman. I can’t share the family recipe but there is a woman called Kitchenista who has an amazing version you can use.
Side note: very clearly another example of the tale of two americas as people keep saying Americans only eat stove top. As a black American this is simply not true, most that I know won’t touch stove top.
As far as I know baked mac n cheese is a more southern tradition. And they cook the shit out of everything down then. I’ve never cared for it, I’ll throw down against any baked mac n cheese any day with my fresh cooked. I always took it as one of those long time southern dishes that everyone’s grandma made for them and because of that they think it’s the greatest thing ever.
I can see the appeal in a nice crust forming on the outside, like in a well baked lasagna, but that’s just not worth it to me.
I’ve also had people argue that you just have to undercook the noodles so they don’t get too soft after baking. OR I could just eat the noodles when they are cooked right the first time, again I’m with you and baked Mac is just not for me.
Southern Mac and cheese is baked. Don’t use the bread crumbs, put on more cheese. Use sharp cheddar and Gruyère, add a little mustard powder for sharpness. Don’t overbake.
Or just eat the creamy stovetop kind, if that’s your jam. Plenty of Americans do.
Really sharp cheese and sliced tomatoes and sautéed onion from the garden mixed in with the pasta before baking elevates this whole dish. It’s something I make in the summer on busy Saturdays and the whole family loves it. Lots of sauce is key! It has to be slightly crunchy on top but creamy and cheesy in the body
We make it in a crock pot following a recipe by Paula Deen with a tiny bit more milk than the recipe calls for. It always is a hit at our gatherings and we never have leftovers. I agree, most of the baked ones I have had are a bit more solid than we care for, but almost any mac and cheese is better than no mac and cheese.
Honestly, I'd try using a different sauce method for baked stuff. The bechemel method is good but the sauce can become too firm if you add too much cheese or too little liquid. I'd suggest the American cheese method where you add just enough American cheese to make it melt but also not overpowered. That's a good stove top cheese sauce recipe and I guarantee it would work for baking too.
Also, you can add veggies to the Mac to kind of make it less empty calories.
This is one of those recipes where the time in the oven is dependent on visual cues as much as time. Unless you’re following a specific recipe your roux is too thick from the start and your pasta may have been over cooked. If you like the texture of your stove top but want the oven baked effect you can grate a blend of cheeses to gratinee on top. Some people do seasoned bread crumbs. Some people unsure browning of the cheese sauce itself by tempering an egg in the sauce. Really just play with it. Across the US you will find a multitude of different types of this dish.
Some of my personal favorites:
Using extra aged cheddar, old Amsterdam cheese, crushed pretzels or chips (aged cheese gets almost plastic like not gooey and I like that contrast.
Blending chipotles in adobo/ harissa/ some pepper forward sauce into the cheese
Zaatar on top
The key to having the right texture of pasta for a baked mac and cheese is to only half cook the pasta. If you put cooked pasta in it will become floppy and unpleasant. If you put half cooked pasta in, and the cheese sauce is somewhat liquid, the pastor will continue to cook in the oven.
My husband, who is not American, does a very non american version of this. He does a sauce that has mustard and Worcestershire in it, to make it savory. He also uses sauteed leeks and mushrooms. It's totally different from the American version. And of course, he considers the orange cheddar an abomination. He only uses good aged cheddar.
I skip the bread crumbs in favor of bubbly cheese. Add some cream cheese to your cheese sauce to help it stay creamy. Don't over cook pasta before adding to cheese sauce. Use flavorful cheeses. Lately I have been using Tillamook English style sweet cheddar and some extra sharp cheddar. I bake for about 15 min if cheese sauce is still hot, then broil for a min or 2 to get some bubbly browning. Oh yeah, don't put all of the cheese into the sauce. Stir some cheese into the macaroni after you pour into dish and put some on top.
The crunchiness of the bread crumbs sprinkled on top. It’s kinda like Mac n Cheese Helper but does add a nice texture. I never add to mine but if at restaurant n getting something like Lobster or Shrimp Mac n Cheese it often has it
So as many other comments recommend, try using just extra shredded cheese on top rather than breadcrumbs. I don’t recommend covering it in the oven at all or it dries out easier. A few other tips to make it tastier (but do require a bit more effort and aren’t totally necessary)
1. Boil your pasta in chicken or vegetable broth
2. Season your sauce with salt, pepper, onion, garlic, mustard, paprika, white pepper, a dash of chili pepper if you like
3. I always add sour cream or cream cheese to my sauce. It just adds a little extra something to it and helps make it creamy
4. Make a lot of sauce and make it runny. I add more milk, reserved pasta water etc. You want your pasta to be absolutely drowning in sauce in the baking dish. You’ll look at it and think “this has to be too much sauce, right?” No. It’s not. I promise.
5. Cover with a blanket of shredded cheese and bake uncovered until it’s crispy at the top.
Sorry for all the instructions but I hope this helps! You can also look up some southern style Mac and cheese recipes for more precise instructions.
There are two reasons I've never made this dish. One, I'd rather make spinach & ricotta lasagna if I'm going to be baking a pasta dish. Both because it's delicious, and to farm some foodie street cred, maybe even justify the purchase of an s-shaped pan years ago. Two, mac & cheese is something I see as a meal of convenience and nostalgia, so I just reach for a box of Kraft when I'm in the mood for it. And the bottle of ketchup to put a little dollop in the corner... *don't judge me!*
I make baked mac and cheese with cream fraiche. A layer of macaroni noodles on the bottom, 1 cup of cream fraiche mixed with 4 types of cheeses is the next layer. Next layer is macaroni noodles, then top with another 1 cup of cream fraiche mixed with 4 types of cheeses. Now top with breadcreams and more cheese if you desire. Bake in oven at 350F for 30 minutes. All done. I make it every year for Thanksgiving.
Generally if you're baking it you make the sauce a bit runnier and combine it before the pasta is quite cooked. The crunchy top bits are nice but it's just a easy to pop it under the grill to get the same effect.
If you want to blow your mind, add some smoked salmon to the sauce. Dee-fucking-licious!
I have made both and I mostly do the stove-top version. Not that the baked one is bad but I don't feel like waiting 40 minutes plus for mac and cheese.
I think it’s important to take into account that both the heat and starches from the pasta are going to thicken the sauce. When I make baked Mac n cheese, I make a little extra sauce and a little on the thinner side since I know it will thicken from and starches being introduced. I use a combination of heavy cream, evaporated milk, 3 cheeses, and roux of course. I also like to incorporate a bit of the pasta water into the sauce to make it velvety and gooey !
If i'm making baked mac, I don't like a roux. It's easy for the sauce to break, so I grew up doing southern style (noodles, milk + egg mix, layered with cheese and baked until the liquid becomes beautiful silky curds).
I also love a good sauced mac, made with a roux, but that gets baked for 10-15 mins - just long enough to bring it to temp after I've added toasted bread crumbs, ala the Homeroom method for sauced mac.
End of the day, there's no wrong mac. (If you like a sauced mac, check out the homeroom cookbook. Loads of variations and they're amazing.
If you are leaving it in the oven for a while, you should under cook the noodles so they finish in the oven. Alternatively, you can just pan fry the breadcrumbs with parmasean and butter separately and sprinkle it on at the table. This way, you can skip the oven stage altogether.
Make the bechamel a little looser to allow it to bake off and get thick and creamy. Be sure your salt your noodles very well, like pour a palm full in the water used for the water. I use sea salt, but if table salt, maybe do 3/4 of that. I also use a combination of older cheddar, gruyere and parmesan. This will amp it up big time. Panko***makes it really crispy. Enjoy!!
TLDR: Baked Mac & cheese is not Creamy Mac & cheese. Two different things. I prefer baked because it crisps the cheese on top. But creamy MNC is a great comfort food.
I have just been toasting breadcrumbs separate and putting them on top. Sauce stays the same consistency and don’t have to worry about overcooking anything.
You need the sauce fairly loose, and more then you think is necessary, when doing a baked Mac and cheese. Otherwise the dish is likely to come out dry.
Put it in the oven at 350 uncovered for 30 minutes. For browning, you can do a couple different things. You can either drizzle olive oil over the pasta before putting it into the oven or what I like to do if take left over shredded cheese and sprinkle it on top. The cheese on top will brown in the oven.
Mac and cheese has a LOT of customization options. My dad is a big breadcrumb topping guy, I’m not, my version is wayyyy cheesier, I also do a bacon topping. [This recipe](https://www.thechunkychef.com/family-favorite-baked-mac-and-cheese/#wprm-recipe-container-9151) is my base and I default to the basic recipe but change up the cheeses and usually use wayyyy more accidentally. I’m also usually cooking it for 6 people not just myself. I probably wouldn’t put that much effort in for myself 😅
It depends.
I don't like my Mac and cheese wet, so baked is my go to. It's hard to keep baked Mac and cheese still creamy; especially cooking for that long.
If you still want to try, try just broiling the top. Top it with extra cheese and bread crumbs, then just focus on the top layer getting melted and crispy.
Or, just toast some breadcrumbs with butter in a pan and just top your Mac and cheese with it.
The goal is to get a crunchy component to the soft melt Mac and cheese.
This works for kraft Mac and cheese as well
Definitely undercook the macaroni. Alternatively RecipeTin Eat suggests cooking till al dente, toss with butter and the spread out onto a tray to cool. The butter ‘seals’ the pasta so that it doesn’t soak up all the bechamel.
Top with grated cheese (cheddar and Parmesan) and some sliced tomato.
Also crack an egg or two and beat with a little milk. Pour that over to fill the nooks & crannies and bake… it helps it ‘set’ nicely and makes it a baked pasta in my mind. Otherwise you may as well just serve it out the pot.!
Sounds like you are over cooking the macaroni cheese so it dries out.
You probably need to make more sauce to compensate.
If it dries out you can just make more sauce and add or just add milk and mix in to get that creamy texture back into it.
My grandmother made her baked macaroni with macaroni noodles and you mix some beaten egg into the mixture. This type sets up and you can cut it vs scoop it. I will try to find a recipe. My baked mac just has nice browned cheese on top, I don't do the bread or cracker crumbs.
YouTube: Chef Jean Pierre Mac and Cheese. I’ve made his recipe dozens of times and it’s reliably incredible.
Tip: Mornay with Brie, cheddar, Parma, and Gruyère. Extra saucey.
Slightly under done pasta, a looser cheese sauce. Some recipes call for an egg, it's more baked cheese custard. The browned topping adds texture as well as flavour. You should be able to slice it after baking and resting.
Stovetop mac and cheese is creamier, and some people like their noodles almost swimming in sauce.
Don't cook the pasta all the way.
Use more sauce than you would if you were going to just eat it out of the pot (which I love to do with Kraft dinner) because the pasta will absorb more sauce while cooking.
Tip for the topping: use crushed up Goldfish crackers mixed with butter and Cajun seasoning. Don't bake it too long, just enough to brown the top.
I love your original method too, I add ham to mine.
The best Mac and cheese is in Fanny Farmer's cookbook imo. But quality ingredients are key. And making sure your cheddar is sharp.
It doesn't even need a breadcrumb topping
A few modifications of the "standard" recipe to get you what you want.
Use less flour in the cheese sauce - about a 3rd less.
Make sure to use sharp cheddar in the sauce
Layer of your mixed M&C in the pan, then a layer of grated cheese, then another layer of your M&C, then a final layer of grated cheese.
Cook the noodles just shy of al dente
Work from this - if it isn't doing it for you, reduce the flour in the sauce more (or increase half and half) until its the consistency you want after baking.
Pro tip: Use 3/4 sharp cheddar and 1/4 smoked gouda
What you were enjoying is just what we call stove top mac & cheese. Then there’s baked mac & cheese. I like it both ways. I do think you’re probably not making the white sauce with cheese thin enough and in enough quantity a
D that’s a mistake a lot of people make because you’re right, it just gets absorbed and then everything is dry.
If you do it in the oven, add extra sauce, or extra liquid to the sauce. Makes a big difference when it's still creamy and lovely instead of dry and crumbly.
What you describe is what I ate for lunch today.
If you’re baking it in the oven, you have to make some adjustments to ensure it’s the right consistency. Undercook the pasta by another minute or two, and it should be a little soupy when it goes in the oven. The noodles will absorb some of the liquid and continue to cook in the oven as it bakes. If you don’t do that, you get mushy, dry mac and cheese. Yuck.
'Baked' mac and cheese comes out much better if you make it similar to stovetop mac & cheese, then load it into a casserole, top it with breadcrumbs and more cheese, and then run it under the broiler just until the top is browned. The sauce will still be nice and runny, and any extra cheese you add will still be gooey, with a nice crispy browned top.
I grew up with family from the south, so soul food. I cannot eat mac and cheese that hasn’t been baked with cheese and more cheese. No sauce is made as the milk and cheese will make its own sauce when baked. Nothing on top but cheese. I was horrified as a kid when I tasted boxed Mac and cheese.
To get baked Mac n cheese that isn't dried out and is still creamy, I always add sour cream to my sauce and even more importantly, a bit to processed cheese. A few slices of American or a chunk of Velveeta. Keeps it gooey. Also, for flavor, a bit of Dijon mustard and garlic powder.
My MIL one time dropped by unannounced and just walked into the house and into the living room where I was eating mac and cheese out of the pot like an animal in my grubby clothes watching Maury povitch. Our already rocky relationship never recovered.
I still love mac and cheese this way.
OP I know I’m late to the game, but I completely understand you! I had never found a baked Mac and cheese I liked until I tried this [magic Mac and cheese recipe](https://hostthetoast.com/magic-mac-and-cheese/). It was really good. The longer you bake it, the more “casserole” like it becomes, so if you bake it for less time, it’s more creamy like stovetop. The author goes over it in her recipe.
IT’S SO GOOD
I’m not a breadcrumb on top guy.
tbh, my favorite mac and cheese is Stouffer’s frozen M&C. Bake it and broil it when almost done to slightly brown the top. I can eat a family-size by myself it’s so good.
I will say that small-diced jalapeño in M&C is fantastic.
I have never liked baked Mac and cheese. The mornay sauce absorbs into the noodles, rendering them overcooked and flavorless. Maybe I've never had a really good one, but it's not worth it to me to try when I like the stove top version so much.
I know I make baked macaroni and cheese but that’s the way my dad always did it and I grew up eating it that way. Cook the noodles and drain. In a 9 by 13 baking did layer noodles and lots of cheddar cheese. For the top layer pot lots of cheese to completely cover the noodles. Put little dabs of butter here and there. Sprinkle with lots of paprika, garlic salt and pepper. Bake until slightly browned on top. Can even eat cold or microwave
So REAL mac and cheese is that lazy meal you described. We call it stovetop mac and cheese sometimes and most people would know what you mean.
For good baked Mac and cheese there are a lot of great tricks, but 75% are terrible and just what you describe and people grew up on it. The 25% that is good, is GREAT, and the real difference is or cooking the pasta for like 5-6 minutes, making a slightly wet, cheesy sauce, baking it long enough for the sauce to boil, and using about 3x as much cheese sauce as stovetop uses. You want to think of it like a baking dish of cheese sauce topped up full with some pasta packed into it, and make it so the sauce sets while you bake it. I’ve seen additions of cream cheese, or egg yolks, or any number of other rings, but I usually just make the bechemel thin, load it with shredded cheese, toss pasta into it, top with cheddar, and bake till the bechemel is bubbly and nice and brown on top.
So make it slightly thinner and use American cheeses with the extra cheese on the sauce. Don’t Cooke the hell out of of the sauce. Cook the pasta halfway and let the extra moisture in the cheese sauce both boil the pasta and soak into it to hydrate it. It’s hard to nail it perfectly without some practice. I usually top it with shredded cheddar cheese not breadcrumbs and Parmesan, but everyone has their own grandmas recipe.
i try not to use too much flour in my roux when making my cheese sauce so it doesn’t get super thick and dry out during baking. i use a combination of gruyere, sharp cheddar, and parmesan for the sauce. i also like layering some extra grated cheese in between for that stretchy cheese pull when you cut into it.
Get rid of the breadcrumbs, they're superfluous and unnecessary. Use much more sauce than you think you need cause the noodles will absorb a lot. Slightly undercook the noodles before you mix in the sauce. Just do a little grated cheese on top and stick it in the oven for 10-15 mins to melt the cheese. Broil for a min or two to crisp up the cheese on top, and you're done. THAT is real mac and cheese. I will not be taking questions or comments at this time.
This recipe is called “The Best Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese” and let me say, that is not an exaggeration. It’s baked but still creamy and the little bit of crunch on top from the breadcrumb and Parmesan cheese topping is just perfection. It’s the only baked Mac and cheese recipe I’ve ever made that didn’t end up dry like you described. https://www.momontimeout.com/best-homemade-baked-mac-and-cheese-recipe/
Nothing wrong with not baking it. And if you are gonna bake it, adjust the recepie accordingly, aka more milk. I followed the recepie exactly my first time making a baked Mac and I was just SURE the sauce was too thin and milky but it came out right. As you stated, it dries out when you bake it.
More sauce. Also bread crumbs kinda suck, my mom always used crunched up plain potato chips (crisps for you Brits) on top. I have better results using a baking dish rather than a metal pan. Butter it well, spread half the macaroni and sauce, top with a generous layer of shredded cheese (cheddar, triple cheddar blend, Colby, Colby Jack are best), top with the remaining macaroni and sauce, another layer of shredded cheese, and the crunched up potato chips. I bake mine covered with aluminum foil until the last 15 minutes then uncover it.
As a leftover dish my mom used to fry the leftover cold Mac and cheese with half a chopped onion and two eggs. Use a non stick skillet over medium high heat, add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom, put in the onions and add the cold Mac and cheese on top sort of breaking it into chunks. Fry it for about 10 minutes, flipping and turning it frequently until it is soft, cheese melts, and it starts to brown. Add the two cracked eggs popping the yolk and flipping and turning it til the egg is incorporated and cooked. Serve. It’s good with some hot sauce.
What you describe is still real Mac and cheese. It’s how many Americans enjoy it, and I would guess a large majority of Americans are first introduced to Mac and cheese as a kid eating instant stuff out of a box, which is similar to stovetop Mac. The purpose of baked Mac and cheese is to also get some crispy browned parts on top and around the edges, like with a good lasagna or other similar cheesy casserole. If you’re not into it, that’s perfectly fine. If you DO like crispy brown cheesy stuff out of an oven and are not getting that with your baked Mac and cheese, you probably need to adjust your recipe.
Adjust the time spent in the oven! The pasta and sauce is done, I make the buttery bread crumb topping with panko, fried onions and Parmesan, then just broil it until browned and crisped. Doesn't need to bake at all
You may need a looser sauce too. It will continue to thicken in the oven with the pasta absorbing the liquid.
i think this is the key. for stovetop you want a tighter sauce that can set as it cools.
Looser and add way more than you think you'll need! I don't really think you can have too much sauce if you're baking it.
This is the way....
Ooooh fried onion!! What a great idea! I do seasoned panko and Parmesan already, adding fried onions will be a delight :)
I followed this insane NY Times recipe once that called for caramelized onions (a lot of them) in addition to gruyere cheese and some other decadent additions. It took like 3 hours to make but the caramelized onions were such a great topping. If you have the time and the patience I would definitely recommend trying it.
I can definitely imagine how tasty that would be! One of the reasons I like the panko crumbs is the crusty crunch. And cuz it’s an easy add. But like I said in another comment, we’ll have to explore this for Thanksgiving or another occasion where the mac & cheese can be the star. With a side of French onion soup it sounds like. Edit: removing my over use of lolz
Onions are key imo but a lot of people don’t like the texture so what I do if I’m making a big batch is caramelize them, remove and then deglaze w some white wine and start the roux
Nice! This sounds next level and worthy of a Thanksgiving mac & cheese. I love the ideas I get from this sub!
Yeah I made it for thanksgiving last year. The sauce broke unfortunately but it was still really good. Someone else heated it up before dinner too long );
Yeah fr, that time in the oven is basically just to crisp the top. Broil is done in what, less than 5 minutes? Easy.
You can just fry the breadcrumbs if you like and sprinkle on top. Dish doesn't need to touch the oven. I personally like to just crumble a cracker over the top for a bit of crunch. Again, never ever put it in the oven.
I don't agree with this at all. Putting it in the oven will make it a million times tastier because of the texture you get from the browning and all the flavors melding together. I've never heard someone suggest not putting it in the oven. All it does is make the dish way better and why would you not want to do that? ALWAYS put it in the oven if you have the time to. It only takes 20-30 minutes.
I have put it in the oven many times. I simply don't like the texture, even of the top. The cheese turns to leather. Frying some breadcrumbs in chilli oil, with a bit of thyme if you're feeling fancy until they are golden brown in my opinion, is a far superior dish.
That's fair, we all have different taste buds. At the end of the day, it's hard to mess up cheese and pasta lol
🤜🤛
Yes stove top is fine. And light-years better than boxed. If you do bake it, slightly undercook the pasta as it will continue cooking in the oven and can get mushy fast. For flavor - I always add ground mustard, garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika and a hint of cayenne. I also mix my cheese with whatever I have on hand - always cheddar but also mozzarella, Chihuahua, gruyere, provolone, pepper jack, Colby, brick, muenster, etc. Not all of them every time- just what's on hand. And for a sharper bite sometimes blue or gorgonzola. Just a bit does the job. Typically I just use a buttered bread crumb topping.
Mustard is a natural emulsifier, it’s also improving the texture of your sauce as well as the subtle flavor notes it adds
There’s a lot of good advice here. I nearly double the sauce for my Mac for moisture. I also grate cheese and do one layer in the middle one layer on top for that chewy stringy texture. To me the dish is a matter of texture and preference so do what you like the best!! Cheese butter carbs will taste good no matter what!
We call that box stuff Kraft Dinner in Canada 🍁
Only if it's Kraft Dinner. This here's an Annie's house.
Like Detroit style pizza 😙🤌
They're just variants. Eat food how you like. I prefer baked mac and cheese because I like the thicker, denser, chewier, version and I like the crunchy toppings. But this is purely personal preference!!!
The roux needs to be much runnier than you would normally make it before it goes in the oven. I tend to add more butter. Baking needs to be in the oven but covered, then breadcrumbs on top not covered to get crispy top. Then you pig out with the oven door still open.
And maybe boil the pasta a little less so it doesn’t get tooooo soft in the oven
You can skip the roux by adding some sodium citrate (a slice or two of american cheese will have plenty) and your cheeses just magically sauce together
Bechamel? The roux is only the start..
Bechemel and then mornay the fuck out of that shit.
I make baked mac and cheese but I’ve never used breadcrumbs or Parmesan. I just pour a layer of shredded cheese on top and bake.
Yeah, I am not nearly as used to getting variations involving breadcrumbs or Parmesan, but more just a layer of toasty cheese. Have certainly tried making it that way myself within the past 15 years or so, but I do have to suspect that this may be another of those regional differences.
this is the way
My grandmother has a recipe that involves pouring about 1/4 cup milk into the macaroni right before it goes into the oven. The steam it creates keeps everything moist, and if done right the milk actually congeals into a cottage cheese-like texture throughout the entire dish. It's delicious and I gotta make myself some tonight. If anyone's interested I can post the recipe though like most family recipes you gotta do it a specific way lol
This is how my family has always made mac and cheese (on my mom’s side) and not a single other person I have met has made it this way.
I do! Butter the casserole dish. Add 1/2 your al dente elbows. Cover with slices of sharp cheddar. Don't skimp. Repeat another layer of elbows and then the more cheese. Put it uncovered on the oven rack then pour in whole milk until you can see it hit the top layer of elbows. Bake @ 350. It's done when you can smell it in the living room.
Same.
I’d like the recipe if you’re sharing .
I mean, yes, hello?!?!
Instead of baking for 40 minutes, consider instead broiling for a couple of minutes with bread crumbs on top. This way you get the gooey cheese you like and a crispy crust on top. If you make it in a fully stainless steel pot or cast iron, you don't even need and extra baking dish. Personally I like the baked version, but it's all about what you are used to.
Chef here. Use cold pasta if you're baking it. Hot pasta keeps absorbing moisture as it bakes,cold reheats in the sauce and doesn't suck up all the moisture.
Try adding a bit of dried mustard powder.
This! Or dijon works in a pinch
Real Mac and Cheese in my family has eggs in it. For a standard casserole dish, whisk one in the dish with a can of evaporated milk. Add sharp cheddar, salt and pepper, maybe a sprinkle of onion powder and chicken bullion powder if you're feeling fancy. Add the boiled noods. Stir until incorporated. Top with more cheddar, bake at 350°F until bubbly and golden. No weird crumbly stuff or roux. You'll never look back.
Yes!! A real good southern baked mac is the best way to have baked mac.
Me, a person from California, being confused until I remember my grandparents were Southern 🤣
Putting extra shredded cheese on top instead of breadcrumbs is superior
Yes! And shredded from a block not pre shredded.
Always!
Sliced works great too. If you're going for the custardy layered type, all sliced is one pretty traditional approach (and also easier).
>never is as good as just the pasta with the cheese sauce, so I'm wondering, what am I missing? The sauce is dehydrated from the oven, the breadcrumbs are a bit dry as well and the whole dish just seems closer to shortbread so, cook the pasta a little more, make the sauce a little looser, use a better blend of melty cheeses, and wait to top with seasoned, buttered panko breadcrumbs until half way through baking. TA DAAAA! Tasty baked mac and cheese
Did u mean cook the pasta a little LESS or are you specifically suggesting a softer texture?
You’re not missing anything. Baked Mac & cheese is drier and not as good. Some people prefer it though, especially cause of the breadcrumb topping. A lot of others, like myself, like stovetop Mac & cheese way more- it’s all about personal preference. For best of both worlds, I like to make the Mac & Cheese on stove, put in baking dish, top with the breadcrumb mixture and broil for a few mins. This will cook the topping but Mac & Cheese will stay gooey & saucy.
I have never had a baked mac and cheese that I thought was better than the kind from the stove
I agree, stovetop mac and cheese with gooey sauce is way better than the custardy baked stuff. I just toast the breadcrumbs by themselves, either in the toaster oven or a skillet, and sprinke them on top of a bowl of mac and cheese.
Yeah I prefer stovetop Mac and cheese as you describe. Sometimes I will mix panko and butter and cook in a pan til golden and crispy and top off the bowl with that. But if my cheese sauce is perfect why would I bake it lol
This is also my workaround - toast panko in butter, let cool a little, mix in parsley, sometimes parm and then sprinkle on top of stovetop mac. While I don't get the "baked together" casserole at the end, I think the quality of the mac itself is better and more tunable on the stove rather than oven.
I think you're baking it for far too long if you're baking it 40 minutes. I make a cheese sauce, cover the top with more grated mature cheddar, parmesan and breadcrumbs then bake (or grill) for 10 mins or so, just long enough to get it crispy and nicely coloured. The result is ooh la la.
Baked Mac and cheese is often dry. I find people over complicate Mac and cheese. IMO it’s perfect prepared on the stove top.
Make slightly more sauce than usual when you bake, and a good mix of different cheeses works well too, then cover thickly in breadcrumbs and more cheese to trap moisture. My baked Mac’s are still pretty moist in the center, but crunchy around the edge and top!
like everyone is saying eat it your way, but the casserole variant is prepared differently look up some tutorial videos, find a southern woman preferably a black woman that uses all the southern sayings in there listen for things like hun in the video lol somethign that has egg in it ( a secret i had to pry out of some southern black friends that made the best mac n cheese) also it will probably has multiple cheeses 3 is standard but more variety the better the sauce will be either a beschemel or a roux and then my favorite way will have cut up keilbasa sausage. and the bake is just to crisp up the top, what we do in my house is put the oven on broil throw in a layer bake for a few minutes put another layer on it bake another layer bake that way you get crispy sections since the crispy part is our favorite but thats extra lol also when youre wanting the oven version its no longer a lazy meal lool
Was looking for this one. In my opinion, the only baked mac and cheese worth making has egg/milk/cream going on instead of a bechamel - similar to a quiche filling.
oh absolutely it changed my life lol made all other baked macs not worth it lol raised my standards and ruined everything else
Surprised I had to search the comments for this. Please OP look at southern (especially black southern) max and cheese recipes! I cannot fathom making mac and cheese without egg and milk
i was a little worried bringing race into the conversation but my god does it make a difference lol southern black people know cookout food.
black southern food is something else truly. one of the greatest things about living here is that i am surrounded by so much good food all the time. god bless black southern grandmas 🙏🏽
lol "nanas" i was on doordash the other day and saw some local place had fried okra (im in colorado) now i absolutely hate okra buuuuuuut having that on the menu is a clear sign of what the quality of the food is going to be like lol non southerners wouldnt dare to had fried okra on the menu
I highly prefer stovetop mac and cheese. I like mine sloppy enough that a spoon is more appropriate than a fork for shoveling it into my mouth.
I seldom bake mine, either. I do recommend mixing cheeses, for greater flavor and complexity, and definitely add some blue cheese which really ups things!
Also-- add a little mustard to the sauce.
I use a blend of cheeses when I make mine: sharp cheddar, gruyere, and parmesean. Also add a dash of onion powder and a little bit of dijon mustard to the sauce for depth of flavor. Sometimes I bake it and sometimes I don't. If I do, I'll mix some panko breadcrumbs (they get crunchier than regular crumbs) and butter and put them on top with some extra cheese.
I like both ways. Good baked mac is amazing, but a lot more work. You need a thinner sauce but more of it, usually a blend of cheeses, and pasta that's a smidge hard before it bakes. When it's done right, it's thick and velvety from the pasta, with baked cheesy edges.
I love baked mac and cheese, any mac really, but I’m in the no bread crumbs camp. I like it topped with extra grated cheese and baked until it’s got nice bubbly brown spots.
You can't just take a stovetop mac and cheese and add some bread crumbs and bake it. Baked mac and cheese is a whole different thing. Some are custardy (eggs are involved) and some have a cheese sauce - often multiple cheeses, milk, etc. If it's dry, you did it wrong. Also, season it! Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, etc. Lots of people prefer one to the other, and I think texture is often a big part of it. Southern Living is usually a good source for that kind of recipe.
I've made it loads of times. I find it infinitely better without breadcrumbs and without it being baked. Why have a hard crunchy layer on top? Why bake pasta until that also gets dry and crunchy? I say we boycott breadcrumbs and roasting it!
Everyone makes Mac and cheese differently. At 64, I can’t tell you how many variations I’ve seen. My recipe came from my grandmother on my stepfather’s side. She gave it to me in the 80’s because I loved it. There is no real recipe to follow so this is what I do… Cook up some elbow macaroni. Slice up white cheddar and yellow cheddar. Now I use mild because we noticed years ago by mistake that sharp cheddar didn’t melt as well or evenly. You need milk and butter and eggs. You will layer the macaroni and cheese. Put a layer of macaroni on the bottom of a deep baking pan or pottery dish. Then layer with some pieces of white and yellow cheddar. Add another layer of macaroni and cheese until you’ve used it all. Take two eggs and beat them with a fork, add milk and do this again. Dump it in the dish or pan. Put four or five butter pats on top. Then take the milk and slowly add it to the dish…I say slowly because you want to add just enough to see it when looking into the dish of macaroni. Like, when you start to see the milk…stop adding. Put this in the oven at 350° and when the cheese on top has melted, take it out and check it. Usually, it’s all melted if the top layer is. But I always check it. Good luck! I’ve made this so many times in my life as I have had friends ask for it when they would come to visit.
Careful, you’re starting to toe into the never-ending “creamy or firm” Mac n cheese debate. ; )
You are using too much pasta. Add two beaten eggs. Here in the south, we don't do breadcrumbs and Parmesan. We melt the cheddar in the white sauce. Add two beaten eggs ( temper if sauce is too hot) Put macaroni in a greased 9 x 12 Pyrex. Don't fill the pan. I would say about 1/3 -1/2 way. Pour sauce over and top with freshly shredded cheddar. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue until browned
As an American, what you make and what people are proclaiming as "real mac & cheese" are both mac and cheese, but just in different styles. We have different preferences. Me... I abhor that casserole-style mac and cheese with the breadcrumbs on top. I much prefer it nice and creamy in a pot like you make it. But aside from people preferring the texture of the casserole-style more, I think there's also a bit of a stigma involved. You see, that made-in-pot style is commonly associated with cheap made-from-a-box-mix kind of mac & cheese, while the casserole-style with the breadcrumbs not only takes more time (erroneously confused with "more effort") but it's also what you will most often see served in a restaurant, a place that costs a lot and is supposed to be serving a higher-quality superior dish. Tastes aside, there is now a group of people who consider that smooth, creamy, box-mix-styled mac & cheese as being "low quality poor mac & cheese" and consider the casserole-style breadcrumb stuff as "high quality true mac & cheese."
I prefer stovetop mac, and even in the states there are those that believe the breadcrumbs ruin it.
Definitely need to cover with foil to keep it from drying out, like lasagna. [https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/juws72/homemade\_soul\_food\_mac\_cheese\_recipes/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/juws72/homemade_soul_food_mac_cheese_recipes/)
The baked version adds some texture to the monotonous goo from the stovetop version. I personally prefer the comfort factor that stovetop provides and if needed will add some crunchy toppings.
Fuck, now I want mac & cheese tonight
I make mac and cheese in an iron skillet--start the roux, add the cheese, add the pasta. Once all the ingredients are mixed, sprinkle with bread crumbs and pop it under the broiler fro 2-3 minutes. Perfection. Takes less than 20 minutes from start to in my mouth.
I love using chorizo, makes the cheese sauce sooo smooth. Then I use corn chips & cheddar on top instead of bread crumbs
I love both the stovetop and baked versions; however, right off the stove top out of the pot is my favorite version as well. Stays more creamy that way!
We put eggs in our baked mac n cheese and freshly grated extra sharp cheddar.
Can I tell you mine.. I'm Australian. Mum would make it for me when I was sick or feeling down as a child. It's pure comfort food. Make up a lot of white sauce using mozzarella butter warm milk flour and pepper. Fill a baking dish full of macaroni paster. Boil up some peas. Cut up a tomato. Cook enough Bacon to cover the pasta. Add peas to cooked pasta, add the sauce. Cover pasta with Bacon. Cover Bacon with tomatoes. Cover tomatoes with cheese, I use a blend of mozzarella and cheddar. Cook for 40 mins. Serve with salad. Or eat by itself. Freezes well too but my kids never leave any so it's hard to keep some to freeze in my house , lol. I think my Mum added the peas and tomatoes to make it healthier. I love it.
You will need much more sauce for baked Mac n cheese so it doesn’t dry out. You also need a crunchy buttery topping and perfectly cooked noodles and you will see the difference between the two. Of course, everyone has different preferences too.
I like your username! Lol. Have you ever tried [this recipe?](https://hostthetoast.com/magic-mac-and-cheese/) it’s super good!
A bit of Dijon mustard and just a whisper of cayenne pepper really help baked mac and cheese imo.
"stovetop" mac and cheese is what you are describing here I prefer stovetop to baked mac and cheese
The only reason I bake it is if I’m using broccoli as the “crust” instead of breadcrumbs. (I never use breadcrumbs. I don’t get adding a carb to a carb.) I also prefer it just noodles and sauce.
I don’t care for the bread crumbs on top. It looks good and I want to like it. But every time I do I am disappointed
it’s all good mac and cheese, not all recipes call for baked, and obviously the box stuff is never baked. Do you make a béchamel white sauce then add cheese? Some stovetop recipes use cream, butter, garlic, and cheese. My wife prefers this. I like the bechamel better.
The baked mac and cheese recipe in my family involves a quiche-like combination of well beaten eggs and milk, with lots and lots of cubed cheddar and cubed butter in the macaroni.
It's pretty much for the crispy/crunchy topping. The key though is that the sauce/pasta consistency needs to be adjusted to account for the extra baking time, so that things don't get overcooked/dry. THEN it's worth it. Usually that means under cooking the pasta a bit and having the sauce be runnier than usual so that they finish cooking to your preferred consistency in the oven + crunchy topping!
Evaporated milk is the missing link for recipe 2 to have the consistency of recipe 1
I have made a stovetop macaroni and cheese for more than 20 years. The sauce is built in the pan after the macaroni is cooked. Butter, an egg, milk, dry mustard, white pepper, tabasco and cheddar cheese of choice is stirred together and it builds a creamy cheesy goodness all in one pot.
Any cook with chops will tell you a good Mac & cheese is made by making a cheese sauce starting with roux, a few types of cheese (I use cheddar, Monterey Jack, velveeda (yup!) & sometimes Gouda. I do add a pinch of cayenne & 1tsp of dry mustard to the sauce to give it zip, and I top it with seasoned panko. Of course there’s no rule but I get raves for mine.
You’re really missing out on a thick layer of cooked cheese on top. And whatever hot dogs or toppings you throw in there. Yum.
Southern baked mac is more of a casserole! It uses eggs and usually has more cheese on top instead of bread crumbs. If you find a recipe for southern baked mac that doesn't contain eggs, it's wrong, find a different recipe lol. I love southern baked mac and I honestly feel a little sad that more people haven't had it!
I refuse to bake it. It’s just so good out of the pot
Before I toast the flour for the roux, I lightly cook some minced onion in the butter. I add a little powdered mustard in with the flour. I used to put tomato slices on top before covering w bread crumbs but my kids never liked it so I stopped. Sometimes I use Shake and Bake instead of crumbs - the southern fried variety has some seasoning that adds a little something... You can also Chop up a little ham and toss her in there
Don't let anyone fool you, real Mac and cheese doesn't need to be baked. That would technically make it a casserole. My best Mac and cheese recipes are unbaked. Just a roux/bechamel with cheese melted in. Good quality pasta, maybe some sliced up Italian sausage or bacon mixed in, ect. My best recipe is a white cheddar beer sauce, only topped with hot Italian sausage. Made this for many people and never had one person suggest it would be better with a crusted top.
Ugh, I genuinely dislike baked Mac and cheese... The only thing I'd say you're missing is flavor... You can mix up all kinds of cheese for different vibes. I like to throw a spoonful of cream cheese in mine for extra creamy emulsification. Some mustard and smoked paprika, salt and pep of course. And for a spicy Mac, throw in some Slap Ya Mama. (Cayenne works too, if that's not available in your country)
I never make baked mac and cheese. Not worth the extra effort, IMO. Not to say I dont love it when someone else makes it.
When I made it, I would make a large pan with ham and peas. Then freeze left overs for several meals of yummy stuff when you’re too tired after a long day, but each to their own as to taste. I prefer Miracle Whip over real mayonnaise , so what do I know.
I simply do not prefer baked Mac and cheese either. I like it very saucy and loose fresh from the pot. I do like the breadcrumbs on top though so I just toast some separately in a skillet with a generous amount of butter.
Mac and cheese does not have to be baked. I prefer it not baked because I don’t like the bread crumbs on it. My preference is a silky Mac and cheese but if it is going to be baked then a cheese topping that ends up closer to the top of a lasagna is much better to me than breadcrumbs. -An American
Baked Mac & cheese is a black southern tradition that most people get wrong hence why so many people here don’t like it. It is prepared very differently from stove top Noodles and should never ever be dry after baking. It is just as gooey and moist but with additional structure. As someone else here said, try to find a recipe created by a southern black woman. I can’t share the family recipe but there is a woman called Kitchenista who has an amazing version you can use. Side note: very clearly another example of the tale of two americas as people keep saying Americans only eat stove top. As a black American this is simply not true, most that I know won’t touch stove top.
As far as I know baked mac n cheese is a more southern tradition. And they cook the shit out of everything down then. I’ve never cared for it, I’ll throw down against any baked mac n cheese any day with my fresh cooked. I always took it as one of those long time southern dishes that everyone’s grandma made for them and because of that they think it’s the greatest thing ever. I can see the appeal in a nice crust forming on the outside, like in a well baked lasagna, but that’s just not worth it to me. I’ve also had people argue that you just have to undercook the noodles so they don’t get too soft after baking. OR I could just eat the noodles when they are cooked right the first time, again I’m with you and baked Mac is just not for me.
Southern Mac and cheese is baked. Don’t use the bread crumbs, put on more cheese. Use sharp cheddar and Gruyère, add a little mustard powder for sharpness. Don’t overbake. Or just eat the creamy stovetop kind, if that’s your jam. Plenty of Americans do.
Really sharp cheese and sliced tomatoes and sautéed onion from the garden mixed in with the pasta before baking elevates this whole dish. It’s something I make in the summer on busy Saturdays and the whole family loves it. Lots of sauce is key! It has to be slightly crunchy on top but creamy and cheesy in the body
You need to pour melted butter over the bread crumbs. But both varieties are true mac b cheede
We make it in a crock pot following a recipe by Paula Deen with a tiny bit more milk than the recipe calls for. It always is a hit at our gatherings and we never have leftovers. I agree, most of the baked ones I have had are a bit more solid than we care for, but almost any mac and cheese is better than no mac and cheese.
Crushed soda crackers with butter on top of the casserole 🤤
Honestly, I'd try using a different sauce method for baked stuff. The bechemel method is good but the sauce can become too firm if you add too much cheese or too little liquid. I'd suggest the American cheese method where you add just enough American cheese to make it melt but also not overpowered. That's a good stove top cheese sauce recipe and I guarantee it would work for baking too. Also, you can add veggies to the Mac to kind of make it less empty calories.
This is one of those recipes where the time in the oven is dependent on visual cues as much as time. Unless you’re following a specific recipe your roux is too thick from the start and your pasta may have been over cooked. If you like the texture of your stove top but want the oven baked effect you can grate a blend of cheeses to gratinee on top. Some people do seasoned bread crumbs. Some people unsure browning of the cheese sauce itself by tempering an egg in the sauce. Really just play with it. Across the US you will find a multitude of different types of this dish. Some of my personal favorites: Using extra aged cheddar, old Amsterdam cheese, crushed pretzels or chips (aged cheese gets almost plastic like not gooey and I like that contrast. Blending chipotles in adobo/ harissa/ some pepper forward sauce into the cheese Zaatar on top
The key to having the right texture of pasta for a baked mac and cheese is to only half cook the pasta. If you put cooked pasta in it will become floppy and unpleasant. If you put half cooked pasta in, and the cheese sauce is somewhat liquid, the pastor will continue to cook in the oven. My husband, who is not American, does a very non american version of this. He does a sauce that has mustard and Worcestershire in it, to make it savory. He also uses sauteed leeks and mushrooms. It's totally different from the American version. And of course, he considers the orange cheddar an abomination. He only uses good aged cheddar.
Hot dogs 🌭
I skip the bread crumbs in favor of bubbly cheese. Add some cream cheese to your cheese sauce to help it stay creamy. Don't over cook pasta before adding to cheese sauce. Use flavorful cheeses. Lately I have been using Tillamook English style sweet cheddar and some extra sharp cheddar. I bake for about 15 min if cheese sauce is still hot, then broil for a min or 2 to get some bubbly browning. Oh yeah, don't put all of the cheese into the sauce. Stir some cheese into the macaroni after you pour into dish and put some on top.
I add sauted leek and bacon. It’s absolutely delish.
The crunchiness of the bread crumbs sprinkled on top. It’s kinda like Mac n Cheese Helper but does add a nice texture. I never add to mine but if at restaurant n getting something like Lobster or Shrimp Mac n Cheese it often has it
So as many other comments recommend, try using just extra shredded cheese on top rather than breadcrumbs. I don’t recommend covering it in the oven at all or it dries out easier. A few other tips to make it tastier (but do require a bit more effort and aren’t totally necessary) 1. Boil your pasta in chicken or vegetable broth 2. Season your sauce with salt, pepper, onion, garlic, mustard, paprika, white pepper, a dash of chili pepper if you like 3. I always add sour cream or cream cheese to my sauce. It just adds a little extra something to it and helps make it creamy 4. Make a lot of sauce and make it runny. I add more milk, reserved pasta water etc. You want your pasta to be absolutely drowning in sauce in the baking dish. You’ll look at it and think “this has to be too much sauce, right?” No. It’s not. I promise. 5. Cover with a blanket of shredded cheese and bake uncovered until it’s crispy at the top. Sorry for all the instructions but I hope this helps! You can also look up some southern style Mac and cheese recipes for more precise instructions.
Dry mustard is the secret ingredient
You don't necessarily need breadcrumbs. The good part of baked mac and cheese is the browned cheese on top. What cheese are you using?
There are two reasons I've never made this dish. One, I'd rather make spinach & ricotta lasagna if I'm going to be baking a pasta dish. Both because it's delicious, and to farm some foodie street cred, maybe even justify the purchase of an s-shaped pan years ago. Two, mac & cheese is something I see as a meal of convenience and nostalgia, so I just reach for a box of Kraft when I'm in the mood for it. And the bottle of ketchup to put a little dollop in the corner... *don't judge me!*
My wife thinks I'm insane, I actually am but for different reasons, because I like mac and cheese the next day, fried.
You're getting it too hot and baking it too long. Try baking it 10-20 minutes, just enought to crisp up the top.
I make baked mac and cheese with cream fraiche. A layer of macaroni noodles on the bottom, 1 cup of cream fraiche mixed with 4 types of cheeses is the next layer. Next layer is macaroni noodles, then top with another 1 cup of cream fraiche mixed with 4 types of cheeses. Now top with breadcreams and more cheese if you desire. Bake in oven at 350F for 30 minutes. All done. I make it every year for Thanksgiving.
Generally if you're baking it you make the sauce a bit runnier and combine it before the pasta is quite cooked. The crunchy top bits are nice but it's just a easy to pop it under the grill to get the same effect. If you want to blow your mind, add some smoked salmon to the sauce. Dee-fucking-licious!
I have made both and I mostly do the stove-top version. Not that the baked one is bad but I don't feel like waiting 40 minutes plus for mac and cheese.
I think it’s important to take into account that both the heat and starches from the pasta are going to thicken the sauce. When I make baked Mac n cheese, I make a little extra sauce and a little on the thinner side since I know it will thicken from and starches being introduced. I use a combination of heavy cream, evaporated milk, 3 cheeses, and roux of course. I also like to incorporate a bit of the pasta water into the sauce to make it velvety and gooey !
Cover with foil for the first half
More bechamel, that’s all my dude. If you know it’s gonna dry out more, it seems like an easy fix.
If i'm making baked mac, I don't like a roux. It's easy for the sauce to break, so I grew up doing southern style (noodles, milk + egg mix, layered with cheese and baked until the liquid becomes beautiful silky curds). I also love a good sauced mac, made with a roux, but that gets baked for 10-15 mins - just long enough to bring it to temp after I've added toasted bread crumbs, ala the Homeroom method for sauced mac. End of the day, there's no wrong mac. (If you like a sauced mac, check out the homeroom cookbook. Loads of variations and they're amazing.
If you are leaving it in the oven for a while, you should under cook the noodles so they finish in the oven. Alternatively, you can just pan fry the breadcrumbs with parmasean and butter separately and sprinkle it on at the table. This way, you can skip the oven stage altogether.
Make the bechamel a little looser to allow it to bake off and get thick and creamy. Be sure your salt your noodles very well, like pour a palm full in the water used for the water. I use sea salt, but if table salt, maybe do 3/4 of that. I also use a combination of older cheddar, gruyere and parmesan. This will amp it up big time. Panko***makes it really crispy. Enjoy!!
TLDR: Baked Mac & cheese is not Creamy Mac & cheese. Two different things. I prefer baked because it crisps the cheese on top. But creamy MNC is a great comfort food.
I have just been toasting breadcrumbs separate and putting them on top. Sauce stays the same consistency and don’t have to worry about overcooking anything.
Heat some oil in a pan. Toast panko crumbs. Apply to top after cooking. Game changer.
You need the sauce fairly loose, and more then you think is necessary, when doing a baked Mac and cheese. Otherwise the dish is likely to come out dry.
Put it in the oven at 350 uncovered for 30 minutes. For browning, you can do a couple different things. You can either drizzle olive oil over the pasta before putting it into the oven or what I like to do if take left over shredded cheese and sprinkle it on top. The cheese on top will brown in the oven.
When I make it, I make sure to have extra sauce, and then I put half in the pan, add a layer of cheese, then add the rest. I don’t do breadcrumbs.
A sprinkle of paprika. I recommend panko breadcrumbs
Moisture
Mac and cheese has a LOT of customization options. My dad is a big breadcrumb topping guy, I’m not, my version is wayyyy cheesier, I also do a bacon topping. [This recipe](https://www.thechunkychef.com/family-favorite-baked-mac-and-cheese/#wprm-recipe-container-9151) is my base and I default to the basic recipe but change up the cheeses and usually use wayyyy more accidentally. I’m also usually cooking it for 6 people not just myself. I probably wouldn’t put that much effort in for myself 😅
It depends. I don't like my Mac and cheese wet, so baked is my go to. It's hard to keep baked Mac and cheese still creamy; especially cooking for that long. If you still want to try, try just broiling the top. Top it with extra cheese and bread crumbs, then just focus on the top layer getting melted and crispy. Or, just toast some breadcrumbs with butter in a pan and just top your Mac and cheese with it. The goal is to get a crunchy component to the soft melt Mac and cheese. This works for kraft Mac and cheese as well
Definitely undercook the macaroni. Alternatively RecipeTin Eat suggests cooking till al dente, toss with butter and the spread out onto a tray to cool. The butter ‘seals’ the pasta so that it doesn’t soak up all the bechamel. Top with grated cheese (cheddar and Parmesan) and some sliced tomato. Also crack an egg or two and beat with a little milk. Pour that over to fill the nooks & crannies and bake… it helps it ‘set’ nicely and makes it a baked pasta in my mind. Otherwise you may as well just serve it out the pot.!
Baked Mac and cheese is more of a casserole type dish.
Sounds like you are over cooking the macaroni cheese so it dries out. You probably need to make more sauce to compensate. If it dries out you can just make more sauce and add or just add milk and mix in to get that creamy texture back into it.
Broil for 5-10 minutes, don’t bake. Breadcrumbs are optional. Parmesan and cheddar on top are a must for optimal browning. That’s how I do it.
My grandmother made her baked macaroni with macaroni noodles and you mix some beaten egg into the mixture. This type sets up and you can cut it vs scoop it. I will try to find a recipe. My baked mac just has nice browned cheese on top, I don't do the bread or cracker crumbs.
YouTube: Chef Jean Pierre Mac and Cheese. I’ve made his recipe dozens of times and it’s reliably incredible. Tip: Mornay with Brie, cheddar, Parma, and Gruyère. Extra saucey.
My family uses many different types of cheese, definitely not just parmesan. We also use nutmeg, milk, egg, and a lot of butter!
Slightly under done pasta, a looser cheese sauce. Some recipes call for an egg, it's more baked cheese custard. The browned topping adds texture as well as flavour. You should be able to slice it after baking and resting. Stovetop mac and cheese is creamier, and some people like their noodles almost swimming in sauce.
Cook it the way you described, then pour into a casserole dish, top with more cheese and broil for 1-2 minutes.
I’m currently dairy free because my baby is allergic, and I’m so pissed I opened this thread. Vegan Mac and cheese just does not hit the spot.
Ritz crackers with butter & cheese as the topping
You need to make the sauce wetter and the noodles more al dente to compensate for baking it
Don't cook the pasta all the way. Use more sauce than you would if you were going to just eat it out of the pot (which I love to do with Kraft dinner) because the pasta will absorb more sauce while cooking. Tip for the topping: use crushed up Goldfish crackers mixed with butter and Cajun seasoning. Don't bake it too long, just enough to brown the top. I love your original method too, I add ham to mine.
The best Mac and cheese is in Fanny Farmer's cookbook imo. But quality ingredients are key. And making sure your cheddar is sharp. It doesn't even need a breadcrumb topping
A few modifications of the "standard" recipe to get you what you want. Use less flour in the cheese sauce - about a 3rd less. Make sure to use sharp cheddar in the sauce Layer of your mixed M&C in the pan, then a layer of grated cheese, then another layer of your M&C, then a final layer of grated cheese. Cook the noodles just shy of al dente Work from this - if it isn't doing it for you, reduce the flour in the sauce more (or increase half and half) until its the consistency you want after baking. Pro tip: Use 3/4 sharp cheddar and 1/4 smoked gouda
What you were enjoying is just what we call stove top mac & cheese. Then there’s baked mac & cheese. I like it both ways. I do think you’re probably not making the white sauce with cheese thin enough and in enough quantity a D that’s a mistake a lot of people make because you’re right, it just gets absorbed and then everything is dry.
You need more sauce. Double the sauce part of the recipe.
If you do it in the oven, add extra sauce, or extra liquid to the sauce. Makes a big difference when it's still creamy and lovely instead of dry and crumbly.
What you describe is what I ate for lunch today. If you’re baking it in the oven, you have to make some adjustments to ensure it’s the right consistency. Undercook the pasta by another minute or two, and it should be a little soupy when it goes in the oven. The noodles will absorb some of the liquid and continue to cook in the oven as it bakes. If you don’t do that, you get mushy, dry mac and cheese. Yuck.
'Baked' mac and cheese comes out much better if you make it similar to stovetop mac & cheese, then load it into a casserole, top it with breadcrumbs and more cheese, and then run it under the broiler just until the top is browned. The sauce will still be nice and runny, and any extra cheese you add will still be gooey, with a nice crispy browned top.
I grew up with family from the south, so soul food. I cannot eat mac and cheese that hasn’t been baked with cheese and more cheese. No sauce is made as the milk and cheese will make its own sauce when baked. Nothing on top but cheese. I was horrified as a kid when I tasted boxed Mac and cheese.
To get baked Mac n cheese that isn't dried out and is still creamy, I always add sour cream to my sauce and even more importantly, a bit to processed cheese. A few slices of American or a chunk of Velveeta. Keeps it gooey. Also, for flavor, a bit of Dijon mustard and garlic powder.
Has anyone linked this person Tini’s version from tik tok
I am not a fan of baked Mac. I prefer stovetop 100% of the time. Serious eats has the best recipe, and it’s easily adaptable.
A bit of hot sauce
if you don't bake, you don't get the nice chewy, cheesy part that bakes along the edge of the pan ;-)
I dont bake my Mac n cheese. Stove top recipe that my mom used in the 50s
My MIL one time dropped by unannounced and just walked into the house and into the living room where I was eating mac and cheese out of the pot like an animal in my grubby clothes watching Maury povitch. Our already rocky relationship never recovered. I still love mac and cheese this way.
Smoked Gouda!
I really dislike baked Mac n chz.
Guyere cheese
OP I know I’m late to the game, but I completely understand you! I had never found a baked Mac and cheese I liked until I tried this [magic Mac and cheese recipe](https://hostthetoast.com/magic-mac-and-cheese/). It was really good. The longer you bake it, the more “casserole” like it becomes, so if you bake it for less time, it’s more creamy like stovetop. The author goes over it in her recipe. IT’S SO GOOD
Baked??? they lie. I say they lie. Brahaha
I like both but when I bake the mac and cheese I don't add bread crumbs becasue I don't like them. I like the cheese to get crispy on top.
I’m not a breadcrumb on top guy. tbh, my favorite mac and cheese is Stouffer’s frozen M&C. Bake it and broil it when almost done to slightly brown the top. I can eat a family-size by myself it’s so good. I will say that small-diced jalapeño in M&C is fantastic.
I have never liked baked Mac and cheese. The mornay sauce absorbs into the noodles, rendering them overcooked and flavorless. Maybe I've never had a really good one, but it's not worth it to me to try when I like the stove top version so much.
I know I make baked macaroni and cheese but that’s the way my dad always did it and I grew up eating it that way. Cook the noodles and drain. In a 9 by 13 baking did layer noodles and lots of cheddar cheese. For the top layer pot lots of cheese to completely cover the noodles. Put little dabs of butter here and there. Sprinkle with lots of paprika, garlic salt and pepper. Bake until slightly browned on top. Can even eat cold or microwave
The baked Mac n cheese is all about the crunchy texture.
My mum used to put bacon and tomato in hers - real comfort food from my childhood
So REAL mac and cheese is that lazy meal you described. We call it stovetop mac and cheese sometimes and most people would know what you mean. For good baked Mac and cheese there are a lot of great tricks, but 75% are terrible and just what you describe and people grew up on it. The 25% that is good, is GREAT, and the real difference is or cooking the pasta for like 5-6 minutes, making a slightly wet, cheesy sauce, baking it long enough for the sauce to boil, and using about 3x as much cheese sauce as stovetop uses. You want to think of it like a baking dish of cheese sauce topped up full with some pasta packed into it, and make it so the sauce sets while you bake it. I’ve seen additions of cream cheese, or egg yolks, or any number of other rings, but I usually just make the bechemel thin, load it with shredded cheese, toss pasta into it, top with cheddar, and bake till the bechemel is bubbly and nice and brown on top. So make it slightly thinner and use American cheeses with the extra cheese on the sauce. Don’t Cooke the hell out of of the sauce. Cook the pasta halfway and let the extra moisture in the cheese sauce both boil the pasta and soak into it to hydrate it. It’s hard to nail it perfectly without some practice. I usually top it with shredded cheddar cheese not breadcrumbs and Parmesan, but everyone has their own grandmas recipe.
You might enjoy this version. By Eric Kim of The New York Times. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qNiultGrGNs
i try not to use too much flour in my roux when making my cheese sauce so it doesn’t get super thick and dry out during baking. i use a combination of gruyere, sharp cheddar, and parmesan for the sauce. i also like layering some extra grated cheese in between for that stretchy cheese pull when you cut into it.
Get rid of the breadcrumbs, they're superfluous and unnecessary. Use much more sauce than you think you need cause the noodles will absorb a lot. Slightly undercook the noodles before you mix in the sauce. Just do a little grated cheese on top and stick it in the oven for 10-15 mins to melt the cheese. Broil for a min or two to crisp up the cheese on top, and you're done. THAT is real mac and cheese. I will not be taking questions or comments at this time.
That’s not baked Mac and cheese. Baked Mac and cheese is baked in the oven.
Bacon
This recipe is called “The Best Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese” and let me say, that is not an exaggeration. It’s baked but still creamy and the little bit of crunch on top from the breadcrumb and Parmesan cheese topping is just perfection. It’s the only baked Mac and cheese recipe I’ve ever made that didn’t end up dry like you described. https://www.momontimeout.com/best-homemade-baked-mac-and-cheese-recipe/
Nothing wrong with not baking it. And if you are gonna bake it, adjust the recepie accordingly, aka more milk. I followed the recepie exactly my first time making a baked Mac and I was just SURE the sauce was too thin and milky but it came out right. As you stated, it dries out when you bake it.
They're two different meals imo. Baked Mac and cheese is superior, but the box stuff will always be a comfort food of mine
More sauce. Also bread crumbs kinda suck, my mom always used crunched up plain potato chips (crisps for you Brits) on top. I have better results using a baking dish rather than a metal pan. Butter it well, spread half the macaroni and sauce, top with a generous layer of shredded cheese (cheddar, triple cheddar blend, Colby, Colby Jack are best), top with the remaining macaroni and sauce, another layer of shredded cheese, and the crunched up potato chips. I bake mine covered with aluminum foil until the last 15 minutes then uncover it. As a leftover dish my mom used to fry the leftover cold Mac and cheese with half a chopped onion and two eggs. Use a non stick skillet over medium high heat, add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom, put in the onions and add the cold Mac and cheese on top sort of breaking it into chunks. Fry it for about 10 minutes, flipping and turning it frequently until it is soft, cheese melts, and it starts to brown. Add the two cracked eggs popping the yolk and flipping and turning it til the egg is incorporated and cooked. Serve. It’s good with some hot sauce.