This easy baked macaroni and cheese is tried and true, and one of my absolute favorite recipes to make. The perfectly crispy top, cheesy pasta, what more could you ask for?

It's not one of those recipes that's just a holiday favorite, but it can certainly be used as an entrée for dinner, prepped for the freezer, or is a perfect meal to make for a family welcoming a new baby or new neighbors. I'm telling you this is the MAC that keeps on giving.
All of my pasta recipes inspire one another, like my broccoli mac and cheese, and my creamy spinach pasta. They're all delicious in the own way.
Jump to:
- Why I love this macaroni and cheese
- What do I need for this baked mac and cheese recipe?
- Swaps and Substitutions
- How do I make this pasta recipe?
- Ways to vary this baked MAC
- Tips for making the best MAC ever
- Ways to serve and pair this baked mac and cheese
- Storage, Freezer, and Reheating Information
- PRO TIP
- Hungry for More?
- Did you like this recipe? Share it!
- Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Why I love this macaroni and cheese
- This is a tried and true macaroni and cheese, made for the last several years. It's cheesy, crispy on the top, and has just enough heaviness in the dish to feel comforting but not overly filling.
- You can prep this dish ahead of the holiday and make it the morning or afternoon you're serving it.
- This mac and cheese is great for the freezer too!
- It comes together in just one large pot, then baked in a dish. Two dishes, that's it!
What do I need for this baked mac and cheese recipe?

- Pasta: Technically any pasta could be a mac and cheese, but I love traditional elbow macaroni, shells, or a good corkscrew pasta such as fusilli. These types of short pasta catch the sauce well.
- Cheese: choosing a blend of cheeses will amplify this dish and give it the creaminess you want. Cheddar, parmesan, even white cheddar is my personal fav.
- Cream or half and half: adding just a touch of half and half or straight heavy cream will help thicken the cheese sauce to pour over the pasta. Trust me, do not skip this part.
- Vegetable Stock: the stock, preferably either vegetable or chicken, is added to the milk as part of making the cheese sauce. It also adds another flavor profile too.
- Butter: two tablespoons of butter will help make the roux with the flour (to thicken the sauce as well).
- Flour: added to the melting butter in a large saucepan will make the roux prior to adding in the milk and stock.
- Nutmeg: Here's where it gets fun! Nutmeg adds an additional flavor profile, but on a different level. It gives the entire recipe a warmth, a subtle spice, and really lifts the cheese flavor.
- Salt and pepper: I mean, of course you need a little of both here :). Whisk it into the cheese sauce before pouring over the pasta.
See the recipe card below for more information about quantities.
Swaps and Substitutions
- Pasta - instead of using durum or regular flour penne, you can easily use gluten free penne.
- Cheese - swap the regular cheese used in this dish for dairy-free.
- Milk - We use both milk and stock in this recipe, but you can use almond or coconut milk in place of the regular milk.
- Stock - I like to use a vegetable stock here for added veggies and also the flavor, but chicken stock works great too.
How do I make this pasta recipe?

Step 1: Start by preheating the oven to 350°. For pasta other than regular durum, cook a minute under box recommendations. Strain pasta and rinse. Meanwhile, add the ¼ cup flour to a large deep pan. Throw in butter and begin to melt butter and stir until the mixture becomes a thick, creamy paste. To the pan, pour in the milk and stock. Stir the roux on a low flame with a metal whisk until it begins to thicken and bubble.

Step 2: Layer in cheese handfuls at a time, stirring to combine and melt cheese, adding more cheese as desired. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add in the cooked pasta and stir to coat. Turn off the flame and keep stirring until the pasta thickens. Prep an oven safe baking dish, pour in the pasta and sprinkle breadcrumbs.

Step 3: Bake for 15 minutes and then broil for two minutes or just until top noodles are golden and crisp, and the cheese is slightly browned. Serve immediately.
HINT: When boiling the pasta, cook it for a minute or two less than what the directions say. You'll be baking the pasta, so you don't want it to be overcooked.
Ways to vary this baked MAC
- Spicy - add a few red pepper flakes to the garlic and onion as it cooks.
- Topping - add ricotta dollops in between the mac and cheese, or top the entire bake with breadcrumbs before baking.
- Mini - make miniature versions by baking in smaller ramekins for perfect portion sizes.
Tips for making the best MAC ever
- Use room temperature milk, butter, and cheese. This helps when stirring it altogether so that the sauce doesn't break as you whisk it all in the pan.
- Use a consistent flame to make the roux and to melt the cheese into the roux.
- Remember to cook the pasta al dente, meaning to the tooth or bite. The pasta will continue to cook when it bakes, so cooking it al dente prevents it from become overcooked and soggy.
- Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Don't wait to season the dish when it's ready to be baked, you want to season the sauce so that the flavors coat all of the pasta evenly.

Ways to serve and pair this baked mac and cheese
- Make my delicious juicy chicken cutlets with this on the side. Talk about comfort food!
- Roast some chicken thighs and pair with my brussel sprout salad to round out your meal.
- Add some delicious ground turkey from my ground turkey stuffed sweet potatoes into the baked mac and cheese for added protein and flavor ( follow directions for making the ground turkey, and skip the sweet potato part!)
Storage, Freezer, and Reheating Information
To Store: Add any leftover macaroni and cheese into an airtight container and place in the fridge. Consume up to 4 days.
To Freeze: You can simply place the entire dish into the freezer by wrapping in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, labeling the date when it was baked.
To Reheat: I like to reheat in the oven on a lower heat (325º) for 15 minutes so that it gets nice and warm. If you are reheating from the freezer, bump up the time and temp to 20 minutes at 350º.
PRO TIP
Bake the pasta to melt the cheese, and then broil for just a minute or so to crisp up the top noodles and brown the cheese.
Hungry for More?
Looking for other creamy pasta goodness? Check these out!
Did you like this recipe? Share it!
If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you for being here!!

Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Equipment
- 1 strainer
- 1 large pot
- 1 oven safe baking dish
- measuring cups and spoons
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- salt
- pepper
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Boil the pasta. For pasta other than regular durum, cook a minute under box recommendations. Strain pasta and rinse.
- Meanwhile, add the ¼ cup flour to a large deep pan. Throw in butter and begin to melt butter and stir until the mixture becomes a paste.
- Add in the milk and stock. Stir on a low flame until it begins to thicken and bubble.
- Layer in cheese handfuls at a time, stirring to combine and melt cheese, adding more cheese as desired. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Add in the cooked pasta and stir to coat. Turn off the flame and keep stirring until the pasta thickens.
- Prep an oven safe baking dish, pour in the pasta and sprinkle breadcrumbs.
- Bake for 15 minutes and then broil for two minutes or just until top noodles are golden and crisp, and the cheese is slightly browned. Serve immediately.
Paula
I loved this Mac and cheese recipe. I added a little more cheese to the sauce when it was in the pan, and added a little garlic powder too. It was so perfectly tasty and not overly heavy. Will be making again this weekend !!
Sha Peace
cant wait till Thanks giving to eat this ( may have to make it before )
Amanda
I made this for my family a couple of nights ago after trying another blogger's mac and cheese and frankly, this was so much better. It wasn't as cheesy or heavy, and I liked the breadcrumbs on top. I'll be making this for Turkey Day definitely.!
Samantha Coulton
Morgan has a way with knowing exactly how to integrate flavors that make the recipe not confusing but the flavor.... mmm mm mmm. Fave mac snd cheese recipe! Can't wait to try more