Southern Baked Mac And Cheese
A creamy, cheesy Southern-style baked mac and cheese with a golden, bubbly crust—comforting and crowd-approved.
Ingredients
Pasta & Butter
- 1 lb elbow or rotini noodles
- 7 tbsp room-temperature butter divided
Sauce & Cheese
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3½ cups half-and-half
- 12 oz shredded medium cheddar
- 8 oz shredded Colby Jack
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella
- 4 oz shredded sharp cheddar
- 4 oz shredded white cheddar
- ¼ cup whipped cream cheese
- ½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp paprika, ½ tsp mustard powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Topping
- Reserved cheeses: 1 cup medium cheddar 1 cup Colby Jack, 1 cup mozzarella
Instructions
- Shred all the cheeses. Set aside 1 cup each of cheddar, Colby Jack, and mozzarella for topping. Measure out your butter.
- Boil the noodles until just firm. Save ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain. Toss the pasta with 2 tablespoons of butter in a casserole dish.
- Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook until it turns golden.
- Slowly whisk in the pasta water, heavy cream, and half-and-half. Cook until it thickens, about 4 minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the shredded cheeses a bit at a time until smooth. Add cream cheese and seasonings, then mix until creamy.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the buttered pasta. Stir to combine. Sprinkle the reserved shredded cheese on top.
- Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes until bubbly. Then broil for about 5 minutes until the top is golden and crispy.
- Cool for 3–5 minutes, then serve warm.