This classic baked mac and cheese is a great side dish that goes with almost any family meal or special occasion dinner. I make it as a comfort food or when there’s a special occasion. Make some tonight and watch how quickly it disappears! It never lasts long at our house.

Not only do kids enjoy it, but it’s also a nostalgic food that brings adults back to their childhood. In fact, it’s one of America’s most popular comfort foods.

I’ve placed a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for your convenience.

Now back to the subject of this delicious mac and cheese casserole. Although boxed macaroni and cheese is super easy, making it from scratch is as well. And I think it tastes so much better because you add love to a list of delicious ingredients.

Ingredients

All of the ingredients listed here are what I use. However, if you like something extra, please feel free to add it. After all, this is your baked homemade mac and cheese, so make it to suit your taste.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

• Uncooked macaroni pasta, either regular or gluten-free
• Melted butter
• Mild flavored cooking oil
• Milk or cream
• Egg
• Flour, either regular or gluten-free
• Shredded cheese, any kind you like
• Mustard, either yellow or dijon
• Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

If you like spicy mac and cheese, add either cayenne or hot sauce to the cheese mixture. Or you can add slices of jalapeños, which is what I do on occasion.

Sometimes I use heavy cream or half-and-half to make a super rich and creamy version of this dish. Either way, you’ll love the delicious flavors as they come together to make the most wonderful comfort food.

This is a fun food to experiment with. If you’re adventurous in the kitchen, try adding different seasonings to a small amount of the recipe. You just might hit on something your family loves.

Directions

Do you enjoy comfort food? If so, you’ll appreciate these easy instructions.

Get your space ready by gathering all of the ingredients. Then preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart casserole pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Cook the macaroni in a medium saucepan according to the instructions, until it is chewy but still firm. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Pour the butter and cooking oil over it and stir well.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and milk or cream. I used almond milk, but occasionally, I’ll use either half-and-half or full-fat cream. It’s all good.

Add the flour and mustard. I used gluten-free all-purpose flour, but you can use any kind of flour you have on hand. I also used dijon mustard. Whisk the mixture again until it’s well mixed.

Stir most of the cheese into the mixture, leaving about 1/4 of it to sprinkle over the top later. Heat the mixture until the cheese begins to melt. Stir while it melts to prevent it from clumping.

Pour the pasta and sauce into the casserole dish. Make sure it’s evenly distributed so you don’t wind up with sections without the pasta.

Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the mixture. I used a combination of cheddar and mozzarella. 

Bake for 30 minutes or until it’s bubbly and the top is golden brown. 

You can also make this baked mac and cheese recipe without flour. It doesn’t stand up as well, but I think that it tastes just as good.

More Tips

Follow the instructions in the recipe, and you’ll have a wonderful side dish. Here are more tips to make it even better:

• Use quality ingredients. I recommend choosing your favorite macaroni. For the cheese, I prefer medium cheddar. But you can use whichever type of cheese you and your family like.
• Experiment with different types of pasta, such as small shells, pinwheels, or even cartoon characters if you have children.
• Try different seasonings like nutmeg or allspice. If you’re not sure about how something will taste, try it on a small amount before you add it to the entire batch.
• Add a little bit of bacon or diced tomatoes for variety, texture, and color.
• Let the casserole rest for a few minutes before serving. This enables the flavors to meld and makes it easier to serve.
• Garnish the casserole with herbs, such as chopped chives or parsley.
• Try adding other ingredients that your family likes, such as chopped spinach, mushrooms, or jalapeños.
• Make mac and cheese the main dish by following some of the suggestions below.

How to Turn This Into a Main Dish

If you want your mac and cheese casserole to be the main dish, you can do so as-is. However, sometimes we enjoy adding meat to the casserole.

For those times when I want a one-pan meal, I add some sort of protein. Some of our favorites are diced ham, pepperoni, and shredded roast beef.

You can also add tofu if you want the dish to remain meatless. Using the same ingredients will make this dish vegetarian but not vegan because of the dairy products.

Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

There are so many ways to add ham to this delicious dish. One way is to simply cut the meat into bite-size pieces and mix it into the cooked pasta.

Another way is to get ham that you can shred and sprinkle it over the top, either under the cheese or mixed in with it. My granddaughters helped me make this delicious mac and cheese with ham.

It was their idea to sprinkle fried onions on top, and I thought it was brilliant! We absolutely love this mac and cheese casserole with a crunchy crust!

Add Chicken

I’ve also added leftover or canned chicken to mac and cheese. The chicken adds flavor, texture, and protein, making it a wonderful main dish.

When you have leftover barbecued chicken, go ahead and add it. The barbecue seasoning adds a richness to the flavor.

Three-Cheese Macaroni Casserole

Another way to change up this recipe is to use three different types of cheese. Not only will this add cheesy goodness, but it gives you more to scoop, making it perfect for larger crowds.

More Delicious Add-Ons

You can add a variety of spices to make this dish even more flavorful. There are so many different types of mac n cheese dishes, all depending on what you add.

Occasionally, I add a pinch of either nutmeg or cinnamon. If you do that, do so sparingly, or the spice will overtake the flavor of the casserole. Do you like pimento cheese? If so, pimentos are also good to add if you want a little more flavor and a lot more color. Other add-ons are ham or bacon. Also add crushed chips or crispy fried onions to the top for more texture.

How to Thicken Mac and Cheese

If you like a thicker sauce, you can add more flour. Just be careful to add it in small amounts at a time, or you might wind up with a glumpy mess.

The same goes for cornstarch. Before you add it, make a slurry of cornstarch and water. You’ll have a bunch of cornstarch lumps if you just dump it in.

Trust me on this. I learned the hard way.

One thing I want to recommend is to not overthink this recipe. It’s an easy macaroni and cheese casserole that is absolutely delicious, even if you do something a little different.

Reheat

The best way to reheat this dish is to put it in a greased pan and cover it. Bake it in a 375 degree F oven for about 15 or 20 minutes, until it reaches the desired temperature.

I’ve also put the amount that I want to reheat in a saucepan, added a tablespoon or two of milk, covered it, and cooked it on medium-low heat for a few minutes.

The total time depends on how much you’re reheating. Just keep checking on it until it reaches your desired temperature.

You can reheat it in the microwave, but be extra careful. Microwaving pasta can cause it to become rubbery and unappetizing.

Favorite Side Dishes

Once you serve this delicious side dish to your family, they’ll request it often. It’s comfort food at its finest, and it goes with so many things.

On the outside, you have a nice, golden crust. Once you dip your spoon into it, you’ll know that this is the creamiest mac and cheese recipe ever.

Other side dishes we enjoy are this southern-style potato salad that my mother used to make and these delicious roasted Brussels sprouts.

When mac and cheese is a side dish (yes, I know this is controversial), it’s delicious with any style of meatloaf. I also enjoy serving it with ham or pork chops.

Check out more delicious foods to serve with mac and cheese. You’re bound to find something you’ll love.

Yummy Pasta Recipes

If you’re a pasta fan like we are, you’ll love some of these delicious pasta dishes. It’s nice that there are quite a few varieties in both regular and gluten-free versions.

This creamy macaroni salad is perfect for get-togethers. When I go to potlucks or picnics, I bring it because so many people like it.

Or if you prefer less creaminess, you might prefer this zesty rotini salad. The tartness will wake up your taste buds in such a delightful way.

This Italian zucchini casserole is another favorite pasta dish around here. I like the fact that it’s a one-dish meal, so I don’t have to worry about extensive cleanup after dinner.

Chicken is the perfect pairing for mac and cheese. So I make flavorful and crispy chicken strips without flour. If you’ve never tried these, I highly recommend putting them on your list. They are so good!

What to Serve with Classic Baked Mac and Cheese

This delicious baked side dish is good with so many other foods. We eat it with chicken, pork, beef, and seafood.

We especially enjoy it with these crispy air fryer chicken thighs. It provides a delicious balance of creamy and crunchy.

It’s also a good side dish that pairs well with this slow cooker pork tenderloin. Add a salad or green vegetable, and you have a wonderful, nutritious, and colorful meal.

This southern meatloaf from Julia’s Simply Southern is delicious with mac and cheese. Make enough to enjoy leftovers the next day.

We also love it with these grilled pork chops that are crispy, moist, and packed with flavor. It’s such a flavorful, comforting meal!

If you’d like to skip the meat, mac and cheese works as the main dish with a side of this delicious broccoli slaw. 

Go here for more delicious foods that go with mac and cheese: More recipes.

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