If you’re looking for a side dish that is both classic and perfect for a special occasion, look no further than this Old-Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese recipe! It’s easy to make, absolutely delicious and kids love it!

Old-fashioned macaroni and cheese in serving dish.Pin
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Why I Love This Recipe

  • Favorite Leftovers: This makes a large baking dish, so if your family is smaller you will get several meals from this one! There are several different macaroni and cheese recipes on Weelicious like Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese and Mac Chicken and Cheese Bites, but if you’re feeding a crowd and want a more classic take on this dish, this recipe is spot on!
  • Make Ahead: Want to make dinner time even easier? Make the macaroni and place in the baking dish, and you can chill it overnight to bake tomorrow!
  • Use What You Have: Mix up the cheese here. If you’re like me, you often have a few varieties of cheese in the drawer that need to be used up. Feel free to combine them. You could even throw in a veggie and make Green Mac and Cheese!
  • Kid-Friendly Favorite: Is there a more beloved kid’s dinner than Macaroni and Cheese? Ooey gooey and super cheesy, it combines two of the most kid-welcomed foods — pasta and cheese! It’s so easy to make and always gets a big “yay!” from my kids when they find out I’m making it!

The Ingredients

Ingredients for baked macaroni and cheese.Pin
  • Pasta: I like elbows to make this a truly classic dish.
  • Cheese: Cheddar is perfect! The kids will love the “normal” color on their plates.
  • Milk: Whole milk will give you a creamy, smooth sauce.
  • Roux: This classic technique of butter and flour is the way to begin any sort of cheesy sauce.
  • Breadcrumbs: You can consider this optional, but I think the crunchy topping is what really makes the dish.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Cheese options: I love a classic cheddar or sharp cheddar, but you can also mix in something with more “bite” like gouda or fontina. These are perfect to pair with cheddar.
  • Top it off: You can use crushed crackers or any other crispy bread option for your topping in place of panko.
  • Gluten-free: I haven’t tested this, but I am confident you can make this with gluten-free pasta, 1-to-1 flour and either leave off the topping or use gluten free breadcrumbs.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese

Cheese and breadcrumbs in a bowl.Pin

Step 1: Mix topping and set aside.

Noodles draining in a strainer.Pin

Step 2: Cook and drain noodles according to package directions.

A roux in a pot.Pin

Step 3: Make the roux.

Cheese sauce in a pot.Pin

Step 4: Slowly whisk in milk, then cheese to melt.

Macaroni and cheese in a pot.Pin

Step 5: Stir noodles into cheese sauce.

Macaroni and cheese in a baking dish.Pin

Step 6: Pour macaroni into baking dish.

Baked macaroni and cheese.Pin

Step 7: Add topping then bake to perfection.

Recipe Video

Tips and Tricks

  • Shred Your Own Cheese: Always, always grate your own cheese. If you’ve ever wondered why your cheese sauce it’s grainy, it’s likely the anti-caking additives in pre-shredded cheese.
  • Whisk constantly: Add your milk slowly while whisking constantly, to ensure your roux is completely incorporated.
  • Experiment with Add-Ins: Add frozen peas or corn right into the macaroni in the pot before adding to the baking dish if you want to add some extra nutrients to this dish.
  • Low Heat: Add your cheese over low heat (or off the heat) so that the cheese melts evenly and smoothly.
Old-fashioned macaroni and cheese in serving dish.Pin

FAQs

Can I make baked macaroni and cheese ahead of time?

I recommend assembling the entire dish in the dish you are using for baking, then letting cool to room temp. Pop that in the fridge, covered, without baking, for a few hours or overnight. Then let it rest on the counter to warm up some while the oven preheats and then bake. You may need to add just a couple minutes to the cook time for the center to heat through.

What other toppings can I use?

I love the crunchy topping as a contrast to the creamy noodles. If your kids will turn their noses up, go ahead and leave it off. You could also put it on only half of the dish to give people a choice for their serving. Besides breadcrumbs you could try crushed crackers or even tortilla chips.

How do I store baked macaroni and cheese?

Leftovers are great in the fridge for 3 days, covered in an airtight container. You can reheat gently on the stove with more milk if you prefer it creamy. You could also reheat in the oven, but keep in mind it will have a drier texture. I also have had kids that enjoy eating it while still cold!

More Kid-Friendly Pasta Recipes

Having a good classic macaroni and cheese recipe in your back pocket is always a win. Everyone from kids to adults will love this old-fashioned mac and cheese! I’d love to know what you think of it — leave a comment and rating below!

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Pin

Old-Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese

If you're looking for a side dish that is classic and perfect for a special occasion, look no further than this Old-Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese recipe!
5 from 1 vote
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients  

Topping:

Mac and Cheese

Instructions 

  • Place the topping ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
  • Preheat oven to 400° F.
  • Cook pasta in salted water* for about 3 minutes less than package directions call for, until al dente, reserving half a cup of the pasta water.
  • In a large pot melt the butter and then add the flour, whisking continuously over low-medium heat for 2-3 minutes to make a roux.
  • Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until sauce is gently bubbling and starting to thicken.
  • Add reserved pasta water and cheddar cheese and whisk until melted.
  • Stir in the pasta.
  • Transfer to a greased 9"x13" baking dish.**
  • Sprinkle topping on macaroni and cheese.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until top is golden and bubbling.

Notes

  • * Use about 2 Tbsp of kosher salt for 4 quarts of water.
  • ** If making ahead, mixture can be cooled after this step to room temperature, covered and then refrigerated for up to a day.

Nutrition

Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 590mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g
Did you make this recipe?Mention @Weelicious or tag #weelicious!

About the Author

Catherine is a mama of three. A Kentucky girl living in California. Here’s what I know: all kids can be great eaters and mealtime must be easy. I create simple, healthy recipes the whole family will love.

Comments

  1. How many ounces in 2 cups of cheese? I don’t buy pre-grated and can’t get a clear answer from my online searches. One 8 oz package fills up 4 cup, unless I press it down really hard, then it fills about 2.

  2. The frozen peas, just defrost them. Don’t need to cook them first! You can put the frozen peas in hot water for about five minutes to defrost! Check out this recipe where I added spinach, broccoli and peas: https://weelicious.com/green-mac-and-cheese/
    Even if you’re splitting this into two dishes, you’ll still cook it for about 20 minutes! The baking in the oven is just to get everything all melted, hot and golden brown!

  3. If I wanted to split this up into two baking dishes (one i will freeze for later) how should I adjust cooking time? Also, if I want to add frozen peas, should i cook before adding? thanks so much! cant wait to try!

  4. I made this last night and it turned out better than I even expected! Constant wisking is certainly key to getting that cheese sauce creamy smooth. Instead of using Panko bread crumbs, I took original Ruffle Chips and crushed them up super small mixed with the recommended cheese. Delish! Next time I anticipate adding in sausage or a can of tuna. Great recipe!

  5. Made this last night it was DELICIOUS!! The only change we made was add tuna, at my son’s request. First time, no leftovers 😀

  6. It is egg free! If it is a severe allergy, just make sure to use pasta that isn’t made with eggs!

  7. I was hoping to make a big batch of this for a friend who’s going back to work, but her kids have an egg allergy. Would this recipe be considered egg-free?

  8. When you cooked the sauce on the stove did you whisk continuously? And add the milk slowly while whisking? Those steps are to ensure that the flour and cheese don’t clump up and the sauce turns out smooth. The sauce should be smooth before mixing it with the pasta. 🙂

  9. When I took mine out of the oven, the cheese sauce was kind of clumpy. Where did I go wrong? I’m sure it was my fault 🙂 I use sharp cheddar and grated it myself. The kids still ate it (thankfully), but I wasn’t a big fan with all the clumps. Thanks for the advice!

  10. I made this and my husband loved it – he is the mac and cheese fan in our house. I made it diabetic friendly for him by using whole wheat panko and the Barilla “yellow box” pasta. Also, this is more of a weekend recipe – takes a bit long for a weeknight.

  11. You can use table salt for boiling pasta water! I prefer the flavor and texture of kosher salt and always have it on hand so it is my preferred salt in cooking.

  12. Oh what a bummer! Putting it lower in the oven might help the top not brown too quickly. You could also cover it with foil for the first 20 minutes, remove the cover and let the topping brown for the final 10-20 minutes. How long did you cook your pasta before adding it to all the other ingredients? It should be al dente, which means it has just a little bite to it, firm but not hard, and then it will continue cooking in the oven. I hope you’ll try again and I hope it works out better for you!

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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