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Best Southern Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
How do you keep mac and cheese creamy?
Secret #1: Overcook your macaroni
Secret #2: Mascarpone
Secret #3: Coat your macaroni in butter
Not-So-Secret #4: Freshly Grated Cheese
What are the 3 best cheeses for mac and cheese?
What milk is best for mac and cheese?
Southern Baked Mac and Cheese Ingredients
Check the recipe card below for the full ingredient measurements and instructions, but here's a quick look at the simple ingredients you'll need to make this delicious baked mac and cheese!
How do you make southern mac and cheese from scratch?
Equipment
Baked Mac and Cheese Tips and F.A.Q.
More Holiday Recipes You'll Love
If you try this recipe, I would love it if you could leave a star review rating and comment below! It’s so wonderful hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to share your creations with me by tagging @chenee_today on Instagram!
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Creamy southern baked macaroni and cheese recipe with a secret ingredient is always one of my most popular recipes! This is the best southern baked mac and cheese recipe, the ultimate comfort food for Sunday dinner or a holiday celebration! You'll love this old fashioned mac and cheese with evaporated milk!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 463kcal
Equipment you may need
- 3-quart casserole dish
- cheese grater
Ingredients
- 8 oz. (227 g) elbow macaroni - about half a 16-oz. box
- 2 tablespoon (30 ml) salted butter - plus more for baking dish
- 1 large egg - beaten
- 1 13 oz. can evaporated milk
- 1½ cup (366 g) whole milk
- 8 oz (227 g) extra-sharp white cheddar cheese - good quality
- 8 oz (227 g) mild cheddar cheese - or another mild cheese like monterey jack, fontina, or gouda
- 8 oz (227 g) mascarpone cheese - room temperature
- 1½ tsp. (9 g) salt - or to taste (taste mixture before adding egg)
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cajun or creole seasoning
- ½ teaspoon (2 ml) dry mustard powder - or 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon (1 ml) ground nutmeg
- fresh cracked pepper - for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 3-quart casserole dish or 9x13 pan with butter or spray with cooking spray.
- Cook macaroni according to package directions, adding 2 minutes to the maximum time listed on the package. Drain; stir butter into macaroni until butter is melted.8 oz. elbow macaroni, 2 tablespoon salted butter
- While macaroni is boiling, shred both cheese blocks using a box grater. Combine shredded cheese until evenly mix, then set aside about half of shredded cheese mixture for later.8 oz extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, 8 oz mild cheddar cheese
- In a large bowl, whisk together mascarpone and evaporated milk until smooth (there may still be some lumps, which are okay).8 oz mascarpone cheese, 1 13 oz. can evaporated milk
- Mix in the whole milk, followed by the salt, creole seasoning, mustard powder, and nutmeg. Stir in half of the shredded cheese mixture.1½ cup whole milk, 1½ tsp. salt, 1 teaspoon cajun or creole seasoning, ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Taste mixture to see if seasonings are to your preference and adjust if necessary. Stir in beaten egg.1 large egg
- Add buttered macaroni to milk/cheese mixture and stir to combine. Pour the whole mixture into your prepared casserole dish.8 oz. elbow macaroni, 2 tablespoon salted butter
- Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese evenly over the top, followed by some fresh cracked pepper, if you like.fresh cracked pepper
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and filling is bubbling. If you prefer a browner top, place it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes watching carefully so it doesn't burn. Cool slightly before serving.
Video
Notes
Make-ahead instructions: You can prepare this baked mac and cheese the night before and bake the following day! Just complete all the steps except the last one (baking), and place in the fridge covered with plastic wrap. The next day, bake in preheated oven as normal, although you may need to add 5-10 minutes to the cook time.
Freezing: This soul food baked mac and cheese freezes very well! Just cool the mac and cheese completely, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw, still wrapped, in the fridge before baking as usual.
Updated time/temp: I make this recipe many times a year, and this year I experimented a bit with the temperature. And I found that baking the mac and cheese at a higher temperature for a shorter amount of time produced an even better texture! So the recipe card has been updated to reflect that change.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 463 kcal | Carbohydrates: 28 g | Protein: 24 g | Fat: 28 g | Saturated Fat: 17 g | Cholesterol: 107 mg | Sodium: 872 mg | Potassium: 435 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 12 g | Calcium: 628 mg | Iron: 1 mg
Nutrition Disclaimer
Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can't wait to see (and share) your results! Follow me on Instagram at @chenee_today and tag #cheneetoday!
Last Updated on August 24, 2024 by Chenée Lewis
Kim says
Nothing better than homemade southern style baked mac and cheese. The ultimate in comfort food!
Chenée Lewis says
You got that right!
Dawn says
This looks amazing! Would it be good if you subbed velveeta for the mild cheese?
Chenée Lewis says
I've never made it with velveeta, so I can't be sure, but it's definitely worth a try! 🙂
Diana Goldstein says
I’ve made this many times now & just want to say thank you for this recipe! It’s delicious & our family favorite. I love how you wrote out the recipe, you made it so easy to follow.
Chenée Lewis says
Aww thank you so much for your feedback! This is our family favorite too 🙂
Keirsten Crawford says
This is the new family favorite. Made it for Thanksgiving for the first and absolutely wowed the whole family- even Grandma!
Chenée Lewis says
Yay! Thanks so much for the feedback!
Hannah says
I made this today and it came out beautiful! It was also my first time making baked mac and cheese. I prefer the mac and cheese WITHOUT Velveeta but my husband thinks you can’t have mac and cheese without including Velveeta. He seen the looseness of the mac and cheese before it went in the oven and got worried. Trust the process! However, i baked mines for an additional 10 minutes and then 5 minutes at 400 degrees. The oil was excessive for my taste so I blotted thoroughly. I also added 1/2 teaspoon paprika and upped the recipe seasonings by a 1/4 teaspoon. I used sharp cheddar in place of the mild. I think next time I will experiment with different cheeses and see what flavor combinations I can come up with. Great recipe that I’m taking to the holidays!
Chenée Lewis says
I'm so glad you liked the recipe and that your adjustments worked out well!
Steven Slater says
I liked trying this recipe as when I make mac and cheese it never comes out the way I like it.When I made it it didn't have the real sharp cheesy taste I was looking for.Probably my choice of cheeses I selected.I will make this again,just change the kind of cheese I select.
Chenée Lewis says
Hi Steven! So glad you liked it, and yes I think if next time you go with an extra-sharp aged cheddar for at least one of your cheeses it'll give it that sharper flavor 🙂
Tammy says
I used different cheeses ..but this is an awesome Mac n cheese recipe! Thank you for sharing!!!
Chenée Lewis says
I'm so glad you liked it! 🙂
Pauletta says
Best mac n cheese ever !!!!
Chenée Lewis says
Thank you!! Glad you like it!
Mary Jones Boykin says
Excellent!
Chenée Lewis says
Thank you so much! 🙂
Dana Sandonato says
Nothing beats a wonderfully creamy homemade mac and cheese! This one truly screams for the South. I lived in the South for 7 years and had my share—this one is the real deal!
Chenée Lewis says
Thank you so much!!
Cynthia Hopk says
At last! The absolute best mac & cheese recipe on the planet. Your tips for the noodles made all the difference for me. Not to mention the perfect combination of cheese and so easy to make. I never have to search any further for the cheesy goodness I crave. Thank you so much! I subscribed so I can try more of your recipes.
Chenée Lewis says
I'm so happy to hear that you liked the mac and cheese Cynthia! I made this recipe again for Easter and we love it so much! Glad you do too!
Casey says
This really looks amazing! I love a good homemade mac and cheese recipe - the cheesier the better!
Kim says
This was super cheesy - all the cheesy flavors complemented each other perfectly! I'll be making this one again.
Chenée Lewis says
Wonderful! So glad you liked it!
Tiffany says
This is a great side dish to bring to a gathering! I always have an empty dish to take home! Thanks
Chenée Lewis says
Yayy! That's great to hear!!
Bethany says
I should have read the reviews before I made this, and I also should have followed my gut which was telling me that 8 ounces of pasta was not nearly enough for that amount of milk. I followed the directions exactly and ended up with a weirdly curdled mac and cheese soup. It was so soupy that when I poured it into the 9x13 and then put the sprinkled cheese on top, it just fell into the milk mixture and I ended up with no cheese crust. I hate wasting food (and it was a lot of money because I bought all the ingredients fresh for this) so I boiled some more macaroni and quickly stirred that in and stuck it back under the broiler, so it was at least edible. I'm just glad I wasn't making this for company because it would have been super embarrassing. But the pictures in the post look so amazing so I gave it a try.
Chenée Lewis says
I'm not sure what could have happened -- I've made this recipe exactly for years with no issues, and haven't hear of anyone having this issue. Did you measure out 8 ounces of pasta before or after boiling it? Because it should be 8 ounces of uncooked pasta, which I imagine, once cooked, would weight much more. That's the only reason I can think of why this might have happened.
Bethany says
Yes, I measured directly from the box, 8.5 ounces on my kitchen scale. And several other reviewers have mentioned that it turned out watery for them too. I did enjoy the combination of cheeses, though, including the mascarpone!
Chenée Lewis says
Hmm I really don't know what it could be then, as this is by far my most tested recipe on the site. So sorry it didn't work out for you.
Ned says
Woah! Talk about comfort food! So yummy! Thank you!
Chenée Lewis says
You're welcome! So glad you liked the recipe!
Terah says
Love this recipe! The extra cook time on the pasta and mascarpone cheese set it apart from other baked recipes. I get so many compliments when I make it for large dinners with guests. Thank you!
Chenée Lewis says
I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you so much!
Teri says
Excellent recipe! I used a 9x9 pan which was the perfect size.
Chenée Lewis says
Fantastic! Glad you liked the recipe!
Anna says
By how much would I need to increase the ingredients to make a full foil pan of this receipt? I’m have a HUGE family gathering and I definitely want to try this out!
Chenée Lewis says
I would say you could double this recipe to fit in a larger foil pan. You can leave the recipe as-is for a 9x13 foil pan.
Zoe says
Okay, maybe I did something wrong?? I made this for Thanksgiving and when it came out of the oven, it was really runny. It did thicken up some after it sat, but I was so disappointed. Also, when we reheated the leftovers, everyone agreed it had a kind of sour flavor to it? I followed the recipe to a T, bought quality ingredients, grated my own cheese, etc. I have no idea why it didn’t turn out.
Chenée Lewis says
I'm not sure why either of those things would have happened -- it may be that you didn't bake it in the oven for long enough, and the sour flavor may come from one of your ingredients maybe being expired? I'm not sure, I've made this recipe many, many times and never had that experience. I hope you'll give it a try again, and I would suggest just leaving it in the oven for an extra 10 minutes or so to make sure that the top is brown and that the filling is bubbling.