Pour half of the pasta in the prepared baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir until fully coated. Slowly add 1/2 of the shredded cheese and continue to stir until completely melted. Remove the sauce from the heat and add salt, pepper and paprika, stir.

The mixture should be able to coat the back of a spoon when dipped. Add the half and half and continue to whisk constantly until smooth.Ĭontinue to heat, whisking frequently until the mixture is nice and thick. Continue to whisk and cook for approximately 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk while continually whisking until incorporated. Once melted add the flour and whisk to combine. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. And the remaining half will be divided and used in the inner layer and for the topping. One half of the cheese will be used for the baked mac and cheese sauce. When the cheese is grated put both varieties in a large bowl and toss to mix.ĭivide the cheese in two even piles. While the noodles are boiling grate the cheese. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven so that the noodles become nice and tender. Set the bowl with the noodles aside.īe sure to cook the pasta one minute less than what the package directions call for al dente consistency. This will help prevent the noodles from sticking to each other while you prepare the cheese sauce. You can drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top of the noodles and toss to coat. Therefore, you want the noodles a little firmer than you would want if you were only boiling them.ĭrain and place the almost cooked noodles in a large mixing bowl. The pasta is going to continue to cook while it is being baked in the oven. Once the water comes to a boil add the pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package instructions for al dente consistency. Set the baking dish aside and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. If you do not have a rectangular 9 x 13 inch baking dish, you could use a 3 quart oval baking dish to cook your mac and cheese.

The first step in making this recipe is to preheat the and grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. And within 20 minutes, you will be enjoying a classic, homemade side dish fit for any occasion! Baked Mac and Cheese INGREDIENTS Then toss it all together, put it in a baking dish and top it with shredded cheese. All it takes is a simple homemade cheese sauce that is prepared in less time than the pasta takes to boil. Homemade baked mac and cheese – the perfect side dish recipe for just about any meal, including holidays!Īnd beyond popular belief, making homemade macaroni and cheese is not difficult to do.

Best cheese for macaroni and cheese