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The BEST Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe: Creamy, Cheesy, and Irresistible
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This recipe draws inspiration from the beloved cheese company, Beecher’s Mac and Cheese, known for its ultra-creamy texture and bold flavor. For an easy meal my aunt loves baking a pan of their premade mac and cheese topped with Ritz crackers crumbled over the top so I figured why not make it from scratch?
If you’re looking for the BEST baked mac and cheese, look no further! Each noodle of penne pasta is coated in a luscious, homemade cheese sauce made with a combination of aged sharp Cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack, then topped with buttery crushed Ritz cracker crumbs for an irresistible golden crust. The stovetop-to-oven method guarantees a velvety sauce and a perfectly crisp, cheesy finish. The balance of creamy, cheesy, and crunchy textures makes this mac and cheese a standout dish—comforting, indulgent, and sure to win over any crowd!
The BEST Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe: Creamy, Cheesy, and Irresistible
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Pasta – I use penne pasta in this recipe though another shape like shells or macaroni can also be used. I recommend cooking the pasta until just al dente, about 2 minutes less than the box instructions so it doesn’t overcook when the mac and cheese is baked.
- Béchamel – Béchamel sauce is made from a roux base. Flour is cooked in butter to reduce the flavor of the flour in the sauce. It’s then simmered with whole milk to make a thick, creamy sauce as the base of this mac and cheese recipe. Once the cheese has been incorporated into the sauce, it becomes a mornay sauce.
- Milk – Whole milk will result in the creamiest mac and cheese. I make the sauce on the creamier side so that as it bakes and the noodles absorb some of the sauce so it doesn’t become dry.
- Cheddar cheese – I prefer to use sharp Cheddar when cooking. If you use mild or medium Cheddar, the flavor will cook out and the recipe will be lacking in that cheesy flavor.
- Monterey Jack cheese – Monterey Jack is a semi-hard, white cow’s milk cheese. It has a mild flavor and melts well.
- Cracker crumbs – This recipe has been tested using Ritz crackers. Using Ritz crackers instead of plain bread crumbs creates a rich, buttery flavor in the topping that it truly unmatched.
- Seasoning – The mac and cheese is seasoned with a subtle combination of garlic powder and chili powder.
How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese
Step 1: Par-boil pasta.
Heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook until just al dente, 6 minutes. Drain the pasta and set the cooked noodles aside.
Step 2: Make roux.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and allow to melt, then whisk in the flour, continuing to stir until pale brown, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer.
Step 3: Make mornay sauce.
Continue to simmer over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.
Whisk in the cheddar cheese and the Monterey Jack cheese until the mixture becomes smooth.
Step 4: Coat pasta in cheese sauce.
Add the cooked pasta to the cheese mixture and stir until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Add to a baking dish or large cast iron pan.
Step 5: Make cracker topping.
Melt the remaining butter. In a small bowl stir together the Ritz cracker breadcrumbs and butter until combined.
Step 6: Bake.
Sprinkle the top of the macaroni and cheese mixture with the crumbled cracker topping and bake until the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Swaps and substitutions
- For a twist, stir in crumbled cooked bacon, caramelized onions, roasted vegetables or a combination of other cheeses.
- If not using Ritz crackers for the topping, use panko breadcrumbs tossed in butter.
Top tips for the best mac and cheese
- Don’t overcook your noodles. Cooking the pasta until just al dente ensures it doesn’t overcook during the second bake in the pan.
- Sauce & more sauce. You don’t want your sauce to be too thick – a creamy sauce will absorb slightly into the noodles without becoming dry.
- Extra cheese. It’s all about layers! I toss the pasta in the béchamel sauce so each noddle is coated, then I top it with extra cheese before baking it.
- Don’t skip the topping. The crunchy topping elevates the mac and cheese.
- Don’t over-bake. Bake just until the additional cheese is melted and the crackers are golden brown. Over-baking the mac and cheese can dry out the dish, so keep an eye on it.
How to prep this mac and cheese in advance
Assemble your mac and cheese ahead of time and store it covered in the fridge up to 2 days before baking. Let it sit out for about 30 minutes before baking to ensure even cooking. Add the cracker topping just before baking to keep it crunchy. Bake according to the directions below.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this mac and cheese recipe, give these a try:
The BEST Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe: Creamy, Cheesy, and Irresistible
Rate this Recipe
Ingredients:
- ½ pound penne pasta
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 2 cups shredded aged sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup crumbled Ritz crackers (or another buttery snack cracker)
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook until just al dente, 6 minutes. Drain the pasta and set the cooked noodles aside.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons (43g) of the butter and allow to melt, then whisk in the flour, continuing to stir until pale brown, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Whisk in the Cheddar cheese and the Monterey Jack cheese until the mixture becomes smooth.
- Add the cooked pasta to the cheese mixture and stir until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Add to a baking dish or large cast iron pan.
- Melt the remaining butter. In a small bowl stir together the Ritz cracker breadcrumbs and butter until combined.
- Sprinkle the top of the macaroni and cheese mixture with remaining cheese and crumbled cracker topping and bake until the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutrition:
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I love to try mac and cheese recipes and this is one of the best I have ever tried!!!
So happy to hear it! Thank you for sharing!!
Mac and cheese – always a winner – this recipe is the best of the best!