Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Name: Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients: 16 oz elbow macaroni; 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 3 cups whole milk; 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded; 1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper, ground; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

A rich and creamy Southern style baked macaroni and cheese topped with a golden layer of melted cheese. Tender elbow pasta is folded into a smooth handmade cheddar sauce and baked until bubbling.

40 minMediumServes 6520 cal/serving

Southern AmericanDinnerStovetop and OvenVegetarianNut-FreeEgg-FreeSoy-FreeShellfish-FreeAlcohol-FreeSesame-FreePork-FreeCorn-Free

Ingredients

16 oz elbow macaroni
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, ground
1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

1

Boil 16 oz elbow macaroni in salted water until al dente, then drain.
2

Melt 1/4 cup cubed unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute.
3

Gradually whisk in 3 cups whole milk, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, cooking until thickened.
4

Remove sauce from heat and stir in two-thirds of the 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese until smooth.
5

Combine sauce with elbow macaroni, pour into a baking dish, top with remaining sharp cheddar cheese and gruyere cheese, and bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes until bubbly.

Questions

Can I make Baked Macaroni and Cheese dairy-free?

Not cleanly. Here the dairy (1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed, 3 cups whole milk, 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, 1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded) is the backbone of the dish, and plant-based substitutes change both its texture and its flavor. If you need strictly dairy-free, start from the dairy-free dinner collection instead.

Can I make Baked Macaroni and Cheese gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 16 oz elbow macaroni, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. Swap the pasta for a gluten-free one, cooked a minute short of its package time; the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

How long does Baked Macaroni and Cheese keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat covered in a 300 F oven until warmed through.

Can I halve or double Baked Macaroni and Cheese?

Yes. As written it serves 6. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

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