Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese
This old fashioned baked mac and cheese is tender elbow macaroni in a creamy three cheese sauce with nutty Gruyere, baked under a buttery Ritz cracker crust. It belongs on the Thanksgiving table or next to a Sunday supper. Assemble it the day before and bake it when you’re ready. It takes 1 hour 15 minutes and serves 12.
My son and I have a running joke that all started with a pizza that had five cheeses. Moving forward, anything with cheese has to have five cheeses or it’s not worth eating.
So of course I tried to fit five into this one. It was too much. (Even for us.)
I settled on three. Sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack and Gruyere. Two short of the house rule, and neither of us has complained once.
If you need more mac and cheese in your life, I’ve got a few more right below.
More Mac and Cheese Recipes
- Chick Fil A Mac and Cheese – a copycat with a cheddar, Parmesan and American cheese blend
- Cheesecake Factory Mac and Cheese – four cheeses with gouda and a buttery breadcrumb topping
- Velveeta Taco Mac and Cheese – ground beef, shells, Rotel and taco seasoning in one pot
- Fried Mac and Cheese Balls – leftover mac and cheese rolled in panko and fried crispy
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Ingredient Notes
Elbow Macaroni – Any short pasta works. Gluten free pasta works too. Just read your labels.
Half and Half – Out of it? Use equal parts whole milk and heavy cream.
Lawry’s Seasoning – If your store doesn’t have it, Cajun seasoning works instead.
The Cheese – Sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack and Gruyere. Shred your own. For the cheddar, extra sharp, medium, mild or American all work. Pepper jack or Velveeta can stand in for the Jack. Swiss can stand in for the Gruyere.
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How To Make Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large skillet or saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter fully over low to medium heat. When it’s fully melted, add the flour and mix until thick.
- Pour in the milk and half and half and mix until everything is combined and smooth. Add all of the seasonings and mix well. Cover and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the cheeses one cup at a time. Let each cup mostly melt into the sauce before adding the next. Once all the cheese is in, stir until the sauce is fully combined and smooth.
- Pour half the cheese sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
- Spread the cooked macaroni evenly over the sauce. Top with the rest of the sauce.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter with the crushed Ritz crackers using a fork. Sprinkle the topping over the mac and cheese and bake for 30 minutes. Let it cool slightly before serving.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
What To Serve With Baked Mac and Cheese
It’s Southern comfort food, so I put it next to fried chicken, pork chops or meatloaf.
Skipping the meat? Make it the main dish with collard greens or roasted broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
How To Store, Make Ahead and Reheat Baked Mac and Cheese
Make Ahead: Assemble it the day before, cover it and put it in the fridge. Leave the Ritz topping off until baking day and keep it covered at room temperature. When you’re ready, take the dish out of the fridge and let it sit for 15 minutes to take the chill off. Add the topping and bake. If it’s still cold in the middle, it might need 40 to 45 minutes. Cover it with foil if the top gets too brown.
Leftovers: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm it in the oven at 350 F covered with foil, until heated through. Add a little more topping if you like. Or microwave it in 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until it’s hot all the way through.
Baked Mac and Cheese Variations
Extra Kick – Add a pinch of cayenne or some mustard powder to the sauce with the other seasonings. Swap pepper jack in for the Monterey Jack if you want more heat.
Different Crunch – No Ritz? Bread crumbs or corn flakes work for the topping.
Frequently Asked Questions
I can’t speak for the very first one ever made. To me, old fashioned means this. A butter and flour sauce with milk, half and half and real shredded cheese, layered with elbow macaroni and baked until the top is crunchy. No box, no powder packet.
Shred your own cheese and add it one cup at a time, letting each cup mostly melt before the next. That’s how you get a smooth sauce instead of a grainy one. And don’t overcook the pasta, since it bakes for another 30 minutes.
My three are sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack and Gruyere. Cheddar brings the sharp flavor, Jack melts smooth and Gruyere adds a nutty, grown up taste. (My son would tell you there should be five. We’ve been over this.)
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded has a powdery coating that makes the sauce grainy.
- Salt the pasta water (about a teaspoon) and cook the macaroni 1 to 2 minutes less than the package says.
- Be patient with the cheese. One cup at a time, and let each one mostly melt before the next.
- Keep an eye on the top. If it’s browning before the middle is hot, lay a piece of foil over it.
More Old Fashioned Pasta Sides
- Macaroni and Tomatoes – elbow pasta and stewed tomatoes cooked in bacon fat
- Cafeteria Noodles – buttery egg noodles simmered in chicken broth
- Southern Macaroni Salad – eggs, veggies and a creamy dressing for the BBQ table
- 3 Ingredient Macaroni Salad – pasta, a bag of veggies and Italian dressing
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Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni cooked al dente
- 11 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, divided
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups half and half
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Lawry’s seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 cups Monterey jack cheese shredded
- 2 cups gruyere cheese shredded
- ½ cup Ritz crackers crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large skillet or saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter fully over low-medium heat. When fully melted, add in flour and mix until thick.
- Pour in milk and half and half and mix until all ingredients are fully combined and smooth.
- Add in all of the seasonings and mix well. Cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- When done, add in the cheeses, one cup at a time. Allow each cup of cheese to mostly melt into the sauce before adding in the next.
- When all of your cheese is combined, be sure to stir the sauce until its fully combined and smooth.
- Pour half of your cheese sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
- Add the macaroni on top of the sauce evenly dispersed into the pan.
- Top with the remaining sauce.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and crushed ritz crackers. Combine well using a fork.
- Sprinkle the topping mixture over top of the mac and cheese and bake for 30 minutes. When done, allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Make ahead: Assemble, cover and refrigerate the day before. Keep the cracker topping separate. Let it sit out 15 minutes, add the topping and bake. Allow 40 to 45 minutes if it’s still cold.
- Leftovers: Airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat covered with foil in the oven, or microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring.
- Cheese: Shred it yourself for the smoothest sauce.
- Pasta: Cook 1 to 2 minutes under the package time in salted water.
- Swaps: Pepper jack or Velveeta for the Jack. Swiss for the Gruyere. Bread crumbs or corn flakes for the Ritz. Cajun seasoning for the Lawry’s.
Nutrition
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