Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Indulge in the comforting nostalgia of Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese. This crowd-pleasing classic combines tender elbow macaroni with a rich, creamy homemade cheese sauce for a deliciously creamy texture. It's an easy-to-follow recipe that brings back the simple joy of home cooking. Step-by-step photos and tips are included!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword casserole

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 415kcal

Author Wendy Polisi

Ingredients

16 ounces elbow noodles
¼ cup butter
¼ cup all purpose flour
3 ½ cups whole milk
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese divided
4 ounces cubed American cheese
4 ounces grated Swiss cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain.
While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk well. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until it starts to brown.
Add about a half cup of the milk and whisk until incorporated. Add the remaining milk slowly, whisking to combine. Add the salt, mustard powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Cook, whisking often, until the mixture starts to thicken. Reduce the heat to low and add 8 ounces of the cheddar, American cheese, and Swiss cheese. Stir until the cheese melts.
Toss the cooked pasta with the cheese sauce. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
Spray a piece of foil with cooking spray, and place the sprayed side down on top of the casserole dish.
Bake for 30 minutes, and then remove the foil. Cook for another 15 minutes.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

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