Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese (Southern Plate Favorite)

This oven-baked mac and cheese recipe is a favorite among Southern Plate readers and it’s easy to see why. You need just a short list of ingredients to make this easy baked macaroni and cheese dish the whole family will love.

It’s just about a requirement that all Americans love classic baked macaroni and cheese in some form and at some time in their lives, I’m no different. Growing up, my mother made a creamy homemade mac and cheese with a sauce that was smooth as silk and permeated every particle of perfectly cooked macaroni. It was my brother’s favorite comfort food, so she usually made it every Sunday.

As a teen, we all became well acquainted with the boxed stuff, thrilling over the marvel and convenience of the powdery sauce which combined with milk to deliver the ideal after-school snack for three busy young people on the go.

After I had my own kids, however, I quickly learned why my mother seldom ate mac and cheese. My kids loved it so much that I got burned out just from stirring those countless pots of pasta.

Then a few years ago I realized something – I missed my mac and cheese. I needed to reacquaint myself with it. While my mother’s mac and cheese is to die for, I longed for a stringy, cheesy, casserole, version in my adult years. Something as far from the boxed stuff as I could get without introducing things my children would consider “weird”.

That’s when this oven-baked mac and cheese recipe was born. It’s super simple and easy to make. All you need is 5 ingredients (well six or seven if you count the salt and pepper 🙂 and after about an hour and your macaroni and cheese will be ready. Let’s begin!

Recipe Ingredients

• Cheddar cheese
• Plain flour
• Macaroni pasta
• Butter
• Milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Simple ingredients = an amazing oven-baked mac and cheese recipe!

How to Make Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese

Everything I’ve ever wanted in oven-baked mac and cheese is pictured right there! 

A lot of people view this as a side dish but I confess, it’s been the entire meal on more than one occasion.

At this point, my son came in and said “Ma, when is the macaroni and cheese gonna be done?”.

I showed him this and his eyes got “big as dollars” as my grandmother would say!

Oh to be a kid again :).

Storage

Store mac and cheese leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave.

Recipe Notes

• You can definitely make this oven-baked mac and cheese recipe your own. Here are some ideas:
  • Add shredded chicken or cooked bacon.
  • Need some vegetables? Add sautéed onion and finely chopped bell pepper.
  • Add the dried herbs of your choice, such as onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika for heat.
• As I said, I totally serve this as a main dish and my family doesn’t complain! But if you serve it as a side dish, it goes great with Southern favorites like fried chicken and pulled pork.
• Need to top your Southern baked mac and cheese with a crumbly topping? Sprinkle on some panko breadcrumbs and you’re good to go!
• You can use any grated cheese you like (just not pre-shredded cheese!). I like sharp cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese combined.

You may also like these recipes:

Baked Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Mama’s Mac and Cheese

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

One-Pot No Drain Mac and Cheese

Macaroni Salad