Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz. elbow macaroni
- olive oil drizzle
- 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese block
- 8 oz. Gouda cheese block
- 8 oz. Velveeta cheese
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Boil a (salted) pot of water for your elbow macaroni. Once boiling, cook til al dente (one minute less than the box instructions.) When done, drain, and transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat to ensure noodles don’t stick together. Set aside.
- Shred both 8 oz. blocks of cheese and cube 8 oz. of Velveeta cheese. Combine the shredded cheeses but keep the cubed cheese separate.
- Melt butter in a large pot on the stove over medium heat.
- Once melted, add in flour and whisk until thick, golden, and bubbly.
- Gradually, whisk in the heavy cream and milk. Whisk until thickened and bubbles have formed on the surface.
- Once thickened, add in the seasonings - salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika and whisk.
- Add in half of the cubed Velveeta and 1.5 cups of the shredded cheese. Whisk until melted and smooth.
- Add in remaining cubed cheese and another 1.5 cups of shredded cheese. Whisk until melted and smooth.
- Turn heat to low.
- Stir in your cooked elbow macaroni and stir to fully incorporate.
- Pour your macaroni and cheese into a greased baking or casserole dish. I used a 9x13 baking dish.
- Top with remaining shredded cheese, distributing evenly.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until melted and bubbly.
- Once done, turn your oven to broil. Broil for 1-3 minutes, or until the top has formed a nice golden color. Check starting at one minute to ensure it doesn’t burn.
- Remove from oven and enjoy!
Notes
Be sure to use the block cheese and shred yourself as opposed to pre-shredded cheese which doesn’t melt as well.