Old-Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Name: Old-Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients: 3-1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni; 1/4 cup butter, cubed; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 3/4 teaspoon ground mustard; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; Few dashes hot pepper sauce; 3-1/2 cups whole milk; 5 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided; Optional: Crumbled cooked bacon and coarsely ground pepper

Total Time Prep: 15 min. Bake: 45 min.

Yield 16 servings

Test Kitchen Approved

Classic old-fashioned baked macaroni and cheese comes together with just a little patience and a lot of butter, milk and cheese. Let it bake until bubbly for the most comforting meal ever.

Ingredients

3-1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Few dashes hot pepper sauce
3-1/2 cups whole milk
5 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Optional: Crumbled cooked bacon and coarsely ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook macaroni in boiling water until almost tender; drain. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, mustard, pepper and pepper sauce until smooth. Cook and stir until bubbly, about 1 minute. Stir in cooked macaroni, milk and 4 cups cheese.
Transfer to an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake until bubbly, 45-50 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. If desired, top with bacon and pepper.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 267 calories, 17g fat (10g saturated fat), 48mg cholesterol, 425mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 1g fiber), 12g protein.

Bring back the taste of days gone by with this ooey-gooey classic. A little ground mustard and hot pepper sauce give this old-fashioned baked macaroni and cheese just the right spice. —James Backman, Centralia, Washington

Recipe Creator