5.0 from 12 votes
Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
This easy baked macaroni and cheese combines cheese, butter, and a creamy bechamel sauce all baked together in one delicious side dish!
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 494 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- ½ lb Uncooked Macaroni Noodles about 3 cups cooked
- 4 TBS butter 1 TBS cut into small cubes
- 4 TBS flour
- ¾ tsp salt divided
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups milk
- 5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ tsp garlic salt
Instructions
- Cook macaroni according to package directions.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- While macaroni cooks, melt four tablespoons butter in a large pan over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to low and add the flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper to pan. Constantly whisk the mixture for one minute.
- Increase the heat to medium heat then add milk slowly and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Whisk constantly until the milk thickens, 3-5 minutes.
- Once milk has thickened, add in two cups of cheddar cheese and whisk until the cheese has melted. Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
- Toss cooked macaroni with the bechamel sauce.
- Place half the coated macaroni (about 1 1/2 cups) on the bottom of a square 9x9 baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt. Top with 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese.
- Add the other half of the macaroni on top then the final 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese and sprinkle with the final 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt.
- Add cubed butter on top of the cheese layer and cover with foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes covered with foil. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until top is beginning to brown.
- Serve warm
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Stir the bechamel sauce constantly while you’re cooking it. You don’t want any part of it to burn or brown or it’ll change the flavor of the sauce.
- Cook the macaroni to al dente since they’ll get cooked a bit more in the oven and you don’t want them to end up totally mushy.
- Double the recipe by simply doubling the ingredients and baking it in a 9×13 casserole dish instead. This is a great meal for a crowd, a party, or a holiday feast!
- Up the salt in the recipe by 1/2 tsp if you like your macaroni and cheese a bit salty. We like to salt to taste since my husband and I have different salt preferences – if you like a bit more salty, go for 1 1/4 tsp salt instead.
Nutrition Information
Calories
494kcal
(25%)
Carbohydrates
29g
(10%)
Protein
23g
(46%)
Fat
32g
(49%)
Saturated Fat
18g
(90%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
7g
Trans Fat
0.2g
Cholesterol
93mg
(31%)
Sodium
895mg
(37%)
Potassium
216mg
(6%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
982IU
(20%)
Calcium
583mg
(58%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 494
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 494kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 29g | 10% |
| Protein | 23g | 46% |
| Fat | 32g | 49% |
| Saturated Fat | 18g | 90% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 93mg | 31% |
| Sodium | 895mg | 37% |
| Potassium | 216mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 982IU | 20% |
| Calcium | 583mg | 58% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.