Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
Southern baked mac and cheese is a classic! You'll love the rich, creamy cheese sauce and the crispy panko topping that browns to perfection in the oven.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 522kcal
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup Swiss cheese shredded
Topping
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package directions, leaving a little bit on the firm side. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat an oven to 375ºF. Coat an 8 x 8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once completely melted, add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until flour is incorporated.
- Turn the heat down to low, then whisk in the milk in a slow, steady stream. Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so it doesn’t scorch.
- Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the cheddar and Swiss cheeses. Once the cheese has melted, gently fold in the cooked noodles. Pour into the greased baking dish.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and melted butter until the breadcrumbs are moistened. Spread evenly over the top of the macaroni and cheese.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sauce starts to bubble around the edge of the dish.
Nutrition
Calories: 522kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 847mg | Potassium: 272mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 821IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 418mg | Iron: 1mg