This particular macaroni and cheese recipe has a special trick: baking it! No whisking a roux, no worrying about burning the milk… there’s basically zero elbow grease required for this decadent and indulgent family-friend dinner. Just put everything into the baking dish, kick your feet up, grab a glass of wine, and let your oven do all the work!
The only part that was a little tedious was cubing the cheese. I bet you can buy it pre-cubed or even have the deli do it for you, if you want to officially make this your easiest dinner in the rotation. If you’re one of those people who is always prepared, you can do the cubing ahead of time!
Of course this baked macaroni and cheese is the perfect side dish, but let’s be honest — the appropriate serving size is an entire plate full. If you add a salad on the side you can even eat it guilt free! That’s how diets work, right? Nevermind, I don’t want to know. 🙂
In our house, macaroni and cheese is a crowd favorite among both children and adults. As the recipe is listed below, it’s pretty spicy. If you’d like to make it more kid friendly or for anyone who is spice averse, simply exchange the Pepper Jack for Monterey Jack cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz box elbow pasta cooked until almost al dente
- 8 ounces Cheddar 1/2 cubed, 1/2 shredded
- 8 ounces Colby cheese cubed
- 8 ounces Monterey pepper jack cheese cubed (or Monterey jack for non-spicy)
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1/4 cup finely grated onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Toss the macaroni with the cheese cubes and pour into a 2 qt baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients except the shredded cheddar (flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, nutmeg, sour cream, egg, heavy cream, half-and-half and onions).
- Pour over the macaroni/cheese mixture and cover with the shredded cheddar.
- Bake uncovered 30-35 minutes (until the cheese on top is just beginning to brown).
Notes
inspired by Sunny Anderson
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz box elbow pasta cooked until almost al dente
- 8 ounces Cheddar 1/2 cubed, 1/2 shredded
- 8 ounces Colby cheese cubed
- 8 ounces Monterey pepper jack cheese cubed (or Monterey jack for non-spicy)
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1/4 cup finely grated onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Toss the macaroni with the cheese cubes and pour into a 2 qt baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients except the shredded cheddar (flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, nutmeg, sour cream, egg, heavy cream, half-and-half and onions).
- Pour over the macaroni/cheese mixture and cover with the shredded cheddar.
- Bake uncovered 30-35 minutes (until the cheese on top is just beginning to brown).