The traditional mac and cheese got updated with three types of cheese, some spice, and a golden top. You can have it ready in 45 minutes. Delicious and super easy!
Let's go straight to this easy recipe for baked mac and cheese. Or is it stovetop? It's both.
Comfort food that is fast and simple is the best. Mac and cheese are the best. And this recipe takes 45 minutes at the most to be served. So it can even be a last-minute addition to your holiday table.
I came back with a few food memories from my two-year stay in California when I was young enough to go to middle school, a fact I shared with you when I recreated smitten kitchen’s recipe for homemade wheat thins.
The box with the orange mac and cheese was something I looked forward to.
And then there was the non-cooking mother situation, a fact hard to overlook, which led to boxed and frozen everything whenever she could. And besides, I had nothing to compare to; the box of mac and cheese tasted amazing since it was my only shot at eating it. I was 13.
How to make mac and cheese
- Cook pasta al dente in salted water. Drain
- Grate or chop cheeses and mix with other ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add pasta and bake until golden and crunchy on top.
- Eat and enjoy!
Anyway, the easy in the title is for real, since sour cream is involved, and that makes it creamy without trying.
What cheeses can you use
Sharp cheese is absolutely necessary unless you want bland thrown into the equation.
I use blue cheese because, well, I worship it, it’s one of my favorite flavors – skillet blue cheese burgers, my mother’s legendary leftover pasta frittata, or the amazing pumpkin ricotta gnocchi.
Broiling this pasta bake
What is mandatory is the au gratin part, fancy words for broiling it in the upper part of the over.
Because, my friends, mac and cheese with no crunchy part on the top is just not worth it. Said by the person who fought over orange macaroni and cheese with no crunch whatsoever.
That was then, this is now. I turned 46 a week ago, at least I can say my palate evolved.
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Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
The traditional mac and cheese got updated with three types of cheese, some spice, and a golden top. You can have it ready in under 45 minutes!
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ cup shredded sharp parmesan or asiago cheese + ¼ cup for topping
- ½ cup cubed mozzarella cheese + ¼ cup for topping
- ½ cup crumbled mild blue cheese
- 1 cup elbow macaroni (cooked and drained)
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Dash of sriracha sauce or chili powder or whatever hot you like
- Large pinch of fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Have ready to medium individual oven ramekins.
- Mix sour cream, milk, ½ cup parmesan, ½ cup mozzarella, blue cheese and onion in a bowl.
- Add cooked macaroni, season with salt, pepper, thyme, sriracha and mix well.
- Top with the rest of parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, dividing evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes, and lastly broil for 5 minutes, being careful not to burn it.
- Eat immediately.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: baked mac cheese
adapted from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
Styleer says
Baking to me is like painting. I firmly believe a baker is an artist too! Baking is a medium of self-expression. The act of mixing the ingredients is an art and so is the act of presenting.
★★★★★
Daria says
Easy and tasty recipe, especially if you love cheese. I love it.
Cher Rockwell says
So so happy to see you back.