Description

This soul food Southern baked mac and cheese is creamy, cheesy, and never dry. Made with five kinds of cheese, heavy cream, and a custard-base, it bakes into that ooey-gooey texture. The pasta is cooked in chicken broth for extra flavor, then finished in the oven so it stays tender but not mushy.

Ingredients

Scale

1 tbsp butter (for buttering the pan)
16 oz elbow macaroni (uncooked)
10 cups water mixed with chicken broth
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
8 oz colby jack cheese (shredded)
8 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese (shredded)
8 oz American cheese (cubed)
4 oz softened cream cheese
1 cup half and half
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
½ tsp smoked paprika
1–2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp mustard powder
2 large eggs

Instructions

Preheat: Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Butter an 8-by-11 or 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
Boil: Boil macaroni in chicken broth until just under al dente, then drain.
Mix Base: Mix half and half, heavy cream, half of the cheddar cheese, half of the Colby jack cheese, all of the mozzarella cheese, all of the American cheese, and all of the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl.
Season: Add smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, salt, and pepper; stir in the cooked macaroni and eggs until well incorporated.
Transfer: Pour the macaroni mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly.
Top: Top generously with the remaining cheddar cheese and colby jack cheese, and a sprinkle of smoked paprika if desired.
Bake: Bake for 35 minutes or until the cheese crust is bubbly and nicely browned.
Cool: Let the baked macaroni and cheese cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

For extra creaminess, use 8 ounces of cream cheese. If you don’t have half and half, evaporated milk can be used as a substitute. Avoid using hard aged cheeses like aged gruyere as they may separate during baking.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Thanksgiving
Method: Baking
Cuisine: African American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 424 kcal
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 881 mg
Fat: 28 g
Saturated Fat: 16 g
Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
Trans Fat: 0.2 g
Carbohydrates: 25 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 19 g
Cholesterol: 104 mg

Keywords: soul food, southern baked mac and cheese, holiday side dish, creamy macaroni and cheese, thanksgiving recipes