This macaroni and cheese recipe has truly earned its title of perfect. Once you serve your family this delicious comfort food, you will find out how this recipe got its name. Spoiler alert, it’s because this recipe is the best macaroni and cheese recipe and belive my bloated belly when I tell you, I have eaten quite a bit of macaroni and cheese in my day.
When I was a kid, my favorite macaroni and cheese was the dish that my Aunt Brenda used to make. She would slice up the block cheese and purposely leave the room, knowing I would run in there to steal a piece or two, or three or four. I didn’t know that at the time, I really thought I was a good cheese thief but it turns out she enjoyed watching me sneak in and told me about it many years later.
Of course, I carried on the tradition with my own daughter and every time I make macaroni and cheese I slice up some cheese to munch on while I prepare the dish.
I just can’t resist the bold flavor of extra sharp cheddar cheese, it is one of my favorite foods in the entire world. I always keep a block in my refrigerator to snack on when the craving hits although my favorite way to satisfy my cheese craving is with this macaroni and cheese.
This recipe starts with a cheesy roux that pairs well with lots of other things like baked potatoes or even a lighter option like broccoli or cauliflower. The first step to making this perfect macaroni and cheese recipe is to prepare a box of elbow macaroni by boiling it and draining it.
Then it’s time to get started on that cheesy roux I was telling you about. It’s so easy to make, first you start by heating a frying pan up with olive oil then melting butter in the frying pan. The next step is to whisk in the flour and continue to whisk for about a minute.
The next step is to whisk in the evaporated milk, whole milk, and the melting cheese. Continue stirring until bubbly, then add two cups of cheese and whisk all of the ingredients together.
Add the cooked pasta to a casserole dish and pour the cheese roux on top. Sprinkle on the shredded cheese, seasoning, and breadcrumbs. Stir the mixture together and bake for about 20-30 minutes in an oven preheated to 380 degrees.
Serve immediately and don’t worry about storing leftovers, there probably won’t be anything left to store. Did you try this perfect macaroni and cheese recipe? Please comment below and tell me what your family thought.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces of Elbow Macaroni
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil for pan
- 1/2 Cup of Breadcrumbs
- 1 Stick of Butter
- 1/4 Cup of Flour
- 12 Ounces of Evaporated Milk
- 1/2 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon of Paprika
- 3/4 Cup of Whole Milk
- 4 Cups of Cheddar Cheese, Shredded and Separated
- 1/2 Cup of Ground Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 Block of Melting Cheese (generic brands are fine)
- Dash of Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta and preheat oven to 380 degrees.
- Heat a frying pan up with olive oil. Melt butter in a pan, whisk in flour for about a minute. Whisk in evaporated milk, add melting cheese and whole milk, stir until bubbly then add in 2 cups of shredded cheese and Parmesan cheese.
- Put macaroni into casserole dish and pour the roux on top. Add in the seasonings and stir in breadcrumbs and remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake for about 20 minutes and serve immediately.
