Southern Style Macaroni and Cheese

🕒 Prep: 15 min
🔥 Cook: 30 min
🍽 Serves: 8
★★★★★
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This Southern Style Macaroni and Cheese is a comfort food classic that blends rich, creamy cheese sauce with perfectly cooked macaroni. It's the kind of dish that feels like a warm hug on a plate, perfect for family gatherings or a cozy night in.

Southern Style Macaroni and Cheese

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Ingredients for Southern Style Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients for Southern Style Macaroni and Cheese

The backbone of this dish is the elbow macaroni, which holds the cheese sauce beautifully. The sharp cheddar cheese offers a tangy flavor punch, while mozzarella cheese adds a creamy, melty texture. The milk and heavy cream create a luscious sauce, and unsalted butter adds richness without overwhelming saltiness. Eggs provide structure, ensuring the dish sets up nicely. The flour thickens the sauce, while salt, black pepper, and paprika enhance the flavor profile.

Why This Southern Style Macaroni and Cheese Works

During cooking, the butter and flour cook together first and form a base that can grab onto the milk and cream. As it heats up, that liquid turns thick and smooth instead of staying runny. Once the cheddar and mozzarella go in, the shredded cheese melts into that thick base, so it doesn’t separate into oily bits. It becomes a heavy, clingy cheese sauce that can coat every piece of macaroni.

When the warm cheese sauce is whisked into the eggs, the eggs stay smooth and don’t scramble. In the oven, those eggs slowly set and give the mac and cheese a firm, custard-like center instead of a loose, soupy one. The pasta soaks up some of the sauce while it bakes, so it stays creamy inside. On top, the extra cheese melts, bubbles, and browns, which gives a stretchy, golden layer that holds everything underneath in place once it cools for a few minutes.

Southern Style Macaroni and Cheese Tips & Tricks

  • Be sure to whisk the milk and cream into the roux gradually to prevent lumps.
  • For a crunchy topping, consider adding breadcrumbs or crushed crackers before baking.
  • Use fresh-shredded cheese for the best melting and flavor. Pre-shredded cheese can sometimes have additives that affect texture.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the flour and butter cook too little or too long in the pan throws off the sauce. When it’s undercooked, the sauce stays thin and pasty and never really coats the pasta; when it’s cooked too long, it turns brown and the sauce can come out grainy instead of smooth and creamy.

Pouring the hot cheese sauce into the eggs too fast scrambles them. The heat hits the eggs in one spot, they turn into little cooked bits, and the sauce ends up lumpy with tiny egg pieces instead of silky.

Boiling the macaroni until it is very soft causes problems in the oven. The pasta keeps softening as it bakes in the sauce, so it comes out mushy and loses that slight bite that holds the dish together.

Baking much longer than the 30 minutes can dry everything out. The edges start to get hard, the cheese on top turns tough instead of stretchy, and the inside loses that creamy, saucy feel.

Equipment Used:

Saucepan, Whisk, Baking Dish, Oven

Ingredients

  1. 16 oz elbow macaroni
  2. 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  3. 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  4. 2 cups milk
  5. 1 cup heavy cream
  6. 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  7. 2 large eggs
  8. 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  9. 1 tsp salt
  10. 1/2 tsp black pepper
  11. 1/4 tsp paprika

Step-by-step Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. 2. Cook elbow macaroni according to package instructions; drain and set aside.
  3. 3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.
  4. 4. Gradually whisk in milk and heavy cream, and cook until the mixture is thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
  5. 5. Remove from heat and stir in 3 cups of cheddar cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese until melted.
  6. 6. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and slowly add the cheese sauce while stirring constantly.
  7. 7. Add cooked macaroni to the cheese mixture and mix well.
  8. 8. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish and top with remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
  9. 9. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  10. 10. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top.
  11. 11. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this dish ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare it up to the baking step and refrigerate it. Just add a few extra minutes to the baking time if cooking from cold.
Can I freeze leftovers?
Absolutely! Just make sure it's cooled completely before wrapping it tightly and freezing. Reheat in the oven for the best texture.

Serving Ideas for Southern Style Macaroni and Cheese

This dish pairs wonderfully with a fresh green salad or roasted vegetables for a balanced meal. For a heartier Southern experience, serve it alongside fried chicken or barbecued ribs.

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This recipe is for informational purposes only. Always follow proper food safety practices, cook foods to safe internal temperatures, and store leftovers appropriately. Results may vary.