Description
Creamy southern comfort awaits with Paula Deen’s baked mac and cheese, a classic recipe that celebrates rich dairy goodness. Melted cheeses, tender pasta, and a golden-brown crust promise a hearty meal you’ll crave time and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups (473 ml) uncooked elbow macaroni
- 8 ounces (227 grams) cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces (227 grams) American cheese
Liquid Ingredients:
- 1 cup (237 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (118 ml) sour cream
- 2 eggs
Seasoning and Additional Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) bottled hot pepper sauce
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33 centimeters) baking dish with a light butter coating to prevent sticking.
- Cook elbow macaroni in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente, ensuring a firm texture. Thoroughly drain the pasta, then return it to the hot saucepan.
- Rapidly fold shredded cheddar and American cheeses into the steaming macaroni, stirring until the cheeses melt completely and create a smooth, glossy coating.
- Create a creamy binding mixture by whisking whole milk, sour cream, large eggs, melted unsalted butter, several dashes of hot pepper sauce, and kosher salt until the ingredients form a uniform, silky liquid.
- Transfer the cheese-coated macaroni into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly to create a consistent layer. Gently pour the milk and egg mixture over the pasta, ensuring complete coverage.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, watching for a golden-brown surface and bubbling edges that indicate perfect doneness.
- Remove from the oven and let the macaroni and cheese rest for 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to set and intensify in flavor before serving.
Notes
- Perfect your pasta precision by cooking macaroni just shy of fully done, ensuring a delightful al dente texture that continues developing in the oven’s warmth.
- Transform your cheese game by hand-shredding a fresh block, unlocking superior melting quality and avoiding the starchy coating of pre-shredded varieties.
- Create a silky-smooth sauce by whisking milk, sour cream, eggs, butter, and seasonings until completely integrated, eliminating any potential lumpy surprises.
- Embrace patience after baking, allowing your mac and cheese to rest for 10 minutes, which helps the sauce set and delivers a more cohesive, restaurant-worthy presentation.
- Trust your taste buds by sampling the sauce before combining, adjusting seasonings subtly while remembering cheese naturally contributes a salty kick.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 29g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 120mg