Add the flour and whisk it with the butter until it makes a roux. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.

While the pasta is cooking, make the cheese sauce.Add the dried pasta and cook according to package directions. In a large pot, boil salted water over medium-high heat. Scroll down for the printable recipe card with the complete ingredient measurements and directions. Here are the quick steps to make my delicious traditional macaroni and cheese casserole recipe. How to Make Southern-Style Mac and Cheese Casserole The simple three-ingredient cheese sauce is so easy to make and so creamy. I prefer the Italian style for extra flavor.Īs you can see, this Southern macaroni and cheese casserole doesn’t use any eggs, sour cream, cream cheese, evaporated milk, or Velveeta. Panko Breadcrumbs: the crispy, buttery topping.Sharp Cheddar Cheese & Mozzarella Cheese: the perfect combination of cheddar and milky mozzarella for a creamy sauce.Seasoning Salt & Black Pepper: simple, flavor-enhancing seasonings.I prefer using half and half, but you can sub it with heavy cream or whole milk. Half & Half: the liquid base of the creamy cheese sauce.All-Purpose Flour: to thicken the creamy sauce.Salted Butter: a key ingredient in the homemade cheese sauce.Elbow Macaroni: any short pasta shape will do, but elbow macaroni is the best shape.Here’s everything you need to make homemade macaroni and cheese casserole. Just some simple ingredients and a whole lotta love. Would it shock you to learn that I only use TWO different kinds of cheese in this Southern-style mac and cheese recipe?! The easy-to-find kinds of cheese, too… no searching for hard-to-find or expensive cheese. Ingredients for Southern Macaroni and Cheese Casserole I could go on and on… but I’m gonna give y’all the recipe and let you see for yourself just how this homemade macaroni and cheese recipe is. It’s safe to say that this macaroni and cheese casserole recipe is one of my favorite dishes. I top it with crispy, buttery breadcrumbs. I serve my Southern-style macaroni and cheese casserole piping hot in a casserole dish with a creamy layer of freshly shredded cheese.

This recipe certainly fits the bill! It has a binder-the creamy homemade cheese sauce-and layered or mixed-together ingredients. Is every baked mac and cheese a casserole? What IS a casserole? Well, it doesn’t get much more Southern than a creamy casserole. And that’s exactly what this macaroni and cheese casserole recipe is! Why Does Macaroni and Cheese Count as a Casserole? But what can we all agree on? Black folks’ Southern macaroni and cheese should be creamy, cheesy, gooey, and homemade with love. The debate of eggs or no eggs will never end. Some use evaporated milk, half and half, whole milk, or cream. The hallmark differences between Southern macaroni and cheese and “regular” comes down to ingredients: heavy seasoning, the texture and creaminess of the dish, and the cooking method. The dish’s popularity spread throughout the Black community, instantly making it a staple dish in enslaved Southern households. The earliest American version of macaroni and cheese goes back to the 1800s, when Thomas Jefferson’s enslaved chef, James Hemings, produced the first baked version called Macaroni Pie. But what makes Southern mac and cheese different? It’s all about the history, baby. It’s not just any old side dish you toss together. *Drops mic, walks away* I am not playing, y’all! What Makes Southern Macaroni and Cheese Different?Īs a Black woman who grew up in a heavily Southern-influenced household, I take my Southern-style macaroni and cheese very seriously. This Southern macaroni and cheese casserole is the creamiest, cheesiest, EASIEST macaroni and cheese recipe. However, I’m about to blow your minds this homemade Southern baked macaroni and cheese casserole recipe! My Soul Food mac and cheese has been a holiday favorite since I dropped it.

Y’all LOVE my Southern baked mac and cheese recipes (yes, I have several!), while others swear by my slow cooker macaroni and cheese recipe. I’ve shared so many, and I always get asked which macaroni and cheese recipe I like best. By now, you know I am the queen of macaroni and cheese recipes.

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