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Southern mac and cheese is a creamy, baked soul food classic with rich cheese sauce.
Finding the best creamy southern mac and cheese recipe means focusing on bold flavors and rich textures.
This dish anchors holiday tables and Sunday dinners.
True southern mac relies on a thick cheese sauce.
It bakes until golden.
Key ingredients for maximum creaminess
- Elbow macaroni
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Processed cheese for smooth melt
- Evaporated milk
- Whole milk or heavy cream
- Butter and all-purpose flour
- Seasonings like salt and black pepper
Use whole milk and evaporated milk.
Skip regular milk.
Evaporated milk stops the sauce from breaking in the oven.
Cheese selection guide
Cheese Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
Sharp Cheddar | Strong classic flavor |
Velveeta | Smooth melting base |
Colby Jack | Mild creamy filler |
A good southern style recipe starts with a roux.
Melt butter.
Whisk in flour.
This thickens the liquid.
Add cheeses slowly.
Mix the cheese sauce with boiled macaroni.
Pour into a baking dish.
Top with more cheese.
Bake until bubbly.
This best southern baked mac and cheese recipe creates a crispy crust.
The inside stays moist.
People love this authentic soul food mac.
Make it for large crowds.
They will ask for seconds.
How to cook macaroni and prepare the custard mixture
Boil the pasta right
Use elbow macaroni. Large pot. Salted water. Boil 2 minutes shy of al dente. Pasta finishes cooking in the oven. Overcook now and you get mush.
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
- 1 tbsp salt in water
- Drain well, do not rinse
Mix the custard base
Southern mac and cheese gets its creamy texture from a custard. No flour roux needed. Eggs and milk do the work.
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups evaporated milk
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
Whisk eggs first. Add evaporated milk and whole milk. Stir in seasonings. Mix until smooth.
Combine pasta cheese and custard
Put hot drained macaroni in a large bowl. Toss with shredded cheese blend. Pour custard mixture over top. Fold everything together. Cheese clumps will remain and thats fine. They melt during baking.
Step | Time | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|
Boil macaroni | 6-7 min | Undercook slightly |
Whisk custard | 2 min | Smooth no lumps |
Toss and fold | 1 min | Work fast while hot |
Hot pasta melts some cheese on contact. This helps the custard grab onto every noodle. Transfer to a greased baking dish and move straight to the oven.
Baking steps to get the perfect golden brown top
Prep the baking dish
Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter. Coat all corners. Prevents sticking and adds flavor.
Layer and top
Pour macaroni mixture into dish. Spread even. Press down lightly. Top with extra sharp cheddar. Add a thin layer of mild cheddar over that. The dual cheese layer builds a thick crust.
- Bottom layer: 2 cups sharp cheddar
- Top layer: 1 cup mild cheddar
- Dot with 2 tbsp butter cut into small pieces
Bake covered then uncovered
Phase | Temp | Time | Cover |
|---|---|---|---|
First bake | 350°F | 25 min | Foil tent |
Second bake | 350°F | 15-20 min | Uncovered |
Broil finish | High broil | 2-3 min | Watch closely |
Foil traps steam. Custard sets without drying out. Remove foil to brown the top.
Check for doneness
Edges should bubble. Center barely jiggles. Top turns deep golden brown. Insert knife in center. Comes out clean when ready.
Let rest 10 minutes before cutting. Custard continues to set as it cools. Serves cleaner. Holds shape better on the plate.