Easy Bake Mac and Cheese Recipe

This article delivers a foolproof, one-pot baked mac and cheese recipe that uses pantry staples and no fancy techniques. The key is swapping evaporated milk for regular milk to prevent curdling and create a silky sauce, while the oven finishes the pasta in the sauce so every bite is creamy and the top crisps without extra steps. The dish is ready in 30 minutes, can be prepped ahead and frozen, and reheats perfectly with a splash of milk. Tips cover storage, reheating, and freezing so leftovers taste as good as fresh.

What Makes This Easy Bake Mac and Cheese Recipe So Simple?

When you think of easy bake mac and cheese, you probably picture a stovetop version that’s quick but can sometimes turn out clumpy or dry. This oven-baked version solves those problems by letting the pasta finish cooking in a silky cheese sauce, so every bite is creamy and the top gets that golden crust without extra steps. The whole thing is ready in about 30 minutes, and you only need one pot and one baking dish to wash.

Why this recipe is so easy

• Uses pantry staples: pasta, milk, butter, flour, cheese, and spices you probably already have.
• One pot for the sauce, one dish for the bake—minimal cleanup.
• No roux stress: the sauce thickens right in the baking dish, so you don’t have to worry about burning it on the stove.
• Hands-off baking: once it’s in the oven, you’re free to set the table or prep a side salad.

What makes it so creamy? A couple of tricks keep the sauce smooth and rich without extra effort. First, we’ll use evaporated milk instead of regular milk, which prevents curdling and adds richness. Second, a little cream cheese stirred in at the end makes the sauce extra thick and velvety. Finally, a quick finish under the broiler gives you that golden, cheesy top without overbaking the pasta underneath.

And if you’re worried about leftovers, this easy bake mac and cheese reheats like a dream. Just add a splash of milk and microwave for 30 seconds, or pop it back in the oven for 5 minutes, and it’s as creamy as the first serving.

Ingredients for the Easiest Baked Mac and Cheese

These are the ingredients for the easiest baked mac and cheese recipe. You probably have most of these in your pantry right now. The key is using evaporated milk instead of regular milk, which keeps the sauce smooth and creamy without any extra steps. The evaporated milk is richer and less likely to curdle when baked, so your mac and cheese stays creamy and cheesy, not grainy or watery.

What you need for the sauce

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups evaporated milk (or whole milk if that's what you have)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional but adds depth)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional but adds depth)

What you need for the pasta

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni or any short pasta you have on hand
• Water and salt for boiling

What you need for the topping

• 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded (or any good melting cheese)
• 1/2 cup mozzarella for the extra gooey factor
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan for the umami kick
• 1/4 cup panko or crushed crackers for crunch

And that’s it. No fancy stuff, no hard-to-find ingredients. Just good, honest pantry staples that you can keep on hand for any night you need comfort food fast. The evaporated milk is the only thing you might not have, but it’s worth keeping a couple cans in the pantry for this and other recipes. It’s the secret to the creaminess without extra work.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Easy Bake Mac and Cheese

Here's the foolproof way to make the creamiest, cheesiest baked mac and cheese without any fancy techniques. The key is to use evaporated milk, which keeps the sauce smooth and prevents it from splitting in the oven. If you only have regular milk, that's fine too—just be sure to keep the heat low and stir constantly so it doesn't curdle.

Step 1: Get the pasta going

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Salt the water generously—it seasons the pasta and the sauce. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente. It will finish in the oven, so you want it just a little underdone. Drain it and set it aside.

Step 2: Make the cheese sauce

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute to get rid of the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the evaporated milk until smooth. Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring until melted and smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika for depth.

Step 3: Combine and bake

Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a greased baking dish, layer the pasta and sauce. Top with extra cheese and panko for crunch. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until bubbly and golden. If you want a crispier top, pop it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes at the end. Let it rest for 5 minutes to set up before serving.

Pro tip for the smoothest sauce

Whisk a spoonful of the hot sauce into a beaten egg yolk to temper it, then whisk the egg into the sauce. This prevents the egg from scrambling and makes the sauce extra rich and creamy. Just be sure to do this off the heat so the egg doesn't curdle.

That's it—no roux stress, no fancy techniques. Just good, honest comfort food made easy. And the best part? You can prep this ahead and bake it when you're ready to eat. Just reheat the sauce and pasta separately, then combine and bake. Or freeze the sauce and pasta separately for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat, just thaw, combine, and bake. It’s the ultimate make-ahead meal for busy weeknights.

Pro Tips for the Creamiest, Cheesiest Results

These pro tips will make sure your baked mac and cheese turns out restaurant-quality every single time. The key is using evaporated milk, which keeps the sauce smooth and prevents it from splitting in the oven. If you only have regular milk, just be sure to keep the heat low and stir constantly so it doesn't curdle. And if you want to make it ahead, the sauce and pasta can be prepped up to three days ahead and stored separately in the fridge. Then just combine and bake when you're ready to eat.

How to get the creamiest sauce every time

• Use evaporated milk instead of regular milk to prevent curdling and add richness.
• Whisk the sauce constantly while adding the milk to keep it smooth.
• Don't let the cheese boil or it will get stringy—just melt it slowly on low heat.
• Add a spoonful of cream cheese or sour cream for extra silkiness without extra work.

How to get the crispiest topping without burning the top

• Mix panko with a little melted butter and cheese for the crunchiest topping.
• Broil for just 2-3 minutes at the end to brown without drying out the pasta.
• Save extra cheese to mix into the sauce for extra gooey pockets of melted cheese.

How to make it ahead and freeze it

You can prep the sauce and pasta separately up to three days ahead and store them in the fridge. Then just combine and bake when you're ready to eat. Or freeze the sauce for up to three months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge and you're good to go. The pasta can be cooked fresh or reheated from frozen in the oven with a splash of milk to keep it from drying out.

These tips will make sure your baked mac and cheese turns out perfect every single time. And if you ever need to make it ahead for a potluck or party, you can prep everything in advance and just pop it in the oven when you arrive. The sauce will keep in the fridge for up to three days, and the pasta can be cooked fresh or reheated from frozen. Just remember: the key is not to let the sauce boil or the cheese will get stringy, and to use evaporated milk to keep it smooth and creamy. So you can have restaurant-quality mac and cheese on a weeknight with almost no effort at all.

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Mac and Cheese

Leftover mac and cheese can be just as creamy and delicious the next day if you store and reheat it right. The key is to keep the sauce from drying out or the pasta from getting mushy. Here’s how to do it so it tastes just as good as fresh.

How to store it so it stays creamy

• Let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating so condensation doesn’t make the sauce watery.
• Store the pasta and sauce separately in airtight containers so the pasta doesn’t absorb all the sauce and get mushy.
• If you must store them together, add a splash of milk or cream to keep the sauce smooth and creamy when reheating.

How to reheat it so it tastes just like fresh

• Oven: Put it in a covered dish with a splash of milk, 350°F for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
• Microwave: Add a splash of milk, cover loosely, heat 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until hot and creamy.
• Stovetop: Add a splash of milk and reheat gently over low heat, stirring until smooth and creamy again.

And if you want to freeze it, you can! Just portion it into freezer bags with a splash of milk to keep the sauce smooth when thawing. Lay the bags flat in the freezer so they freeze quickly and you can stack them like books. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as above. It will taste just like fresh when you reheat it.

So you can have creamy, cheesy mac and cheese ready to go for a quick lunch or dinner later in the week. Just remember: the key is keeping the sauce from drying out or the pasta from getting mushy. A splash of milk or cream and gentle reheating will make it just like fresh every time.