Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Living in the south, I have become completely enamored with the mac and cheese down here. It’s so good! Seriously, since, I moved out here, four years ago, my husband and I have tried so many restaurant versions, I’ve lost count. But, even with all those samples under our belts, or should I say expanding them, homemade Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese still takes the cake.

Everybody has a mac and cheese recipe they swear by and until my husband and I started dating, my go-to was the boxed variety. Oh, don’t get me wrong, we still eat Kraft Dinner, a lot! I do, however, always add in extras, more cheese, tuna, green onions, Homemade Taco Meat, extra tomatoes or hot sauce, to name a few. This was my swear by recipe for years. Then, one day, my husband asked me to make him macaroni. Challenge accepted!

So, I jumped on Pinterest and searched and searched and was completely overwhelmed. Did he want a cheese sauce, or maybe more of a custard-style casserole or did he just want me to mix in a bunch of decadent ingredients? We were still at the impress each other phase of our relationship. So, before drowning in options, I called him and asked him how he would like it. His answer, however, was no help. He wanted basic, beyond basic, to be exact. So, I offered to add my own twist.

I’m not, exactly, unfamiliar with macaroni and cheese. My dad makes a crazy good loaded mac and cheese. He makes a giant pot and we eat macaroni for days. It’s packed full of bacon, onions, peppers and pounds of sharp cheddar. You might even find a tomato or two on occasion. I’ve yet to learn all his secrets.

What I have found, though, is that people are very particular about their mac and cheese. My husband likes a traditional mac and cheese, no extras. Whereas, my family generally gravitates toward the loaded kind. My cousin’s wife, who grew up in South Carolina, sides with my husband and treats us to her family’s macaroni casserole at Christmas time, which is closer to this version, than my Dads.

So, knowing my husband’s preference, I added just a bit of onion and some spices. I’ve tweaked this recipe a few times since that first fateful bake and my version of Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese is perfect. It’s flavourful and filling. It’s loaded with cheese and is the perfect side for almost any main dish. We do, however, always have this as a side with Easy Beef Dip Sandwiches. When the au jus mixes with the mac and cheese, it’s one seriously delicious bite.

How to make Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Once the noodles are cooked, drain and rinse them under cold water to stop them from cooking. In a very large bowl, mix together the wet ingredients, then add in the rest of the ingredients, except for the macaroni and a cup of grated cheese. Mix everything together really well and then stir in the macaroni.

Then in a prepared casserole dish, pour everything in and top it with the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake until hot and bubbly. I will let it sit for a about 20 minutes before serving, but this isn’t necessary. If you need to dig in, you have my full permission.

This is by far, my family’s favourite macaroni and cheese. It’s cheesy and filling, and perfectly flavoured. Macaroni and cheese, the southern way, baked with loads of love and extra cheese, may not be what I’m use to, but this indulgent macaroni casserole is quickly becoming my go to side!

If you love Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese, check out these other delicious side dish recipes, I’m sure they’ll hit the spot:

• French Onion Rice
• Rutabaga and Apple Mash with Crumb Topping 
• Homemade Greek Seasoning & Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables

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If you get a chance to make this or any other recipe on the blog and want to share. Please feel free to tag @candyjarchronicles or use #candyjarchronicles on Instagram, so I can see your post. I’d love to see what you’re cooking in your kitchen!

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