If you love comfort food, this Southern Baked Mac and Cheese with Egg will become your new favorite! It’s a rich, cheesy, casserole-style dish that’s perfect for family gatherings and potlucks. Instead of a traditional béchamel sauce, this recipe uses a base of eggs and evaporated milk, which makes it firm, creamy, and sliceable.
(Originally Published on March 12, 2019; Updated on October 16, 2024.)
I've spent the last 10 years learning how to cook this dish like my mom did when I was a kid. It was my first favorite food in the whole world. The only problem is that my mom does not measure anything! I mean, unless she's baking a cake, it's always just a little bit of this and that. Well, it is truly my pleasure to share this recipe with the world, especially after more than a dozen failed attempts over the years while perfecting a recipe that tastes like Mom's.
Why This Recipe Works
- Egg and evaporated milk base: The eggs and evaporated milk create a firm, sliceable texture that’s rich and creamy without being too runny.
- Super cheesy: With two pounds of cheddar cheese and an extra layer of mozzarella or gruyere, you get deep layers of cheesy goodness throughout the casserole.
- Family-tested, crowd-approved: This recipe has been perfected over years and has never failed to impress at family dinners or potlucks.
- Casserole-style mac and cheese: Unlike the stovetop version, this baked mac and cheese holds its shape, so you can serve it in slices.
- No béchamel required: Skipping the traditional roux makes this recipe simpler, but the flavor is just as rich thanks to the eggs, evaporated milk, and the additional mozzarella or gruyere.
Ingredients for Baked Mac and Cheese with Egg
- Elbow pasta: The perfect shape to hold onto all that cheesy goodness. Cook it al dente so it doesn’t get mushy when baked.
- Butter: Adds richness and keeps the pasta from sticking together.
- Eggs: Helps the casserole set and gives it that firm, sliceable texture.
- Evaporated milk: This is key for creaminess and adds a unique richness that regular milk can’t quite match.
- Lawry’s seasoned salt: Adds a depth of flavor that’s well-rounded without being too salty.
- Black pepper: Balances out the richness of the cheese and adds a little warmth.
- Cheddar cheese: The star of the show! Using medium cheddar gives a perfect balance of meltability and flavor. Half cubed for mixing, half shredded for a cheesy topping.
- Mozzarella or Gruyere cheese: Adds extra creaminess and stretch (mozzarella) or a nutty, slightly sweet flavor (gruyere) to elevate the dish.
How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese with Egg
And this is the AMAZING Result
Expert Tips
- Cook pasta al dente: Make sure your pasta is slightly undercooked because it will finish cooking in the oven.
- Don’t skip the mid-bake stir: Stirring halfway through baking ensures the cheese is evenly distributed and doesn’t clump.
- Let it rest: After baking, allow the mac and cheese to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. This helps it firm up.
- Use freshly grated cheese: Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can affect how it melts. Grate your own for the best texture.
- Season the pasta water: Make your pasta water as salty as the sea to add flavor to the noodles.
FAQs
Do I have to use Kraft cheese? The quality of cheese makes a difference. While you can make this with generic brands of cheese, my extended family can immediately spot the difference between Kraft and store brands. I highly recommend using Kraft cheese for this recipe. And no, Kraft did not sponsor this post. 🙂
Can I use gluten-free pasta in this recipe? Yes! My wife is gluten intolerant, so every holiday season I make a gluten-free mac and cheese for her. In addition to substituting gluten-free elbow macaroni, you will need to adjust the cook time when boiling the pasta. Cook one minute less than the "al dente" time on the box. This will prevent the gluten-free noodles, which have a tendency to absorb more liquid than wheat pasta, from becoming mushy when baking.
What can I substitute for evaporated milk? In a pinch, you may substitute whole milk; however, the flavor and richness will not be the same.
Can I freeze leftovers? Technically, yes. Mac and cheese may be frozen for up to 3 months. In general, I avoid freezing pasta as the texture does not hold up well upon reheating. We also have never had enough leftovers of this dish to freeze.
How long does this last in the fridge? For safety purposes, refrigerate mac and cheese leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. You can store leftovers in an air-tight container for 3 to 5 days in the fridge.
Can I use fewer eggs if I want my mac and cheese to be loose? This southern mac and cheese is definitely more like a casserole. It will be firm, not creamy and loose. If you have a pressure cooker, you may enjoy our pressure cooker version, which is not quite as firm.
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Southern Baked Mac and Cheese with Egg
Ingredients
- 1 lb. elbow pasta
- ½ cup butter
- 6 large eggs
- 24 oz. evaporated milk
- 1 Tbsp. Lawry’s seasoned salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 2 lbs. Kraft medium cheddar cheese ½ cubed, ½ medium shredded
- 8 oz. mozzarella or gruyere cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add enough salt to make it taste like the ocean. Add the pasta and cook it until it's al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain the pasta.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, seasoned salt, and pepper. Pour in the evaporated milk and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- Return the drained pasta to the pot, and while it's still hot, stir in the butter until fully melted.
- Add the cubed cheddar cheese to the pot and stir until the cheese starts to melt. Then add the shredded mozzarella or gruyere and mix again.
- Pour the egg and milk mixture into the pasta and cheese. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Pour the mixture into a 13x9-inch glass casserole dish and spread it out evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove and stir the mixture gently to ensure even baking. Top with the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese on top is fully melted and the eggs have set.
- Optional: For the last 5 minutes, switch to the high broil setting to toast the cheese and give you crispy edges.
- Remove from the oven and let the mac and cheese rest for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow it to firm up.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips
- Cook pasta al dente: Make sure your pasta is slightly undercooked because it will finish cooking in the oven.
- Don’t skip the mid-bake stir: Stirring halfway through baking ensures the cheese is evenly distributed and doesn’t clump.
- Let it rest: After baking, allow the mac and cheese to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. This helps it firm up.
- Use freshly grated cheese: Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can affect how it melts. Grate your own for the best texture.
- Season the pasta water: Make your pasta water as salty as the sea to add flavor to the noodles.
FAQs
Do I have to use Kraft cheese? The quality of cheese makes a difference. While you can make this with generic brands of cheese, my extended family can immediately spot the difference between Kraft and store brands. I highly recommend using Kraft cheese for this recipe. And no, Kraft did not sponsor this post. 🙂 Can I use gluten-free pasta in this recipe? Yes! My wife is gluten intolerant, so every holiday season I make a gluten-free mac and cheese for her. In addition to substituting gluten-free elbow macaroni, you will need to adjust the cook time when boiling the pasta. Cook one minute less than the "al dente" time on the box. This will prevent the gluten-free noodles, which have a tendency to absorb more liquid than wheat pasta, from becoming mushy when baking. What can I substitute for evaporated milk? In a pinch, you may substitute whole milk; however, the flavor and richness will not be the same. Can I freeze leftovers? Technically, yes. Mac and cheese may be frozen for up to 3 months. In general, I avoid freezing pasta as the texture does not hold up well upon reheating. We also have never had enough leftovers of this dish to freeze. How long does this last in the fridge? For safety purposes, refrigerate mac and cheese leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. You can store leftovers in an air-tight container for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Can I use fewer eggs if I want my mac and cheese to be loose? This southern mac and cheese is definitely more like a casserole. It will be firm, not creamy and loose. If you have a pressure cooker, you may enjoy our pressure cooker version, which is not quite as firm.Nutrition
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rebecca
This is the best macaroni and cheese I have ever eaten! I love this recipe, so easy to make but tastes like you spent hours on it.
Matthew
Such a great recipe and I really appreciate the easy steps!
Jesse
What size of cans do I use for the 2 cans of evaporated milk??
Chef Gary
12oz. Sorry for the delay... and being unclear.
Kathryn
My family loves this recipe!
Sue
Our new favorite. Thanks, Evelyn 🙂
Deanna
Question - have you tried freezing leftovers?
I can hear people saying, "What leftovers??" 😊
Sara
Ever since my granny died Mac and cheese was never the same until this recipe. I’ve tried 100s of different styles you name it This recipe was my piece of heaven. So delicious even printed it out for future references. I will be making this at least 4x a month. Thank you so much!!!
Gary White
Thanks for your kind words. That makes me happy.
Ruth
Love this recipe!! Could it affect if I used less eggs? I’m not sure if it was the egg or milk that sort of became a rubbery/ chunk texture in between once I took out of the oven.
Gary White
Glad you enjoyed it! This is definitely meant to be more like a casserole. It will be solid, not creamy and loose. If you have a pressure cooker, you may enjoy our pressure cooker version, which is not quite as solid. https://thefoodieeats.com/pressure-cooker-mac-and-cheese/ Or our creamy mac and cheese with gruyere and truffle oil: https://thefoodieeats.com/instant-pot-macaroni-and-cheese/
Laura A.
I’ve been looking for an amazing baked Mac and cheese recipe for years....finally found it!!! I’ve made this at least 6 times over the last year and todays batch is for Thanksgiving. My family goes crazy over this dish and it couldn’t be easier. I’ll never waste my time making a roux or bechamel cheese sauce again. This is WAY easier and so much better!! The eggs make this dish but you don’t even realize there’s eggs in it. Don’t make the mistake of using bagged shredded cheese though, too many preservatives. Block cheese is the only way to go. If you’re looking for that old school baked Mac and cheese this is the way to go!!
Jocelyn
So ooooooo delicious 😋
I have searched years for a recipe such as this one. It was do easy and quick to make. Will definitely use from here on out.
Gary White
Thanks for the review! How did you find this recipe?
Evelyn Finney
Only change is I mixed icheese but still the amount told. This was a great macaroni and cheese
Gary White
Hi Evelyn, Thanks for the review! How did you find this recipe?
MJ Jordan
If you are looking for the real deal, southern style mac and cheese, congratulations, you've found it. This is to DIE for and it's really a simple recipe! I used my Instant Pot to cook the pasta (4 minutes using preheated water) and mix the ingredients, dumped it into a casserole dish and it really was not much more time consuming than Instant Pot mac and cheese and it is 1000x better. So good, thank you Gary for sharing!
S Mack
WOW! This is fantastic. I decided to try it because I hate making a bechamel sause (the way I was taught) when making mac and cheese. This will be the only way I make mac and cheese from now on. So much easier. This recipe is perfect! Absolutely delicious. Thank you!!
Clara Scott
Delicious ,brought back find memories of my mother homemade macaroni and cheese.the exact recipe except she used different type of cheeses .
Mandi
I found this recipe through a google search when I was craving the mac n cheese casserole I remember from when I was a kid. I shredded the cheese for the top and used just a bit less than the recipe called for. It was delicious!
Patrice
Can you mix this up the night before and bake the next day?
Gary White
So sorry for the delayed response. I don't think I'd recommend mixing it beforehand, as I think the pasta will absorb too much of the liquid.
Linda
I been trying years to get to find this way of cooling m ac n cheese. Made it for Christmas and everybody loved it. Thank God for finding your page..
Joan Farquharson
This dish was such a hit! It was my first time making it for our Easter dinner and the guests cleared the pan!
The recipe was soooo easy to follow and it was sooo yummy!
Will definitely make this again
Shay
Delicious. Had a hard time finding Kraft medium cheese here in California though. Instead I used mild and extra sharp cheddar. My mom likes as well.
Michal
EXCELLENT!!! It was delicious and I was surprised the recipe called for 6 eggs. I always use lots of eggs but had never seen it before. I only change was that I used salt and pepper instead of seasoned salt.
AMAZING!!!
Marcus
I tried this and it was EXCELLENT!
Debbie
I have been looking for a macaroni and cheese recipe made with eggs and milk like my mother used to make. This m&c recipe knocked it out of the park! It was easy to make and sooooo delicious!! Thank you for sharing the recipe. It is now my go-to recipe when making m&c.
Kathy
This is the recipe I use always. I do broil it at the end to get that good crust. This recipe remind me of church and that’s a good thing!!!
Sally Peace
This is your mama’s macaroni pie. Loved it. Made it for Thanksgiving this year and it got rave reviews. I followed the recipe exactly even though I thought it would be gloppy and too much cheese. It was not. It was perfect!❤️
Sarah
I've tried many recipes and finally found the one!
This is what I've been looking for!
Judy
I doubled up on this recipe and the family devoured it!! It was by far, the best mac and cheese I've ever made!! I attempted other recipes out there with the result of it being too dry. This one was the chefs kiss!!🤌 Thank you a million times for this!