Southern Baked Mac and Cheese

This is the Southern baked mac and cheese that earns a permanent spot at the holiday table. Made with eggs and evaporated milk instead of béchamel, it bakes into a rich, firm casserole that slices clean and tastes like the version your family made growing up. No roux. No béchamel. Just the real thing.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Southern

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 40

Resting 15

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 373kcal

Author Gary White

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 half cubed and half 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. Salt it generously until it tastes like the ocean. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Add the evaporated milk and whisk until fully combined. Set aside.
Return the drained pasta to the hot pot. While it is still hot, stir in the butter until fully melted.
Add the cubed cheddar to the pot and stir until it starts to melt. Add the shredded mozzarella or gruyere and stir again.
Pour the egg and milk mixture into the pot and stir until everything is well combined.
Pour the mixture into a 13x9-inch glass casserole dish and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and stir gently to redistribute the custard. Smooth it back into an even layer, then top with the shredded cheddar.
Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the eggs have set.
Optional: Switch to high broil for the last 5 minutes to toast the cheese and get crispy edges. Watch it closely.
Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

For the best texture: Cook the pasta al dente, not past it. It keeps cooking in the oven. Do not skip the mid-bake stir, and always let it rest before slicing.
Kraft cheese: This recipe was built around Kraft medium cheddar. The melt behavior and flavor are specific to this style of Southern baked mac and cheese. Pre-shredded cheese from a bag works for the topping, but the cubed portion is worth buying in block form.
Gluten-free variation: This recipe works well gluten-free with a few key adjustments. Add one extra 12 oz. can of evaporated milk, for a total of 36 oz. Cook the gluten-free pasta one minute less than the al dente time on the box. Reliable pasta choices include Rummo gluten-free elbows, Bettergoods elbows, Jovial elbows or fusilli, and Banza cavatappi. Avoid Barilla gluten-free pasta for this recipe. Boiled first and then baked, it breaks down and affects the texture significantly. Barilla is the right pasta for my no-boil gluten-free mac and cheese, because that pasta never gets boiled first. Everything else stays the same.

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