This Mac and Cheese with Sour Cream recipe will turn that quintessential American dish into a family favorite.
This cheesy, creamy, and delicious casserole is full of shredded cheese and… sour cream, surprise! With the perfect amount of sour cream, this mac and cheese casserole has the ultimate blend of flavors, making it scrumptious without being overly rich!
Mac and Cheese with Sour Cream
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Best Baked Mac and Cheese
- This is the best homemade baked sour cream mac and cheese recipe you’ll ever use!
- Making mac and cheese from scratch is super simple and easy.
- The only ingredients for this creamy sauce are sour cream, milk, butter cheese, and little flour. Sour cream is the secret ingredient. It will give this dish an extra zing of flavor.
- This casserole would go great with an easy broccoli salad, oven-roasted asparagus, or some roasted brussel sprouts with balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients and Variations
NOODLES Macaroni noodles are the usual addition to mac and cheese, however, smaller noodles, like penne, or rigatoni are also great options.
SAUCE Macaroni is so simple to make, and it really begins with the sauce. First, a simple roux is made. This is so easy just a little melted butter in a saucepan, add some flour, milk, and cheese. And then the secret weapon is added, sour cream!
VARIATIONS Add some chopped tomatoes to the final dish or top with some panko breadcrumbs or crumbled bacon.
How to Make Mac and Cheese with Sour Cream
This oven-baked mac and cheese is so easy to make with just a few ingredients from your pantry and fridge. Just combine and bake!
- Cook the macaroni. Drain & cool.
- Make a roux on the stovetop and whisk in milk (as per the recipe below).
- Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and sour cream.
- Pour into a casserole dish, top with cheese, and bake!
This simple casserole is a great way to satisfy your hungry family!
Tips for Creamy Cheesy Pasta
- Make sure the pasta has cooled before adding the sauce.
- Keep the casserole dish in the middle of the oven and remove it once the cheese on the top is bubbly and just a little browned.
- For leftovers keep the mac and cheese in a sealed container in the fridge until it’s ready to be reheated. Simply stir, add a little milk, and reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. Adjust the salt and pepper and serve!
Must-Try Macaroni Recipes
- Beer Cheese Macaroni – Ready in under 30 mins!
- Chicken Mac & Cheese with Bacon – Delicious comfort food
- Creamy Macaroni & Cheese Casserole – Made with ham and Monterey jack!
- Cheesy Taco Pasta – Perfect to feed a crowd
- Hot Dog Mac & Cheese Casserole – Favorite among kids & adults!
Baked Mac and Cheese with Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 16 ounces macaroni noodles cooked and drained
- 1 stick butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- 4 cups milk
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- In large pot melt the stick of butter. Add flour and stir to create a roux. Stir over medium heat for one minute to let flour and butter settle together.
- Slowly add about 1 cup of milk at a time. Stir in milk and turn up heat to med-high, just until sauce is thick and bubbly.
- Remove from heat and stir in 3 cups of shredded cheese. Once cheese is incorporated, now it's time for your secret weapon!!
- Remove from heat and add the sour cream. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Stir in cooked macaroni.
- Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 pan and top with remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Bake at 350˚F for about 15 minutes or until cheese has melted on top.
Video
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
©The Shortcut Kitchen. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
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Made this for a family reunion yesterday and it was a hit. My cousin said, “They loved your mac and cheese.” I topped it with crumbled bacon and it was delicious. This will be my go-to covered dish. Easy to prepare and serve.
Super good! I ran out of cheddar cheese so used up my grated pepper jack, monterey jack and a tiny bit of Mexican whilte cheese. It was delecious with just a hint of pepper hot. My family loved it and so do I!!
That sounds amazing Sharon! So happy you love this recipe!
Added more cheese in sauce and on top. Yum. Used organic cheese and whole wheat noodles and a bit more butter. It was GREAT!! Thank u
So glad you enjoyed it!
What type of milk would you recommend? Some recipes say evaporated is best, some say whole milk. I have 1% milk and evaporated can I mix them? And can I mix the cheeses? I have mozzarella and sharp cheddar, is that ok? I want to make today. Hoping I can get a quick response. Thanks!
I really hope you did! This is Genius
This was really good! I made a couple changes. Instead of sour cream, I used plain Greek yogurt. I also added panko breadcrumbs to the top. I kept it in the oven for about 45mins to make sure the whole thing was bubbly. Make sure to undercook your pasta because it will cook more in the sauce and soak up all the goodness.
Thank you for sharing your substitutions and tips Jordan. So happy you love the macaroni and cheese!
Great recipe but definitely gonna add more cheddar to the sauce and topping
Sounds delicious. Can you freeze or does it not freeze well
My secret ingredient for my mac n cheese is 4 Oz of Philadelphia Cream Cheese!
Sour Cream is my secret ingredient for deviled eggs, to make the yoke mixture more creamy … I can’t wait to try your sour cream trick in my next mac n cheese!
Would this recipe work if I subbed the sour cream with 4oz cream cheese?
Okay, I give up…what’s the secret ingredient?
Made this many times now, everyone who has ever tried it says it’s the best they’ve ever had. Easy and sooooo good! In fact, just finished making it for thanksgiving brunch!
I add bacon, a few slices cooked and crumbled to this recipe! Yummmy!
Sounds so tasty cant wait to try this…..
This looks mouth tempting…Can`t wait to try this week…Thanks for sharing…
Sour cream is a great secret ingredient in a lot of things, I have discovered…even scrambled eggs! Good find!
I always use sour cream in my mac and cheese.Love it.
I have been using Sour Cream since 1997 for my Mac. and Cheese.
When you say to turn the heat off, I am assuming you also need to let it cool some before you add the sour cream (not just turn the heat off and add sour cream, I would think it would still be too hot). Please let me know as I am thinking of making this tomorrow.
Can this be made earlier in the day and then baked when needed? It will be great to make when my in-laws come for family Christmas, but I want it done ahead of time.
Quick question….If the sour cream will curdle if the mixture is to hot when you first add it to the creamy mixture then will it curdle when you put it in the oven to bake it?
No, it means 3 to 4 cups. Maybe 3, maybe 4, maybe in the middle. You be the judge.
This recipe looks tasty! I’d probably add some sort of meat, just habit. I’m looking forward to trying it!
Im confused of the amount of milk. Is it 3/4th cups of milk. Or 3..4 cups of milk. If thats the case that would be.. 12 cups?
This is ONE of my secret weapons in my baked macaroni and cheese! I know this is good because it’s very close to mine!!
Great recipe! Super easy to make, quick and tastes amazing! I added bread crumbs on the top to add a little crunch on top of everything! Thanks! 🙂
Cannot wait to try this recipe
I made it, and it was SO good! Best mac & cheese I have ever done! Thank you 🙂
OH My…That looks delish!!!
Looks delicious! Thanks!