Baked Macaroni & Cheese with a secret ingredient!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese is the quintessential American family favorite. It is super cheesy, creamy and delicious, chock full of shredded cheddar cheese and a surprise ingredient – sour cream! Adding just enough sour cream really blends all the flavors together making this dish scrumptious without being overly rich!

This is the best homemade baked mac and cheese recipe you’ll ever use! Great to serve with nearly anything. Try serving on top of  Sloppy Joe Tacos, or with a slice of jalapeno cornbread to soak up all the leftover cheesy goodness!

Macaroni and Cheese

©CentsLessMeals

Pin it to your SIDE DISH BOARD to SAVE it for later!

Follow CentsLess Meals on Pinterest for more great recipes!

Let’s Prepare Some Macaroni and Cheese!

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!

1. Cook the macaroni and then drain and cool.
2. In a large stockpot, melt the butter. Add enough of the flour to create a roux. Stir over medium heat for about a minute until it is thickened and caramel colored.
3. Whisk a cup of milk at a time into the roux, making sure there are no lumps. Keep adding milk and turn up to high.
4. When sauce is thick and bubbly, remove from heat and stir in 3 cups of the shredded cheese.
5. When the cheese is melted, add the sour cream and stir well. Season with salt and pepper.

How to Bake It

The key to baking this oven mac and cheese is to keep the casserole dish in the middle of the oven and remove once the cheese on the top is bubbly and just a little browned.

• Stir in the cooked macaroni and pour the mixture into the greased casserole dish.  Sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
• Bake until the cheese on top is fully melted and slightly browned.

Once baked you can serve nearly anything with this mac and cheese, or simply top with crispy crumbled bacon. Try adding a cold, crisp spinach strawberry salad, some roasted cauliflower, or even some crispy carrot fries!

Reheat it Perfectly!

Keep the mac and cheese in a sealed container in the fridge until it’s ready to be reheated. Simply stir the mac and cheese, 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!

Print

4.5 from 4 votes

Servings: 8 servings

Baked Macaroni & Cheese with a secret ingredient!

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

35 mins

 

Author: Holly

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Macaroni and cheese is an absolute favorite for both kids and adults alike. This recipe is super cheesy, creamy and delicious with sour cream as it's secret ingredient!

Ingredients

• 16 ounces macaroni noodles cooked and drained
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Remove from heat and stir in 3 cups of shredded cheese. Once cheese is incorporated, now it's time for your secret weapon!!
4. Remove from heat and add the sour cream. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Stir in cooked macaroni.
5. Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 pan and top with remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.

6. Bake at 350˚F for about 15 minutes or until cheese has melted on top.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 670, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 23g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 519mg, Potassium: 371mg, Carbohydrates: 55g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g, Protein: 27g, Vitamin A: 1205%, Vitamin C: 0.2%, Calcium: 576%, Iron: 1.5%

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

© CentslessMeals.com. 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.

REPIN this Creamy Recipe