Soul Food Baked Mac Cheese (Printable)

Rich, creamy Soul Food mac and cheese with a golden, crunchy breadcrumb topping for perfect comforting meals.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound elbow macaroni

→ Cheese Sauce

02 - 4 cups whole milk
03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
04 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
06 - 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
07 - 1 cup Colby cheese, shredded
08 - 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened
09 - 1 cup evaporated milk
10 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Crunchy Topping

16 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
17 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
18 - 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
19 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
20 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add macaroni and cook until just al dente, approximately 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup butter. Add flour while whisking constantly for 2 minutes to form a smooth roux without browning.
04 - Gradually pour whole milk into roux while whisking vigorously to eliminate lumps. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until sauce achieves slight thickening.
05 - Stir in softened cream cheese until completely melted and integrated. Add shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Colby cheeses, stirring continuously until fully incorporated and sauce becomes creamy and homogeneous.
06 - Pour evaporated milk into cheese mixture. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, ground mustard, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to distribute flavors evenly.
07 - Add drained macaroni to cheese sauce, stirring gently until all pasta pieces are uniformly coated with sauce.
08 - Transfer half the cheese-coated macaroni to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with additional cheddar cheese. Add remaining macaroni and top with additional cheese if desired.
09 - In a small mixing bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, shredded cheddar, grated Parmesan, and smoked paprika. Mix until breadcrumbs are evenly saturated with butter and cheese.
10 - Distribute breadcrumb mixture evenly across entire surface of macaroni in baking dish, creating uniform golden crust.
11 - Place baking dish in preheated 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes until mixture is bubbly at edges and top breadcrumb layer achieves golden brown coloration.
12 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. This resting period allows casserole to set and achieves optimal texture for plating.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The three-cheese blend gives you depth without any one flavor overpowering—sharp cheddar does the heavy lifting while Monterey Jack keeps things smooth.
  • That panko topping stays crispy even after sitting, which is clutch when people are coming back for seconds.
  • The evaporated milk hack makes the sauce richer without breaking, something I learned the hard way after one watery attempt.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roux step or rush it; those two minutes of cooking the flour and butter together is what prevents lumps from forming when you add the milk.
  • Evaporated milk isn't some fancy ingredient—it's just regular milk with water removed, and it prevents the sauce from breaking when it sits, which is the difference between creamy and separated.
03 -
  • Cook your pasta slightly under time because it continues cooking in the oven, and overcooked pasta turns to mush no matter how good your cheese sauce is.
  • Let the finished dish rest for ten minutes—this isn't wasting time, it's giving the starch in the pasta time to absorb excess moisture so your portions stay neat instead of sliding around.
Return