Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Southern mac and cheese? ›

Southern-style mac and cheese is typically made with a milk-and-egg base rather than a roux. Here, the milk component is an infused milk-and-cream mixture reserved from cooking the noodles (which adds even more richness to the dish). The finished macaroni and cheese is firm enough to slice into solid squares.

What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.

Whether making it from scratch or the box, sour cream is the secret ingredient to rich and creamy macaroni and cheese. This tart and tangy additive goes a long way regarding recipes, and just a dollop can transform any dish into a thick and creamy masterpiece.

Using evaporated milk also means you don't have to make a roux. Many mac and cheese recipes require a roux for thickening and to stabilize the sauce. While this approach certainly works, it can leave the sauce thick and gloppy, and the flour dulls the flavor of the cheese.

Not only does a breadcrumb topping for mac and cheese provide great textural contrast to the creaminess within, but it also adds even more flavor to the dish.

Feta, queso fresco and paneer

As delicious as feta is in a salad or sprinkled over soup, this dry and crumbly cheese just isn't ideal for mac and cheese. Feta has a high moisture level and doesn't melt properly, so it would clump rather than give you a smooth sauce.

Milk: Keeps our cheese sauce super creamy. I use whole milk or reduced-fat milk. Mustard and spices: A combination of Dijon mustard, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt makes this macaroni and cheese extra delicious. Cheese: I use white cheddar and parmesan or pecorino cheese.

Thoroughly shake the colander to dry off as much excess water as possible before using. “Because the cheese is damp after rinsing, it's better to use it in recipes that result in the cheese melting.

Though Velveeta is no longer an FDA-defined genuine cheese, it does have some similarities, namely pasteurized milk and cheese culture.

Why does my homemade mac and cheese taste bland? ›

Bland almost always means things need more salt. A teaspoon or so of dijon mustard does wonders to mac & cheese. Edit: since this is the top comment, I will also add that dijon mustard is widely considered a pantry staple, so it's something that you should have in your fridge at all times.

Key #2: Use Evaporated Milk

Evaporated milk is a highly concentrated source of milk protein micelles—bundles of proteins that can act as powerful emulsifying agents—which help to keep the sauce creamy and smooth.

You want equal amounts of butter and flour by weight. This is key. Throw in too much flour, and sure the sauce might get thick, but it also might taste floury and be lumpy. Even if you get the roux right, use too much or reduce your sauce down too far, and the macaroni and cheese will turn out dry.

It's not southern mac and cheese if it doesn't have eggs in it- this is one of the primary differences between northern and southern. I also suggest mixing everything together before pouring into your casserole dish for better distribution.

The best known "types" of traditional Southern cheese are pimento cheese (which is a dip, not a cheese itself), and hoop cheese, which is now a relative rarity, but was ubiquitous before the 1960s in local stores.

Food historian Adrian Miller points out that while Thomas Jefferson often gets credit for popularizing macaroni and cheese in the United States, it was of course his enslaved black chef James Hemmings who learned to cook it. In the Antebellum South, mac and cheese was a weekend and celebration food.

The south is a magical wonderland where the okra is fried, the gravy is plentiful, and even mac and cheese is considered a veggie.