Southern Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

Can this be prepared in advance, up to step 4, and then reheat and broil the next day?

For those with Pyrex under the broiler questions some clarification is in order. There are PYREX and Pyrex glass dishes and they are not the same. PYREX is the original, better borosilicate glass that is no longer sold in the U.S. Pyrex is the newer, cheaper soda-lime glass sold in America. PYREX should be able to withstand a few minutes under the broiler. Pyrex is best handled with great care as it has a lower thermal shock resistance.

All I have to say is this recipe is dirrrrrty. I inhaled it. I add a little ground mustard and cayenne pepper to mine, like my Nana does. You won't find a richer, crispier, creamier, cheesier mac & cheese recipe.

Finally! A macaroni and cheese recipe I would call "black." Food represents culture. Although you did not give it a cultural origin, most "mac & cheese" recipes begin with a roux. That would be white people's versions. Blacks don't even say "mac & cheese"; but "macaroni and cheese," perhaps because it's served formally. The current recipe is how my mother and aunts made the dish. I have since toyed with it by substituting pureed cottage cheese for milk and adding dry mustard and cayenne. Bravo!

Made this last night, and my family and I agreed best mac & cheese we've ever had. I read the notes from some who advised to let the hot pasta cool a bit before adding it to the egg/milk mixture so you don't end up with scrambled eggs, that was very helpful. I used the warm melted butter to temper the milk/egg mixture, and then I was able to add the warm pasta in with no problem. Keep a very close eye on the broiler and do let it sit up for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

I’ve made this recipe four or five times now and each time it’s been creamy, rich and delicious—just like macaroni and cheese should be. Couple of things—make sure your 350 degree oven is on for at least 20 minutes before putting dish in to bake; make sure your pasta has been rinsed in cold water before adding it to cold milk/egg/cheese, salt and pepper mixture (Mixed well), and add melted butter last, mixing butter in quickly and vigorously. Make this dish! It’s five stars!

This recipe is missing two crucial words: room temperature. I got a late start and pulled the milk and eggs straight from the fridge - it’s been quite an ordeal to finish the recipe. The melted butter immediately resolidified when added to the mixture (obvi, I know, unless you’re moving fast). Then after 40 min in the oven, still watery and only now starting to get warm. I’m sure it will still taste amazing, but just having the words “room temperature” by the milk & eggs would’ve saved me.

I wonder if folks who are complaining this dish is runny---who are legion---I wonder if they really shook the water out of the macaroni when they were draining the pasta. Those little tubes can hold a boatload of water.

I'd add a mix of panko, butter and garlic powder on top, give it a nice crunchy breading

Made this for a super bowl crowd and it was a hit, but I could see some of the problems others describe. I needed to take the first baking to 30 minutes to get the first complement of cheese melting and the liquid simmering. I added the second helping of cheese, and then went with a 450 convection setting instead of broiling, which browned the top in a controlled way. The recipe may be very sensitive to the pan you pick, how wet your rinsed noodles are, your oven’s temp ... use judgement.

Now I know where my mom learned how to make Mac n Cheese! A new Army bride (from Germany), her first posting was Atlanta, Georgia. Only thing different is she always added half a finely chopped onion and topped with toasted bread crumbs and butter. Yum! And we always ate it with ketchup!

I don’t understand the obsession with putting bacon in every single dish!

Perhaps two pounds of cheese?

my family has always made what we called "macaroni pie," which is the cooked macaroni layered and topped with generous amounts of cheddar cheese. Then, a mixture of eggs and milk were poured over the casserole. Bake at 350F until done. Most excellent.

Your pasta was still warm when u added the eggs which is why they seemed scrambled

This is ok. I wanted to love it, but it’s a little bland. The second time I made it it added mustard, nutmeg, and red pepper. Oh, and I added torn white bread tossed in salted butter to the top for the second cook. Still bland. I think it could use more cheese and instead of Colby Jack, Swiss cheese, which is how I make my go-to. So, not bad, just not my favorite.

This is always requested by the family for big pot luck dinner. A favorite with the kids and adults.

OK, I will write. I add sour cream, mayo, heavy cream, cherry toms, and red pepper flakes. Probably sounds awful--(I'm just a cook, nowhere near a chef :) but the family loves it! Another note--all of you wonderful cooks are so helpful with what you add to the recipes. THANK YOU!

This is NOT a Southern Mac and Cheese. It's the Northern version. Missing is canned mild rather than whole milk, no Colby Cheese please, a little flour and the secret ingredient is yellow mustard, just a bit. I would use four eggs to make it more a pie.Try it and see what you think.

I never use the broiler, opting for a torch instead.

This is the best mac and cheese ever! and if you are lactose intolerant Cabot makes Lactose free cheese. I cried when I found out and made this dish. I was so happy!

My Granddad insisted on Mac & Cheese at every Sunday dinner even if Granny had sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and of course, there was always cornbread. The Alabama/Georgia crowd always made it with eggs, cheese, and milk. Mac & Cheese with a cheese sauce was a revelation to me when I got out into the world. I like both, but Granddad always comes to mind when Mac & Cheese makes an appearance. Pax, jb

This may seem like a bizarre undertaking, but I made a vegan version of this that is now my favorite special occasion dairy free mac and cheese. I substituted 3 tablespoons chickpea flour for the egg, oat milk, dairy free butter, and Daiya cheddar and jack shreds (if you haven’t tried Daiya shreds in a while, they’re light years away from what they were). Not healthy by a long shot, but absolutely decadent.

I am very curious to know what makes this recipe Southern. I was looking for ground peppers or something new, with your title. I have been making this for many years, on the West Coast. It's not rocket science.

I made this for my family thanksgiving once and now it gets requested every year! I prefer my mac and cheese with a kick so I add chopped jalapeños to the noodle and cheese mixture, and bake with sliced jalapeños on top. Delicious!

I like drier mac and cheeses over ones swimming in cheese sauce (although I'm not turning any away, because - well, it's mac and cheese.), and I like a stronger cheese taste over a more mellow one. That brings me here with all five stars blazing bright, because I can't get enough of this recipe. Honestly, If the world would look the other way for a second, I'd be happy with a full pan and a fork. Nothing else, no one else. Just pure mac and cheese bliss. It's really easy and REALLY GOOD!

I don’t understand what I did wrong. The bottom was milky gross and and fatty on top. Idk if it’s because I used poor quality cheese or didn’t cook it long enough? We put it back in the oven at 400 for another 10 minutes and it got better, but I would definitely say this recipe is not the rave review everyone said it was.

The taste was absolutely delicious (augmented by cayenne & mustard powder) but I found the texture of the cheese mixture to be clumpy rather than smooth and creamy as I would have wanted. I suspect that must be the addition of egg (getting cooked in the sauce), so it just didn't seem like everything fully emulsified. I would definitely use this cooking method again, but would try with a different sauce.

Very easy to make. I cooked the pasta slightly less than al dente, brought ingredients close to room temperature, and rinsed the pasta under cold water for awhile. I added a bit of ground mustard, but it could have used more. Next time I will experiment with using gruyere or gouda instead of colby jack. Even my very picky daughter liked it!

I tried to get my ingredients as close to room temperature as possible but still got a little bit of a scrambled egg texture. Was still tasty.