Mac and cheese. What comes to mind when you hear those words? If it’s a pan filled with an unnatural yellow/orange color sauce coating macaroni, your world is about to change.
In a good way.
My SIL, Sheri, is famous for making huge pans of luscious, creamy mac and cheese. She perfected the art of making an amazing pan of one of my favorite dishes when she lived in the South.
I love it when we have a family dinner that includes a pan of Sheri’s Creamy Southern Mac and Cheese. Love it for days after too. This dish re-heats beautifully. Sheri’s version includes lots of sauce, coating the pasta generously, so it doesn’t become a thick, gluey mess when heated up for leftovers. This is mac and cheese heaven.
You’re gonna love it.
Creamy Southern Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 3-4 tablespoons grated or crushed onion
- 1 cup flour
- 6 cups skim milk
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 teaspoons pepper
- 5 cups sharp or combination of sharp and extra sharp cheese
- 1 ½ cups fresh grated Parmesan
- 1 pound macaroni
Instructions
- Boil macaroni until al dente. Set aside.
- Melt butter. Sauté onion in butter until onion is translucent not brown. Add flour and cook for about two minutes. Add milk and stir with wire whisk. Cook until thickened. Add nutmeg, dried mustard, salt, and pepper. Turn off heat. Add 3 ½ – 4 c. sharp cheddar and 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan. Put in greased 9×13 pan and cover with 1 c. sharp cheddar and ½ c. Parmesan. Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes until lightly browned.
Notes
-Also, you may substitute Gouda, smoked Gouda, smoked Cheddar, Swiss, or any other type of cheese you like as part of the cheese. Mild cheddar is not recommended, as the flavor is too bland.
-This is also great as a make ahead dish. Prepare as directed, refrigerate and bake within two days.
-This dish also freezes well. To cook, remove from freezer and keep covered with foil. Bake at 325 for about 1 hour. Remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. I’d love to see a photo, tag @abountifulkitchen on Instagram!
Laurie jEan
Creamy, Cheesy Deliciousness! Definitely my go to recipe from now on. Thanks!
Si Foster
Thank you Laurie! So glad you loved this recipe!
XO
Si
Jenn
Hubby is asking for mac and cheese with Brisket for Father’s Day so I of course started my search on ABK. This looks so gooey and delicious, I’m trying to choose between this and Foster Fam Favorite Mac and Cheese. This recipe calls for Skim milk, but I can’t help but wonder if it’s better with 2% or whole, or is skim essential because of the way it combines with the cheese in this version?
Tiffany
Do kids also love this version of Mac and cheese?