Easy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe With Ritz Crackers

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When you are looking for an old fashioned, easy, comfort food, look no further than this Baked Macaroni and Cheese . It is the ultimate soul food!

This baked Mac and Cheese is creamy, cheesy, and has a rich, golden crunchy top. It is the food I always know my kids and guests will DEVOUR. Three plates full of easy baked Macaroni and Cheese? Sure! I know all the ingredients, and it is the ultimate fill them up food.

I love that I have all the ingredients in my pantry . It's recipes like this that I keep right next to my stove for whenever I have people dropping by. An oven baked Macaroni and Cheese is quick to whip up and so easy too !

And did I mention that it tastes like a Southern baked Macaroni and Cheese? If you don't live in the south and haven't visited, trust me, you'll love it. With such a big batch you'll love all your leftovers too!

Ingredients in Baked Macaroni and Cheese

• Salt: I love my sea salt, but I've said this before: use whatever salt you love and have. Salt is rarely, if ever, worth an extra trip to the store.
• Macaroni Noodles: Elbow Macaroni noodles are a classic in this dish. But I've also found different shapes make fun additions to an Easter, Christmas, or Thanksgiving macaroni and cheese side dish.
• Butter: Buuuuutttteeerrrr! I love my butter. Use real butter for best flavor.
• Flour: The flour is what thickens up your sauce to make it that creamy consistency you know and love.
• Milk: In order to make the sauce, you also need quite a bit of milk. It doesn't matter which kind of milk you use in a recipe like this though.
• Cheese: Macaroni and cheese. Without the cheese, your macaroni would be very sad indeed! Sharp Cheddar Cheese pairs wonderfully with the rest of the ingredients in the baked macaroni and cheese.
• Ritz Crackers: Instead of bread crumbs, use Ritz crackers. There is something so perfect about using Ritz crackers as a topping. They are already so buttery and crispy, the perfect addition to this easy recipe.

Pro Tip: The cheese in this recipe is a lot. Don't double it for a cheesier recipe, trust me, it turns out perfect as is.

How to Make Baked Macaroni and Cheese

• Make the Noodles: Combined with the salt, you'll be boiling the noodles until al dente, or cooked but not too soft. Since you'll be mixing and then baking them you want to be careful to not overcook them here.
• Create the Sauce: Mix together the butter and flour, then the milk, salt, and cheese. During this process your roux is going to go through several stages. First very thick, then goopy, then thin, and finally creamy. Don't panic. Follow the directions and let it do it's thing. Sometimes art doesn't look so good during the process. And this, my friends, is art.
• Combine: The noodles and creamy cheese sauce get combined and the buttery Ritz crackers get sprinkled all over the top. It's beautiful. And also, crushing Ritz crackers is my favorite part.
• Cook: You want the top to be crispy and golden. It should take about 45 minutes and can be served fresh out of the oven.

Pro Tip: I love the extra crispy top. If you want your top less crispy, put some foil over it and bake that way. It'll still taste wonderful but the top will be a bit softer.

What to Eat with Oven Macaroni and Cheese

Although filling and hearty, baked macaroni and cheese always seems so lonely by itself. Here are a few of my favorite go to sides:

• Salad: These two go together so well, it's one of my favorite pairings. A Pistachio Chicken Salad or a Bacon Lettuce Tomato Salad are two of my personal favorites.
• Fruit: I love this Pistachio Fruit Salad  or this Grape Salad as side dishes. They also pair wonderfully with homemade baked macaroni and cheese.
• Vegetables: This can be as simple as you want it to be! Think: canned corn or peas. I mean you can even put them in the mac and cheese if you want, though I like serving them as a side. Or get fancy with some Candied Carrots or Grilled Bacon Wrapped Asparagus .
• Meat: When you add meat to a meal, it tends to steal the show as the main dish. So if you want the baked macaroni and cheese to be the star, stick with one of the other sides. If you don't, then try an Sloppy Joe Recipe or Marinated Steak Kabobs .

Can You Freeze Macaroni and Cheese

Here's how you can freeze baked macaroni and cheese:

• Prior to Baking: Follow the directions up until baking. Then wrap tightly and place in the freezer. This is the preferred method of freezing as it tends to be less grainy since it only gets cooked once, not twice. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking and then cook according to directions. Or cook straight from the freezer but add an extra ten minutes or so to adjust for starting temperature.
• After Baking: Bake the entire dish according to directions, shaving off a few minutes at the end. Dishes that are cooked twice tend to do better if they are slightly undercooked the first time. Cook straight from the freezer until hot.

Baked macaroni and cheese will stay good in your freezer for up to three months.

You can also make the mac and cheese the day before you plan to eat it and then wrap tightly, place in the fridge, and then bake it the next day according to directions.

More Pasta Recipes You'll Love…

• Easy Pasta Salad
• Fettuccine Alfredo with Heavy Cream
• Mexican Stuffed Shells
• Chicken Noodle Casserole
• Turkey Noodle Soup
• Chicken Bacon Pasta
• Instant Pot Spaghetti

Baked Macaroni and Cheese is really one of those delicious foods that your family will eat over and over and over. It's good for company, holidays, main dishes, or as a side. Enjoy it any way you like, but I know this dish will definitely be a keeper!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups Elbow Macaroni
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Fill a large pot with water and add 1 Tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil.
3. Stir in the macaroni and cook uncovered until pasta is cooked through but firm to the bite. (about 8 minutes depending on your stove). Turn burner off, remove from heat and drain.
4. In a separate large skillet {or dutch oven}, combine 1/4 cup of butter, and flour over medium to low heat until a thick paste is created.
5. Slowly add all the milk to the flour paste mixture, 1/4 cup at a time stirring well to incorporate each time before adding the next 1/4 cup so that the roux stays creamy and smooth. DON'T PANIC at this stage. Your mixture will become thick and goopy first then will thin out. Just keep adding the milk 1/4 cup at a time and mixing well after each addition and you'll get a perfect roux.
6. Add salt and cheddar cheese (1 cup at a time) and stir until cheese has melted and sauce has thickened.
7. Pour noodles into the cheese mixture, stir to combine and then pour the entire mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish. {If using dutch oven, just bake in dutch oven, no need to dirty another pan!}
8. Mix the melted butter & crushed Ritz crackers together. Sprinkle on top of Macaroni.
9. Bake in oven for 45 minutes until top is golden.
10. Serve Immediately

Notes

Per reader comments, the cheese in the recipe IS DOUBLED from the original recipe. So do NOT double again. 🙂 The original recipe called for 2 cups.

Nutritional Information is estimated, not exact.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 570 Total Fat: 34.3g Saturated Fat: 18.5g Cholesterol: 80mg Sodium: 1388mg Carbohydrates: 44.5g Fiber: 1.6g Sugar: 8g Protein: 20.1g

Originally Posted: February 24, 2014

Photos & Text Updated: October 23, 2018

Photos & Text Updated: May 12, 2021

Easy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe With Ritz Crackers

Source: https://numstheword.com/baked-macaroni-cheese/

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