Paula Deen's macaroni and cheese recipe is made with just a few simple ingredients and comes out deliciously cheesy and rich every time! Just combine the ingredients in a baking dish and pop it in the oven for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. It's the ultimate Southern comfort food!
Paula Deens Easy Baked Mac & Cheese
If you're from the South, or a fan of Southern cooking, then you undoubtedly know of Paula Deen. Her cheesy baked macaroni is the epitome of Southern comfort food, and now you can recreate it in your own kitchen!
This is a super simple recipe that yields rich and satisfying mac and cheese every time. There are eggs added to the cheese sauce, so it bakes into an almost 'fluffy' consistency that is hard to resist!
Jump to:
🥘 Paula Deen's Macaroni And Cheese Ingredients
These are the ingredients that Paula Deen uses to make her popular baked macaroni. You can use substitutes as needed, just remember the texture and flavor will change as well.
- Elbow Macaroni - 8 ounces of elbow macaroni that has been cooked, drained, and rinsed in cool water (2 cups of uncooked noodles).
- Cheddar Cheese - 3 cups of freshly shredded cheddar cheese (divided into 2 cups and 1 cup portions).
- Eggs - 3 large eggs, or you could try your preferred egg substitute.
- Evaporated Milk - 1 cup of evaporated milk.
- Sour Cream - ½ cup of sour cream or a sour cream substitute.
- Salt - ½ teaspoon of kosher salt.
- Unsalted Butter - ¼ cup of cubed unsalted butter or a butter substitute.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Paula Deen's Macaroni And Cheese
This macaroni and cheese is ready to eat after just a few simple steps! You'll need your measuring utensils, 2 mixing bowls, a whisk, and an 8x8 baking dish to get started.
When served as a side dish, one 8x8 pan of baked macaroni makes 6-8 servings.
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix pasta and cheese. Prepare 8 ounces (250 grams) of elbow macaroni if you haven't already, then add the cooked and drained pasta to a large mixing bowl with 2 of the 3 cups (334 grams) of cheddar cheese and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Whisk together liquid ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 large eggs, 1 cup (252 grams) of evaporated milk, ½ cup (61 grams) of sour cream, and ½ teaspoon (2 grams) of kosher salt. Fold the egg mixture and ¼ cup (54 grams) of cubed unsalted butter in with the pasta and cheese until evenly distributed. Then, pour everything into your prepared baking dish.
- Bake. Bake uncovered at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar over the top, then pop it back in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
🍴 What to Serve With
You can serve this super cheesy baked mac and cheese alongside any of your favorite recipes. A couple of my favorites are homemade Shake & Bake Pork Chops and my Stove Top Meatloaf. In fact, I have a whole page dedicated to what to serve with mac and cheese! Enjoy
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- 8 ounces of elbow macaroni is about 2 cups of uncooked pasta.
- Always use freshly shredded cheese when making macaroni and cheese. The pre-shredded bags of cheese at the grocery store are coated with cellulose to prevent the cheese from sticking or melting.
- This is Paula Deen's signature recipe, but you can still try out some different cheeses if you prefer a variety. I recommend using at least 1 ½ cups of cheddar, but the other 1 ½ cups could be Gruyere, gouda, brie, or whatever melting cheese you like! See my post on the best cheeses for mac and cheese for more suggestions.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Once your macaroni has cooled completely, you can cover it with foil or transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. Enjoy within 3-4 days.
Reheating Paula Deen's Macaroni And Cheese
Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave. Otherwise, you can pop the mac and cheese (in the baking dish) in your oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through and bubbling.
>>>>See all of my recipes HERE<<<<
❓ FAQ
The eggs in this recipe act as a binder for the sauce and the macaroni noodles. When mixed with the cheese and evaporated milk, the eggs create a custard-like consistency when baked!
There's a lot of dairy in this mac and cheese, so I don't recommend freezing this recipe. There's a good amount of evaporated milk and sour cream in the sauce, so it tends to separate when reheated.
Yes, you can! Combine all the ingredients as instructed. Then, before baking, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Pull it out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking to take some of the chill off.
🧀 😋 More Mac And Cheese Recipes
- Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese - A gourmet mac and cheese that is perfect for any occasion!
- Chili Mac - Two comfort foods come together in this savory and satisfying
- Sour Cream Macaroni and Cheese - Super creamy and slightly tangy, this sour cream mac and cheese is downright addicting!
- Velveeta Mac and Cheese - A classic recipe for super creamy Velveeta macaroni that kids and adults will enjoy!
- Crockpot Mac and Cheese - A fuss-free mac and cheese recipe you can set and forget in your slow cooker.
- Microwave Mac and Cheese - If you're craving mac and cheese but don't have a lot of time, microwave mac and cheese will totally hit the spot!
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Subscribe to the newsletter today (no spam, I promise)! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📋 Recipe
Paula Deen's Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz elbow macaroni (cooked, drained, and rinsed in cool water)
- 3 cups cheddar cheese (shredded, divided into 2 cups and 1 cup portions)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter cubed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Prepare 8 oz elbow macaroni if you haven't already, then add the cooked and drained pasta to a large mixing bowl with 2 of the 3 cups cheddar cheese and mix until thoroughly combined.8 oz elbow macaroni, 3 cups cheddar cheese
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 large eggs, 1 cup evaporated milk, ½ cup sour cream, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Fold the egg mixture and ¼ cup unsalted butter in with the pasta and cheese until evenly distributed. Then, pour everything into your prepared baking dish.3 large eggs, 1 cup evaporated milk, ½ cup sour cream, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ cup unsalted butter
- Bake uncovered at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar over the top, then pop it back in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- 8 ounces of elbow macaroni is about 2 cups of uncooked pasta.
- Always use freshly shredded cheese when making macaroni and cheese. The pre-shredded bags of cheese at the grocery store are coated with cellulose to prevent the cheese from sticking or melting.
- This is Paula Deen's signature recipe, but you can still try out some different cheeses if you prefer a variety. I recommend using at least 1 ½ cups of cheddar, but the other 1 ½ cups could be Gruyere, gouda, brie, or whatever melting cheese you like! See my post on the best cheeses for mac and cheese for more suggestions.
- To store: Once your macaroni has cooled completely, you can cover it with foil or transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. Enjoy within 3-4 days.
- To reheat: Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave. Otherwise, you can pop the mac and cheese (in the baking dish) in your oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through and bubbling.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think: