Insanely Cheesy And Creamy Mac & Cheese

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Insanely Cheesy And Creamy Mac & Cheese Once upon a time, I made atrocious mac and cheese. It tasted ok, but the texture was kind of grainy and gritty. Every once in a while, I would hit it and it would be good but those times were few and far between.

For years, I had seen recipes for it that used eggs to make a sort of cheesy custard but something about using eggs in mac and cheese just seemed weird to me, not to mention that, even to ME, it was like “whoaaaaa… like mac and cheese isn’t fattening enough as is without adding a bunch of eggs to it?” But I kept running into recipes with them in it and the photos I saw always looked good so I broke down and tried it.

I’m sorry I waited so long.

And looking back and thinking in a logical cooking way, it makes sense. Make an egg custard and put cheese in it and you’re going to have something delicious. I do it when I make Pastitsio (the love child of Greek mac and cheese and Greek lasagna) so I don’t know why I hesitated in this. Adding the eggs to the milk and cheese one might normally use to make a white sauce for M&C simply gives you a smoother, richer, better textured final product. If you’ve never used a custard base for pasta, don’t be nervous. If you remember to temper your eggs, you’ll be fine. All that means is to beat a little of the hot milk/cheese mixture into the eggs to heat the eggs up. That way they don’t immediately scramble when you add them to the milk. After that, it’s a breeze. You’ve got this!Β  For the life of me, I don’t recall where I got the un-changed up recipe originally. I had it hand written on a piece of paper with no info.

You know the drill… in this case, it’s go make some outrageously cheesy and creamy mac and cheese!

(I have updated this over the years, because it simply didn’t reheat well due to the sauce getting soaked up. When you first make this, you will think it’s too much sauce. It’s not. it works when first made, and helps the mac and cheese stay creamy when reheated. )

Insanely Cheesy And Creamy Mac & Cheese

  • 2 lbs macaroni
  • 30 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (don’t use the preshredded)
  • 30 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, freshly grated (don’t use the preshredded)
  • 3 lbs Velveeta, cubed
  • 3 1/4 cups milk (use whole for this or 2%. There is really no use using skim or 1%. I mean… really… with all the cheese?)
  • 5 eggs, well beaten
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Cook your pasta, drain well and set aside.
  2. While it’s cooking, combine your cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses in a large bowl. Set aside.
  3. Pour your milk into a medium, preferably non stick, pot. Over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer.
  4. Add in the Velveeta cheese and stir constantly until smooth and completely melted.
  5. Take about 1/2 cup of the hot milk/cheese mixture and SLOWLY drizzle it into the bowl of beaten eggs, whisking with a fork constantly. When you have it all tempered, slowly pour the egg mixture back into the milk mixture, again stirring constantly.
  6. Butter a 4 to 6 quart baking dish ( I use one of those deep dish foil lasagna pans for this) and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Don’t use a smaller one… this makes a LOT of mac and cheese. Pour half of the pasta into the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and layer the sliced butter all over the top.
  7. Sprinkle half of the cheddar/jack cheese mixture over the top of the pasta, then pour half of the hot milk/cheese mixture over the top. Repeat this layering one more time.
  8. Bake at 350 until mac and cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, about 30 to 45 minutes.

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59 thoughts on “Insanely Cheesy And Creamy Mac & Cheese

  1. I’ve seen the egg versions but never tasted one although I agree it makes sense. I just make a cheesy bechamel sauce for mine so it never gets gritty. Either way, mac & cheese is one of my ultimate comfort foods. So good…and so bad. πŸ˜‰

    • Same here, Anita. I think it’s the go to comfort food of a LOT of people! And yep… so bad for you but ohhhhh so worth it sometimes!

  2. Well, next time I have 20.00 to put into a mac recipe I will make this… One lb of velvetta is about $5.00… so no, I don’t have that kinda money.

    • It’s definitely a treat, not something one would make everyday. I don’t have some sort of unlimited food budget myself, Megan. Have a great day.

    • I watch for specials on Velveeta, my grocery store had it on sale last week for $6.99 for two pound package, and they had coupons on a rack in front of it for $1 off. I stocked up on Velveeta, the expiration date on it is 6 months from now, and I know I will be making this recipe several times before then.

  3. HUGE hit this Thanksgiving! EVERYONE loved it. I followed the recipe exactly. This will DEFINITELY be my go to Mac & Cheese recipe from now on. Thank You!

    • Quite often, actually. πŸ™‚ I have added cooked ground beef 9along with some other ingredients) to make a cheeseburger mac and cheese. I’ve also added, bacon at times, ham, you name it… this can be a side dish or a great main dish if you want just by using other things in the basic recipe πŸ™‚

    • Hello Nikki! It makes a LOT. If you’re feeding a small family, I’d cut it in half. If however, you’re bringing it to a family gathering or pot luck, make the full amount. This makes, I’d estimate, about 20 servings. I’ve never really calculated, I just know we have it for a few days when I make it and there are five of us.

    • Hi Jessica- Don’t worry. it all mixes. The first time I did it, I was leery too, but it all melts together beautifully πŸ™‚

  4. Can you make this ahead of time and bake the next day? (So only will sit in fridge overnight? This looks perfect for thanksgiving!

    • Yes, Ashley, you can mix this up, then store it in the fridge. I’d take it out about an hour before you want to cook it though so it can come to room temp before baking. πŸ™‚

  5. We are having 24 people for Christmas dinner. Should I just make one batch or 2, and count on a lot of leftovers??? And if I make 2 should I freeze one ahead?

    • Shoot; I just saw this now. Hopefully, I’m not too late here. I’d say one recipe would be enough for 24 people, DEPENDING on ages. If it’s mainly younger kids, yes. If there are a lot of teens and/or males, you may want to make two pans. You’ll have leftovers, but this reheats decently. Just add a bit of milk to it and reheat it in a covered pot, stirring frequently, rather than in the oven as that can dry it out.

  6. We made this last night with our children last night (I was looking for a recipe on Pinterest that they could help with) for Valentine’s Day. It was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good. I could feel the cheese clinging to my arteries, but it was so worth it! πŸ™‚ Everyone loved it. Thank you!

    • Hi Maryellen! I’m so glad that you and your family liked it. And I’m tickled that you came to let me know. That means more to me than you know πŸ™‚

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  8. This recipe is ON POINT!! I am a HUGE cheese lover so I added a bit of smoked gouda to the recipe. Just a warning: although I have nonstick cookware, the cheese/milk mixture burned on my stove at medium heat even with continuous stirring. Be careful with this part. Also, I used a 3 quart Pyrex dish and there wan only room for 1 layer. The recipe calls for 2lbs of macaroni (2 boxes) but I think 1 is sufficient. The cheese could be reduced to a normal 160z block and I still had a lot left over.
    Again, I’m SO excited to have stumbled across your recipe. THANK YOU! Happy Thanksgiving.

  9. Made this Mac & Cheese for Thanksgiving and my husband has nearly eaten the whole pan by himself (it’s just the two of us). Great recipe!

  10. Would sharp white cheddar work well for the 20 oz of sharp cheddar called for in the recipe? Planning to make this for a family Christmas party this weekend! Thank you…looks delish!

    • It would be fine (sorry so long to respond btw! I just saw this!). I have subbed in different cheeses quite a few times. So long as you stick to the same type of cheese (a semi soft one), it will work. I plan on making it for Christmas using Colby, Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack. πŸ™‚

      • I always use Vermont Extra Sharp White Cheddar. After making this recipe many times this is our favorite. I also add one tablespoon ground dry mustard and one fresh jalapeño, seeded and finely minced.

  11. This looks amazing. I’m making it this week! I have a question about the butter…is any of it melted into the sauce or is the entire 1/2 cup used to butter the dish? Thanks.

  12. I followed the recipe to the letter except for the type of noodle. I love radiatorre pasta so i used it. Wonder if thats why my 6 qt dish was overflowing! I had atleast 4-5 oz of cheese I couldn’t fit in the dish. But, its baking now. Fingers crossed that it will be fantastic and won’t explode out of its dish and into my oven lol!

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  14. This recipe looks delicious!! I cannot wait to try it…the only question that I have is…how does it hold up the next day? I cannot stand when mac and cheese is not creamy the next day….no one wants dried out mac and cheese!! LOL!

    • If you aren’t feeding a crowd and will have leftovers, I’d suggest using maybe only 3/4’s the amount of pasta to make sure it doesn’t dry out upon reheating, since the sauce to pasta ratio would be higher. Alternatively, I usually just scoop leftovers into a pot, add some milk and a touch of cheese and reheat that way. πŸ˜€

  15. I need to make this recipe for ~100 people. Have you ever used the large catering pans that are about 4-5 inches deep? If so, how many batches are needed to fill it, and how long does the baking time need to be extended?

    If not, can you P-L-E-A-S-E give me your best guesstimate?!?!?!? (Forget to mention… I have to make this on WED., MARCH 16, 2016!)

    Also, why don’t you recommend using preshredded cheese? (With making super large batches, I was planning on that being a huge timesaver for me!)

    • Hi Deann-
      I can’t give you any advice about the large pans, as I’ve never made it for that many people. I would guesstimate that five batches would be enough for 100 people, but please don’t quote me on that, lol.
      As for not using the preshredded cheese, manufacturers put a non clumping agent (usually a type of cornstarch or something similar) to stop the cheese from clumping together in the bag. So, it doesn’t melt NEARLY as well when using it in a sauce (though it’s fine if one is using it as a topping or inside, say, a quesadilla) and can end with a sauce separating after a while. While blocks are a pain in the butt to shred, I know, it makes a HUGE difference in the final product. If you use a food processor, it cuts the shredding time down πŸ™‚

  16. I am making this for the second time – I’m in love with this mac & cheese! I have long searched for the perfect recipe and I FOUND IT!! Thank you for satisfying my pregnancy craving! ҝ€

    • Oh, cool! I am so glad it’s become a favorite of yours, Kimberly! And congratulations on your upcoming baby!! πŸ™‚

  17. Hi Janet,

    I’ve been researching the best, creamiest, cheesiest macaroni & cheese recipes for a long time (almost obsessively) & came across this page. You said you can’t remember where you found the recipe originally…. well, I think I can help with that!
    It was created by Mary over at Deep South Dish, & while yours uses less butter & has very minor changes in the amount of cheese, I believe it is the same recipe. It’s called Southern Style Big Batch Super Creamy Special Occasion Macaroni and Cheese πŸ™‚
    I have yet to try it because I’ve been testing out so many others, but it’s going down next week!
    So fun to find others who share my macaroni & cheese obsession! Thanks for posting!

    • Hi Sophia- it’s not a taste issue so much as it is a melting one. Pre=shredded cheeses have something dusted onto it (usually cornstarch) to help prevent them from clumping up in the bag. Problem is, it also prevents an even melt.

  18. OMG! I followed this recipe to a “t” and it was sooooooooo yummy! My kids were fighting over the leftovers! This will definitely be kept with our family recipes. We’re having some tomorrow for Christmas! Lol! THANK YOU for a wonderful recipe!!

  19. This has become my go-to recipe for get-togethers with family and friends. Everyone requests it when I ask what I can bring.

    I have found that this recipe makes about 30 servings if there are other main dishes (such as at a get-together) or about 20 servings if it is served as the only main dish.

    If I plan to reheat and serve the next day I cut the amount of macaroni to 1 1/2 pounds, and that way it stays very creamy even upon reheating.

    Also, through trial and error, I have found that my favorite cheese to use is Vermont Extra Sharp White Cheddar. I also add one tablespoon ground dry mustard to the Velveeta/milk mixture, and often add one fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely minced. The jalapeno adds a little flavor and the green bits contribute to a beautiful presentation.

    And the comment in the recipe about not using preshredded cheese is spot on! I quit using preshredded cheeses years ago in my recipes, it just does not work as well due to whatever additive is used in processing to keep the “shreds” from sticking together.

  20. This sounds delicious!!! I’m gonna try it but one thing I like in a dish like this is bread crumbs on top. And to top that my sister taught me to use crushed corn flakes cause it adds a light sweetness to the dish. She’d make best pan fried chicken this way and that’s breaded egg,flour with seasonings, egg, and corn flakes! Thick pork chops are good this way too! It will not disappoint! But this will be my first time making reall macncheese and I’m using your recipe with my sisters corn flake addition! Thanks for posting this!

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