This rich and decadent baked pasta is a Southern Black staple for holidays and special occasions. Steering away from the standard stovetop mac, this version includes three kinds of cheese and bakes up like a casserole with a crispy, golden top. The addition of eggs makes it similar to a cheesy, savory custard. Warning: This is not diet food!
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 35 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 10 to 12 servings |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 5 large eggs
- 3 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pound sharp Cheddar, shredded
- 1 pound whole-milk mozzarella, shredded
- 1 pound Gouda, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the macaroni according to the package directions until 3 minutes less than fully cooked. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled; drain well. Add the cooked pasta back to the pot.
- Put the eggs, heavy cream, Cajun seasoning, ground mustard, nutmeg and a big pinch of salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over the cooked pasta and stir to combine.
- Toss together the Cheddar, mozzarella and Gouda in a large bowl. Add the cheeses to the pot and stir to evenly combine. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Bake until the center of the mac and cheese is set and the top is golden brown, 60 to 70 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 810 |
| Total Fat | 59 g |
| Saturated Fat | 36 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 37 g |
| Cholesterol | 266 mg |
| Sodium | 787 mg |
Reviews
My whole family loved this recipe. I thought it was wonderful. It was easy to make and baked up beautifully. I had to bake it at 350 instead of 375 and it still took an hour to be done. Will make this for Thanksgiving this year.
Made this for thanksgiving 2023 and everyone loved it. Cooked 1 pound of macaroni 3 minutes less than according to package. With the exception of the amount of cheese and salt, all other ingredients were used as stated. Salt wise, I only salted the pasta water. Cheese wise, I shredded and combined all the cheeses as the recipe stated but felt it was too thick as I was mixing it in to the pot. I might’ve used maybe 3/4 of the cheese during the mixing process. Small amount for sprinkling on top. I did prep it a few hours in advance and kept it in the fridge. I separated it into 2 baking dishes and added pepper jack cheese on the top to one of the dishes for those who can’t eat spicy. Baked it until it was golden brown at 375F. I’m not a big dairy person and I thought it was delicious. I almost didn’t use the 5 eggs the recipe suggested but decided it’s my first time making it this way…give it a try. Whether this is really “southern” mac & cheese or not…it was very delicious. Will definitely make it again.
This was a huge hit at my Thanksgiving table! The flavor was amazing. I received so many awesome comments from the guests. I’ve tried a number of mac and cheese recipes over the years to varying success, but this is by far the best and will be my go-to from now on. Just a total winner and incredibly easy to make.
OMG…….Awesome! This easy to follow recipe is a winner!! Used this recipe at Thanksgiving a couple years back and it was the star of the meal! Now when we plan get togethers it’s always requested!
This recipe is definitely part of the recipe vault!
This recipe is definitely part of the recipe vault!
The relatives and friends loved this. We will keep this in our Family Favorites.
First time making baked Mac & Cheese … hit the jackpot with choosing this recipe! I followed the recipe to a T, and it turned out delicious. Don’t be nervous as you’re mixing everything together before transferring to the 9×13. It seems like a TON of cheese, but trust! I made it for a crowd, and everyone loved it! 🙂 Tip: make sure the pot you cook the pasta in is LARGE, so that you don’t have trouble when mixing all the other ingredients in afterwards. If you don’t have a large enough pot, use a separate really big bowl to combine everything after the pasta is done.
Delicious! I only used a half pound of Gouda, used salt/pepper instead of Cajun seasoning and it turned out perfectly!
Question- can you assemble this a day ahead and then bake, or does it all need to be done at once?
This is not a review (sorry to all you haters). I have a question. What size elbow macaroni? I have never made homemade mac n cheese. My mother-in-law was from SC and always used the large elbow macaroni. What size is best for this recipe? Thank you.
Excellent and easy.