A Southern baked mac & cheese made without roux, enriched with cream and eggs, layered with five cheeses, and finished with a golden crust.
Beneath its golden, bubbling crust, the center stays creamy, threaded with strands of melted mozzarella. This Southern-style macaroni and cheese is rich without a roux : its structure comes from cream, half-and-half, eggs, and five cheeses. Smoked paprika adds a gentle warmth. It’s a dish made for sharing, the kind that belongs in the middle of a big table.
What exactly is mac & cheese ?
Mac & cheese, short for macaroni and cheese, is simply macaroni with cheese. In its most basic form, it’s macaroni mixed with cheese and dairy, served loose and saucy, or baked until more set.
This Southern-style version skips the butter-and-flour roux and béchamel : eggs, cream, and half-and-half create a custardy dairy base around the pasta, almost like a savory flan. The result is creamy yet sliceable. Each cheese plays a part : aged cheddar for character and color, Colby Jack for smooth melting, mozzarella for stretch, American processed cheese for stability, and cream cheese for softness. Cheddar and Colby Jack on top create the browned crust, finished with a pinch of smoked paprika.
A roux-free bake
This baked mac & cheese holds together thanks to a base of dairy and eggs rather than a flour-thickened sauce, and gets its richness from a blend of cheeses chosen for their flavor, melt, and texture. A large baking dish makes it easy to feed a crowd, and the method stays simple, just long enough for the crust to brown and bubble while the inside remains creamy.
The key ingredients in mac & cheese
Elbow macaroni forms the base : its curved shape traps cream and melted cheese in every nook. Cook it just shy of al dente, since it will continue to absorb liquid in the oven. Cooking it in chicken broth or salted water seasons it throughout ; since the broth and cheese already bring plenty of salt, season carefully at the end.
The cheeses provide both flavor and structure : aged cheddar brings character and a deeper color, with some reserved for the top; Colby Jack melts smoothly and softens the cheddar; mozzarella creates those stretchy strands when served; American processed cheese helps bind everything together; cream cheese adds extra softness.
The custard-style base combines half-and-half, heavy cream, and eggs : the cream adds silkiness, the eggs help the bake set, and the yolks keep the texture smooth rather than grainy. For seasoning, smoked paprika brings warmth and color, garlic powder and onion powder build savory depth, dry mustard sharpens the flavor, and black pepper balances the richness.
Technical notes for a creamy bake
Here, the egg custard stands in for the roux : the flavor stays centered on the cheese and dairy. The mixture may look loose before baking, but it sets in the oven into a creamy interior that still holds together. The balance of cheeses matters, since the more aged ones can separate in the heat.
The method comes down to three points : slightly undercooked pasta, a smooth, well-blended dairy-and-egg base, and a layer of cheddar and Colby Jack reserved for the top to achieve deep golden browning. Pull the dish from the oven when the crust is golden and bubbling, before it overbakes, then let it rest for a few minutes so it can firm up before serving in clean, creamy portions.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter for greasing the baking dish
- 450 g elbow macaroni uncooked
- 2.4 liters chicken broth for cooking the pasta (or salted water)
- 225 g aged cheddar grated; half reserved for the topping
- 225 g Colby Jack grated; half reserved for the topping
- 225 g mozzarella grated
- 225 g American cheese cut into cubes
- 115 g Philadelphia-style cream cheese softened
- 240 ml half-and-half equal parts milk and cream (or substitute unsweetened evaporated milk)
- 240 ml heavy cream
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika plus a little extra for the top (optional)
- 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 eggs
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter a 23 x 33 cm baking dish and set aside.1 tablespoon butter
- Bring the chicken broth (or salted water) to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until just shy of al dente, then drain.2.4 liters chicken broth, 450 g elbow macaroni
- In a large bowl, combine the half-and-half, heavy cream, half of the cheddar, half of the Colby Jack, all of the mozzarella, the American cheese, and the cream cheese.240 ml half-and-half, 240 ml heavy cream, 225 g aged cheddar, 225 g Colby Jack, 225 g mozzarella, 225 g American cheese, 115 g Philadelphia-style cream cheese
- Add the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well, taste, and adjust the seasoning lightly if needed.0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 0.5 teaspoon mustard powder, salt, black pepper
- Stir in the cooked macaroni, then mix in the eggs.2 eggs
- Transfer to the baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining cheddar and Colby Jack, plus a little smoked paprika if desired.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling, without overbaking.
- Let rest for about 5 minutes, then serve hot.
