Description
A nostalgic and decadent Baked Mac and Cheese featuring gooey cheese, perfectly cooked pasta, and a crunchy, buttery Ritz cracker topping.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces elbow pasta
- 24 ounces evaporated milk
- 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack or Fontina cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 32 Ritz butter crackers
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- In a large pot, add the elbow pasta to salted boiling water. Cook according to package directions, but drain 1 minute before it’s al dente.
- In the same pot, add the evaporated milk and heat over medium-low. Gradually whisk in the shredded cheeses until melted into a gooey sauce.
- Stir in the ground mustard, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Mix in the drained pasta until thoroughly coated, then transfer to a 9×13 baking dish.
- In a small bowl, crush the Ritz crackers and combine with melted butter. Sprinkle this topping over the mac and cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
Notes
For a lighter version, opt for low-fat cheeses or plant-based milk. Serve with a salad for balance.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 60mg