This quick and easy Baked Mac and Cheese with Velveeta is the perfect comfort food dinner! It’s ultra creamy, perfectly cheesy, and is always a family favorite.
Baked Mac and Cheese With Velveeta
This Velveeta mac and cheese is so creamy and flavorful! It has little hints of garlic and onion, and that deliciously rich taste of Velveeta.
It’s definitely a great tasty alternative to the quick Kraft mac and cheese for the kiddos since it is so easy to make (though this recipe for How to Make Kraft Mac and Cheese Better is pretty great, too!).
If you want to amp up the flavor, try adding in some crispy bacon pieces, cubed ham, browned ground beef, or sausage crumbles to this easy old fashioned macaroni. Then top it all off with some Ritz cracker crumbles. You could also incorporate vegetables by adding some broccoli.
Ingredients
Pasta: I prefer using elbow macaroni pasta for mac and cheese, but you can also use conchiglie (shell pasta) if you like. Either way it will be totally delicious!
Butter: Butter is the fat we’re mixing with the fat to make the roux, which is how the sauce is thickened. I prefer using butter because it’s so flavorful, but you can use olive oil if that’s all you have on hand.
Flour: Flour is mixed with the melted butter to create a roux that will thicken the mac n cheese sauce. It’s important to mix the flour with a fat first, and then add the milk in after. If you just add the flour to the milk, it will clump up and not have the best texture.
Spices: A combination of onion powder, garlic powder, and ground black pepper season this mac and cheese perfectly. I’d also recommend tasting the sauce before stirring in the noodles to see if you want to add any salt in (it’s an optional ingredient here, since some people find the Velveeta salty enough on its own). Dry mustard powder is also a really popular and common ingredient in mac and cheese recipes, so feel free to add a small amount in if you’d like.
Milk: I used whole milk in this recipe, and I’d recommend using at least 2% milk for maximum flavor (and to reduce the chances of the sauce separating).
Cheese: We’re using a combination of Velveeta and cheddar cheese. I love using Velveeta in mac and cheese sauce because it really has the best texture for melting. It’s smooth, creamy, and just totally delicious.
Freshly shredded cheddar cheese is my favorite for topping the mac and cheese. It has loads of flavor and melts perfectly on top of the pasta. I definitely recommend using freshly shredded cheese though. Pre-grated cheeses are coated in an anti-caking agent, and that stops them from melting smoothly. Pizza mozzarella is a delicious substitute if you don’t have any cheddar on hand.
How To Make Baked Mac And Cheese With Velveeta
Start by preheating the oven and greasing a casserole dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and boil the macaroni noodles according to the package instructions, then drain the noodles through a colander. Heat a large nonstick skillet, then add the butter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the flour over the butter. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)
Whisk the flour into the butter to create a roux. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly. Keep whisking until it reaches a smooth consistency.
Whisk in the onion powder, garlic powder, and ground black pepper. Simmer while whisking to thicken the sauce. Add in the cubes of Velveeta.
Stir until the Velveeta cubes have melted into the sauce. Add the cooked macaroni noodles to the skillet.
Gently stir to evenly coat the elbow macaroni in the Velveeta mac and cheese sauce.
Transfer the noodles and sauce to the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top. Bake until the cheese has melted, then broil until the cheese is bubbling and starting to turn golden brown at the edges. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
How Do I Make Velveeta Mac And Cheese Better?
Adding some spices is key to making the best Velveeta mac and cheese. My favorite additions are garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Some other popular ones that I sometimes add are mustard powder and a mild vinegar-based hot sauce.
Can You Add Shredded Cheese To Velveeta?
Definitely! I think a combination of cheeses really does make the best creamy baked mac and cheese. Sharp cheddar cheese adds lots of flavor, while Velveeta creates the perfect texture with a more mild cheesy flavor.
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Side Dish Recipes
Be sure to check out the rest of our side dishes! Some of my favorites are:
- Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn
- Crockpot Green Beans
- Moist Jiffy Cornbread
- Southern Green Beans
- Roasted Baby Potatoes
Pasta Recipes
We love pasta here, so be sure to check out all of our delicious pasta recipes. Some reader favorite mac and cheese recipes are:
BEST Baked Mac and Cheese with Velveeta Recipe
This quick and easy Baked Mac and Cheese with Velveeta is the perfect comfort food dinner! It's ultra creamy, cheesy, and a family favorite.
Ingredients
- 3 cups elbow macaroni pasta (300 grams)
- 3 Tablespoons butter (42 grams)
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt (optional, see notes)*
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 8 ounces Velveeta (cut into cubes)
- 1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese**
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C) and lightly grease an 8x11 casserole dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente (according to the package instructions). Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain it through a colander.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the butter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When the butter has melted, sprinkle the flour over the butter, and whisk to create a roux.
- Slowly pour the milk into the roux while whisking constantly. Continue whisking until smooth.
- Whisk in the onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer. Simmer the sauce until thickened while whisking constantly (about 3 minutes).
- Add in the Velveeta cubes, and stir until the cubes have melted.
- Remove the sauce from the heat. Taste the sauce and add salt if you like.
- Add in the cooked pasta, and gently stir until the noodles are evenly coated. Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
- Top with the shredded cheese. Place the casserole into the preheated oven and bake until the cheese has melted (about 10 minutes) then broil until golden brown and bubbly (about 2-4 minutes - keep a close eye on it while it broils so that it doesn’t burn).
Notes
*I did not add any salt to the sauce because I find Velveeta to be salty enough. If you prefer your food a bit saltier, add some after the cheese sauce has finished cooking, but before you add the pasta.
**It’s important to use freshly shredded cheese. Pre-grated cheeses are coated in an anti-caking agent that stops them from melting smoothly, which will make the topping of your mac and cheese gritty instead of smooth.
If you want to make this recipe entirely on the stove top, reduce the milk by 1/2 cup, but follow the rest of the instructions as written. Just skip the portion where you add it to a baking dish, sprinkle cheddar cheese on top, and bake it.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/8Amount Per Serving: Calories: 372Total Fat: 17.2gCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 1.3gSugar: 7.9gProtein: 15.8g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Looking for the best baked mac and cheese with Velveeta recipe? Then you’ve got to try this Southern baked mac and cheese! The cheese sauce is absolutely perfect and makes the most creamy macaroni, then it’s topped with cheddar and baked for the best combination of flavors.
13 thoughts on “Baked Mac and Cheese with Velveeta Recipe”
I grew up eating made from scratch mac & cheese and there’s nothing like it. My Mom always added some prepared yellow mustard to the sauce, as mustard really brings out the flavor of the cheese. And of course topped with buttered soft bread crumbs prior to going in the oven!
Wonderful recipe. I added a cup of Shredded guda. And also mixed some melted butter into some panko bread crumbs and added those the top while baking.
Hi Dan, Those adaptations sound delicious – thanks for sharing! -Alexa
I added white cheddar, smoked Gouda and havara cheese along with Velveeta chopped some jalapenos from a jar. Topped with crushed round crackers mixed with butter….it was my first time making homemade Mac and cheese turned out yummy!! Btw I’m 73 but always loved Mac and cheese ,hubby does not care for it…and he loved it! Served with meatloaf.
Hi Cindy, That sounds delicious – thanks so much for sharing which adaptations worked for you. So happy to hear you and your husband loved it! -Alexa
Can I prepare this a couple hours ahead of time, then put it in the oven later on
Hi Hank, I haven’t tried making it ahead, but it should work. Just be sure to let the casserole dish rest on the counter while your oven preheats so that it warms up a bit before you pop it in the oven (especially important if you’re using a pyrex/glass casserole dish). -Alexa
My mom always put a can of stewed tomatoes in the blender and mixed it with the macaroni! Recipe is 75 years old!!
This turned out great for a Super Bowl party! Your proportions for the roux/milk/Velveeta and amount of sauce were perfect with the amount of macaroni. I made it ahead of time and put it in the fridge, then covered it in foil, baked it 10 minutes, and then 10 minutes uncovered/broiled. I added buttered seasoned bread crumbs and crumbled cooked bacon towards the end, which got nice and toasty under the broiler. The dish stayed good when I took it to the party, and even at room temperature was still really yummy. I will definitely make this again!
Can I freeze it for another time?
Hi Debra, Yes, macaroni and cheese freezes well. I’d freeze it in an airtight container in individual portions (since it will thaw faster if it’s frozen in smaller portions). Thaw it out overnight in the fridge then heat it up in the oven (add a small amount of milk to the baking dish to help stop it from drying out). Hope that helps! -Alexa
going to a picnic tomorrow and have to make this for about 15 people how much cooked pasta do I need I have a recipe but the pasta is what confuses me and the amount of velveeta
Hi Sue, For 15 people, I’d either double or triple the recipe. It would depend on whether or not I thought people were going to take small servings or heartier servings, but I’d probably triple it to be on the safe side because I’d rather have leftovers than not have enough. The pasta is measured when it’s dry using measuring cups. You’d need 3 cups dry elbow macaroni for a single batch, 6 cups for a double batch, or 9 cups for a triple batch. The Velveeta measurement is based off the way it’s packaged, which is in 16 ounce and 32 ounce blocks. The original recipe calls for 8 ounces, which is half of a 16 ounce block or 1/4 of a 32 ounce block, a double batch would call for an entire 16 ounce block or half of a 32 ounce block, and a triple recipe would use 1.5 16 ounce blocks or 3/4 of a 32 ounce block. I hope that helps! -Alexa