Duke's Homemade Mac and Cheese

Square overhead shot of a pan of homemade mac and cheese.

5 from 4 votes

Duke's Homemade Mac and Cheese

The best homemade mac and cheese recipe just happens to be one of the easiest, too!

Course Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword easy homemade mac and cheese, homemade mac and cheese, homemade mac and cheese recipe, simple mac and cheese recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings people

Calories 621kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cavatappi pasta, or other short, curly pasta noodles
8 ounces (about 2 cups) grated Monterey Jack cheese
8 ounces (about 2 cups) grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup Duke’s mayonnaise, at room temperature
1 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Pinch of garlic powder
Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley; dash of paprika

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish; set aside. Cook pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to package directions for al dente. The pasta should still be a little bit firm, since it will continue to cook in the oven. Drain the pasta, then return to the pot.
Stir in the Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Mix until completely combined. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish.
In a small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, melted butter, and garlic powder. Sprinkle the buttered breadcrumbs on top of the pasta.
Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the filling is hot and bubbly and the topping is lightly browned. If the bread crumb topping isn’t as crispy and golden brown as you’d like by the time the filling is hot, just place the dish under the broiler for a minute or two.
Garnish with chopped fresh herbs or a dash of paprika, if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Make Ahead: To prep the easy mac and cheese ahead of time, assemble the dish as instructed, but do not bake. Cover with foil and refrigerate for 1-2 days. When ready to bake, allow the dish to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30-60 minutes. Remove the cover and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.

Recipe adapted from Duke's mayo.

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