Name: Skillet Baked Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3/4 pound dry elbow pasta; 1 stick unsalted butter; 1/2 cup all purpose flour; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper; 2 cups whole milk; 3 cups Cheddar Cheese (shredded and divided); 1 cup finely crushed Ritz Crackers; 12 strips cooked (crumbled bacon pieces)

Skillet Baked Mac and Cheese

by: Jenny

Posted: Aug 3, 2022

5 from 2 votes

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This Skillet Baked Mac and Cheese is topped with bacon and buttery crisp topping. It is prepared in a cast iron skillet that feels like your favorite restaurant dish! Homemade macaroni and cheese has never been this delicious and pretty simple to make at home with my recipe instructions!

Table of Contents

Best Baked Mac and Cheese
Ingredients You’ll Need
How to Make Skillet Baked Mac and Cheese
How To Serve
Tips For Making The Best Mac and Cheese
Get the Recipe

Best Baked Mac and Cheese

Baked mac and cheese is so dreamy!! Baking it in a cast iron skillet adds a fun rustic vibe, perfect for entertaining and treating your family too. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can bake it in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish as well. This mac and cheese is topped with more cheese, crumbled cooked bacon and buttery Ritzy Crackers that really takes it to the next level. Check out my instructions below and enjoy!

For more mac and cheese recipes, try my Perfect Mac and Cheese Recipe! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.

Ingredients You’ll Need

elbow pasta– I like to use small dry pasta for my mac and cheese recipes. Any small pasta of your choice works great.
butter– Generally salted butter works best when making homemade mac and cheese.
all-purpose flour– The flour is needed when making the homemade roux.
kosher salt
black pepper
whole milk– Using milk with more fat makes for a richer cheese sauce. You can also use 2%, even half and half works.
shredded cheddar cheese– You can use cheddar cheese that is already shredded or even shred your own. Saves time to use the bagged shredded cheese.
Ritz Crackers– You use the buttery crackers as your topping on the mac and cheese.
cooked bacon– In most cases I’ll use the ready bacon that you microwave to brown. If you have time, brown your own bacon for the best results.

How to Make Skillet Baked Mac and Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and cook pasta according to package directions. I recommend cooking the pasta a minute less than the directions. Drain and set aside for a few minutes.
To prepare roux, melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until color of roux gets slightly darker. Slowly whisk in milk, stirring continuously until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in 2 cups of cheese until melted.
Transfer cooked pasta to 12-inch cast iron skillet over low heat. Pour cheese sauce over top, stirring to combine.
Top mac and cheese with remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese, crushed crackers and bacon pieces.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and hot. Serve warm.

Add lots of bacon pieces on top and your ready to bake!

Crispy topping with cheesy goodness underneath. Perfect dinner for entertaining your guests.

How To Serve

Serve your skillet mac and cheese in skillet, but be careful as the skillet stays hot. Use a heat proof sleeve on the handle to prevent burns. Serve with your favorite roasted vegetable as a side or even a chopped salad.

Tips For Making The Best Mac and Cheese

Don’t overcook your noodles. The noodle is the base of the entire dish, so it’s crucial that you choose the right kind of pasta. Noodles with lots of nooks and crannies—such as shells, mini penne, elbows, and corkscrews—ensure you achieve maximum cheesiness with every bite. If the dish is eventually being baked in the oven, parboil the noodles and drain when they’re still slightly chewy.
Don’t forget the roux! Though it might be tempting to use a recipe that doesn’t require a roux, it’s a helpful step that improves the dish’s texture. To begin, cook equal parts flour and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until a paste forms. Whisk in warm milk until it creates a creamy sauce, and then stir in your shredded cheese until it reaches a smooth consistency.
Use a variety of cheeses. To ensure the flavors aren’t too strong for the kids, choose cheeses that everyone will love. A good rule of thumb is to choose one sharp and one creamy, such as sharp cheddar and jack, or gruyere and Parmesan.

5 from 2 votes