Baked Velveeta Mac And Cheese🧀

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Baked velveeta mac and cheese is a super easy version of baked mac but with a super creamy velveeta cheese sauce. This family friendly dish pairs well with any protein and is easy enough to make during the weekdays.

Recipe Highlights

How it taste: Baked Velveeta mac and cheese is a super creamy dish with the flavor of Velveeta cheese in the cheese sauce. The mac and cheese is baked which gives you a crispy top cheese layer with the creamy sauce mixed in with the tender macaroni pasta below.
Skill level: You’ll need experience making a roux or you can start with this recipe. I’ll share some tips below for beginners.
Storing: This recipe store well in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Baked Velveeta mac and cheese keeps very well in the refrigerator.

Ingredient tips

Pasta: Elbow macaroni pasta is a classic in baked mac and cheese but you can use other pasta that you have on hands. Shells work along with rotini pasta.
Velveeta cheese: The base of the flavor in the cheese sauce. Although it’s combined with cheddar the Velveeta flavor is much stronger. For budget friendly, any equivalent of off brand cheddar cheese works as well. It’ll be nearby the Velveeta.
Milk: Whole milk for the flavor or you can use half and half as well.
Cheddar cheese: A mild cheddar cheese or any other cheese pairs well with Velveeta. The cheese helps round out the Velveeta flavor that can be lost while melting the cheese down. Cheddar also helps the top get that toasted, crust, Velveeta won’t do that.

Chef’s tips

For beginners, watch your heat when making this baked Velveeta mac and cheese recipe. Milk will curdle when exposed to high temperature. When making the roux, follow the directions and add the chicken broth first to absorb the majority of the heat. The sauce will turn out good every time following that tips until you get some experience.
There is no need to add salt in this baked Velveeta mac and cheese unless you want to. The cheeses are very salt but before baking give the dish a taste and adjust salt to personal liking.
Be sure to use and grate cheese from the block only. Pre-shredded cheese can result in a gritty like texture in the cheese sauce from the non-caking agent added to the cheese during production.

Variation

Instead of topping with more cheddar cheese you can swap it out for a crispy breadcrumb topping. Simply use a cup of breadcrumbs with four tablespoons of melted butter and top the baked velveeta mac and cheese with that until the topping is golden and crispy.

How To Make Baked Velveeta Mac And Cheese

First, you want to prepare the cheese sauce. It’s easier to keep the cheese sauce warm rather than cook the noodles and they start to stick together or using oil to prevent them from sticking.
In a sauce pan add in the melted butter on a medium heat. Once the butter is melted add in the flour and cook the flour allowing it to brown a little before pouring in the milk. Allow the milk to steam and start to thicken. A few bubbles is ok but if the milk starts to boil you will destroy the texture of the sauce so it’s important to watch the heat.
After the milk begins to thicken add in the velveeta cheese and one cup of sharp cheddar cheese then a little of black pepper. There is no need for salt in this recipe outside of adding salt to the pasta water.
Once the cheeses have melted turn the heat to low and occasionally stir the cheese sauce until the macaroni is al dente.
Prep the macaroni according to the package instructions and be sure to salt the water.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Now, once the macaroni is finished, drain it and add it directly into the cheese sauce. Mix then add to the 8×8 baking dish.
Top with remaining 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese or the suggested breadcrumb topping mentioned above.
Bake for 20 minutes then allow to cool before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to prevent a grainy cheese sauce?

This happens when the milk or dairy is exposed to too much heat. Follow the chef’s tips above and that won’t be a problem. If it does happen, the texture is off but the flavor is the same. Use that experience to learn how much you need to lower the temperature.

Do I need to pre-cook the pasta?

Yes, you will have to pre-cook the pasta for this recipe.

Is mac and cheese better baked or stove top?

Depends on what you’re looking for. The answer is in personal taste but most toasted things taste better and you get toasty cheese when it’s baked. But, stove top is delicious and it’s much quicker to make and requires less dishes.

If you love Velveeta try these recipes

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