Baked mac and cheese is one of those dishes I always come back to, especially when I need something comforting that everyone will eat.
It’s creamy, cheesy, and has that golden, slightly crispy top that just makes it better than regular stovetop mac. It works for holidays, weeknights, or honestly anytime you’re craving something cozy. And you can keep it classic or mix things up with different cheeses or add-ins depending on what you have.
Why You’ll Love It: It’s super creamy on the inside with that buttery, crispy topping on top. It’s rich, satisfying, and one of those dishes both kids and adults go back for seconds of without even thinking about it.
Top Tip: Don’t overbake it—pull it out when it’s hot and bubbly but still creamy in the middle so it doesn’t dry out.
How to Make Recipe
Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 pound short cut pasta (cooked according to package directions)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 sweet onion (diced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 4 tbsp flour
- ¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- 12 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 12 ounces fontina cheese (freshly grated)
- 6 ounces white cheddar (freshly grated)
- 2 ounces parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- ½ cup crispy onions or breadcrumbs (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat a large oven-safe pot over medium-low heat and add the butter. Stir in the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions have softened.
- At this time, you can also cook the pasta in another pot. You can cook it before too – just make sure to give it a quick spritz of olive oil so it doesn’t stick together.
- Toss all the grated cheese together.
- Stir the flour into the onions to create a roux. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until it becomes golden in color and starts to smell nutty. Slowly stream in the milk while stirring constantly. The mixture will begin to come together and thicken. Stir in the nutmeg.
- Add in the spinach – it will seem overwhelming at first, but it will quickly cook down! Stir until it cooks down and softens.
- Once the spinach cooks down, stir in almost all of the cheese (reserve a bit for topping) and the pasta. Toss it together over and over until it is combined.
- Top with the remaining grated cheese. Top with crispy onions. Bake for 35 to 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
