Baked Velveeta Mac and Cheese

5 from 5 votes

This velveeta mac and cheese is the ultimate creamy comfort food, y’all! A baked family recipe made with a rich, velvety cheese sauce tossed with pasta and topped with a crunchy Ritz cracker topping that makes it so darn good. If you’re craving classic mac and cheese, this baked version delivers the creamiest, cheesiest comfort food and always brings everyone back for seconds!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: -10 servings

Author: Ashley McCrary

Ingredients

16 oz box pasta elbow or shell
5 cups water to boil the noodles
1 1/2 lb Velveeta Cheese or shredded cheese of choice 3 1/2-4 cups, cubed *See Notes
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 stick butter
1 1/2 sleeves Ritz Crackers crumbled
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

In a large pot, add 5 cups of water a little salt and bring to a boil. Pour in pasta. Let it cook slowly until most of the water cooks away. Be sure to cook pasta one minute shy of al dente (still a bit firm) according to the package instructions. This will allow the noodles to not overcook in the oven.
Remove from heat but DO NOT DRAIN WATER. There should be a little water left in the pasta. If there is a ton of water left, you can drain off a little, but be sure to leave at least 1 cup of pasta water. This will help with the creamy texture.
To the noodles and pasta water, add butter and the cubed Velveeta Cheese (or cheese of choice) and mix until combined with a spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste
Coat a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray and transfer the creamy mac and cheese to the dish. Evenly spread out.
For an even cheesier flavor, add 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese to the top of the noodles.
Crumble the 1 1/2 sleeves of Ritz crackers in a food processor. Transfer the crumbled crackers evenly over the top of the mac and cheese.
Bake in a 350 degree oven covered with aluminum foil for about 15 mins. Take off foil and let topping brown for approximately 5 mins.

Notes

Velveeta is the secret to the smoothest cheese sauce. I’ve tested this recipe with several cheeses over the years, and Velveeta consistently gives the creamiest texture!
Do not drain the pasta water completely! Leaving some of that starchy water helps the cheese melt into the noodles and keeps the sauce from becoming too thick.
Cook the pasta slightly under al dente so it finishes cooking in the oven without turning mushy.
Avoid overbaking the casserole. Baking longer than recommended can cause the sauce to thicken too much and lose its creamy texture.
If you enjoy a little heat, sprinkle a pinch of red pepper flakes into the cheese mixture before baking.
Store leftover mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, place a portion in a microwave-safe dish with a small pat of butter and warm until heated through, stirring occasionally.
You can also reheat the dish in the oven by placing it in an oven-safe dish and warming at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.
To freeze, allow the mac and cheese to cool completely before storing it in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

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