The Best Baked Mac and Cheese with Velveeta

5 from 4 votes

The Best Baked Mac and Cheese with Velveeta

This Baked Mac and Cheese with Velveeta is a family recipe and my favorite comfort food. It’s EXTREMELY cheesy, ultra creamy, and topped with crunchy Ritz Cracker topping that makes this recipe explode with flavor.

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

- Use Velveeta to get a super creamy consistency. If you don’t like Velveeta, feel free to use shredded cheddar cheese or another cheese of choice. But Velveeta makes it next level– I totally recommend it!

- Always add salt to your pasta water to add flavor and helps reduce stickiness.

- Cook the pasta one minute shy of al dente (still a bit firm) according to the package instructions. This will allow the noodles not to overcook in the oven.

- DO NOT DRAIN COOKED PASTA! This is one of my mom's main tips for getting a super creamy consistency. 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.

- Make sure not to overbake your mac and cheese. Overbaking will dry it out and evaporate all that creamy sauce. Follow the cooking time provided.

- Take my advice and always double this recipe to make a bigger batch. I usually make 2 large pans (especially for Christmas or Thanksgiving) so there is enough to go around.

If you like spice, add some red pepper flakes.
If you have leftover mac and cheese, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat by taking it out of the fridge and letting it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before placing it in a microwave-safe dish with a little butter. Reheat individual portions in the microwave. Once it’s warmed through, give it a good stir and enjoy!
You can also use your oven to reheat this by preheating it to 350 and baking it in an oven-safe dish for 15-20 minutes.
To freeze, place leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container or a freezer bag. To thaw, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Once thawed, you can reheat it using your preferred method.

Nutrition