One of my Most Popular Recipes!
This is a smaller version of our favorite Macaroni & Cheese for a Crowd (20-25 people) Recipe. Bakes up in a 13×9″ Baking Dish. It serves 10-12 people depending upon your serving size. I would say 10-12 people when it’s a side dish and everyone is going to have a generous scoop. If everyone is going to fill up a big bowl-full, I’d say it’ll serve 8-10. The recipe uses cheddar and American cheese. The American cheese adds creaminess and is mild, so it’s a great blend. All ages love it!
Make sure to use the type of American cheese from the deli, not those individually wrapped “singles” – they are made differently with the deli version being more milk based and the single as being more oil based. It could affect the recipe results.
For step-by-step photo directions please visit Macaroni & Cheese for a Crowd (20-25 people) Recipe.
Macaroni and Cheese for a Smaller Crowd (Half-sized version of “Macaroni and Cheese for a Crowd” Recipe)
Ingredients
Macaroni:
- 1 tablespoon salt – for water
- 1 box/pound elbow macaroni
Cheese Sauce:
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 pound (12-ounces) sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 6 ounces American cheese, cut into strips Use the deli type, Don’t use the “singles” individually wrapped kind
Bread Crumb Topping:
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- This makes a half-sized foil steam table pan* or 13 x 9 Baking Dish. (Place foil pan on a baking sheet for stability.)
- Butter pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Set a large pot (6-quart or larger) of salted water (1 tablespoon salt) to boil.
- Cheese Sauce: In 4-quart saucepan make roux: melt butter and stir in flour, white pepper, mustard and salt until smooth. Cook for a few minutes stirring constantly.
- Whisk ½ cup of the milk into the roux until they combine smoothly. Add a little more milk and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the rest of the milk.
- Heat and stir frequently over medium heat. Make sure to scrape the bottom and edges of pan while stirring.
- When slightly thickened, before it simmers, remove from heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce and cheeses. Stir until melted and smooth. Taste and add more seasonings if desired.
- Cook the pasta, about a minute or two less than the package directions. Drain and pour into baking pan.
- Pour in cheese sauce and stir to combine. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Stir together melted butter, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Remove foil from pan and sprinkle on breadcrumbs.
- Bake uncovered for another 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly all the way through. Should measure at least 150-160 degrees in the center of the pan with an instant read thermometer.
- If breadcrumbs are not browned to your liking, you can broil until browned. (Make sure baking dish is broil safe.)
Worcestershire sauce in mac n cheese?
Just a little dash – nice flavor!
I have made this recipe for years but always crumble potato chips for topping…deeelish!
Sounds delicious Charlene – I’ll have to give the potato chip topping a try!!
Hi Tina,
How do you think it would come out if I used the sharp cheddar along with pepper jack cheese instead of American cheese?
Thanks
This has become our family go-to recipe! Have made it 4-5x now and it is practically fool-proof. This Christmas Eve I would like to transfer to a slow cooker to keep warm, but I don’t always have good luck doing that with pasta recipes. Any suggestions or would you advise against? I’m not going to have time to try it our beforehand.
Hi Lisa – Glad you all enjoy! How long ahead are you going to bake? (How long do you need to keep warm?) I bake and place the baked dish onto to one of those flat warming trays or mats.
I need to keep it warm about 2.5 hours. I will just use my warming tray instead. Thank you for responding, Merry Christmas!