New Orleans Mac and Cheese: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
Cheesy Baked Mac with a Creole-Style Kick
A silky, bake-topped mac and cheese that stretches across kid-friendly comfort and grown-up flavor with a quick sprinkle of heat and tang.
This is the kind of mac and cheese that arrives at the table already sparking tiny arguments over who gets the crunchy corner. A blonde roux and a mix of whole and evaporated milk create a custardy sauce, while cream cheese makes it utterly smooth — the texture you want when spooning into bowls and scraping the pan. Sharp cheddar brings melty, familiar comfort and Parmesan adds a nutty finish that makes every bite sing.
The flavor comes together with a few smart extras: a touch of Dijon and Worcestershire for savory depth and a splash of hot sauce for warmth that’s more friendly nudge than full-on heat. Cook the elbows just shy of al dente so they finish perfectly in the oven; that little timing trick keeps the pasta tender but not mushy after baking.
This is a terrific weeknight crowd-pleaser — hearty enough for dinner, simple enough for a busy evening. Assemble in a lightly buttered 9x9 pan, then bake until bubbly and golden. It feeds four easily and plays well with sides like quick greens or a crisp salad to cut through the richness.
Make-ahead friendly: you can put the assembled casserole in the fridge for a day and pop it in the oven straight from cold (add a few extra minutes). Leftovers also stand up well — reheat with a splash of milk to restore that silky sauce. In short: comforting, a little bold, and practical enough to become a regular rotation.
Ingredients
How to Make New Orleans Mac and Cheese
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter a 9x9-inch or similar baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni for 1–2 minutes less than package directions so it’s very slightly under al dente (about 7–8 minutes). Drain and set aside.
- In the same pot over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to make a blonde roux, stirring constantly.
- Slowly whisk in the whole milk and evaporated milk, bring to a gentle simmer while whisking until the sauce thickens, about 3–4 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low, add the cream cheese and 10 ounces of the shredded cheddar (reserve 2 oz for the topping), stirring until smooth. Stir in Dijon, Worcestershire, hot sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs lightly. Temper the eggs by whisking in 1/3 cup of the hot cheese sauce into the eggs, then quickly whisk the warmed eggs back into the pot with the remaining sauce. Remove from heat.
- Fold the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce until evenly coated. Pour the mac-and-cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 2 ounces shredded cheddar and the grated Parmesan over the top.
- Mix the panko breadcrumbs with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, then sprinkle evenly over the cheese. Bake uncovered for 22–25 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top.
- If you want a deeper brown crust, place under the broiler for 1–2 minutes watching closely. Let rest 8–10 minutes before serving to allow the casserole to set.
Recipe Card
New Orleans Mac and Cheese
New Orleans Mac and Cheese: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter a 9x9-inch or similar baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni for 1–2 minutes less than package directions so it’s very slightly under al dente (about 7–8 minutes). Drain and set aside.
- In the same pot over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to make a blonde roux, stirring constantly.
- Slowly whisk in the whole milk and evaporated milk, bring to a gentle simmer while whisking until the sauce thickens, about 3–4 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low, add the cream cheese and 10 ounces of the shredded cheddar (reserve 2 oz for the topping), stirring until smooth. Stir in Dijon, Worcestershire, hot sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs lightly. Temper the eggs by whisking in 1/3 cup of the hot cheese sauce into the eggs, then quickly whisk the warmed eggs back into the pot with the remaining sauce. Remove from heat.
- Fold the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce until evenly coated. Pour the mac-and-cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 2 ounces shredded cheddar and the grated Parmesan over the top.
- Mix the panko breadcrumbs with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, then sprinkle evenly over the cheese. Bake uncovered for 22–25 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top.
- If you want a deeper brown crust, place under the broiler for 1–2 minutes watching closely. Let rest 8–10 minutes before serving to allow the casserole to set.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 87
- Saturated Fat
- 38
- Sodium
- 1520
- Fiber
- 3
- Unsaturated Fat
- 24.7
- Protein
- 49
- Fat
- 63
- Cholesterol
- 289
- Trans Fat
- 0.3
- Calories
- 1010
- Sugar
- 11