Best Macaroni & Cheese (with a secret ingredient!)

My husband is known for making the best macaroni and cheese. Every time we bring it to an event, he’s asked for the recipe. Creamy, baked macaroni and cheese that has a secret ingredient…

Over the years I’ve shared many mac and cheese recipes like twisted macaroni and cheese, stovetop creamy mac and cheese, slow cooker mac and cheese, and even macaroni and cheese flatbread.

Oh, and mac and cheese in a mug for when you’re short on time.

This particular version is one of the first recipes I posted back in 2009 and I called it Mr. Williams’ Mac & Cheese. Bob is well known for it. Every time we go to a gathering, everyone raves about it and asks for the recipe. 

It has a secret ingredient that I’ll bet you won’t expect – cheddar cheese soup. 

If you’ve ever been browsing the soup aisle at the market and seen Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup and wondered what to do with it (like I used to), I’ve got an idea for you.

Adding it to your mac and cheese makes for a really creamy, cheesy sauce that bakes up beautifully.

Tools you’ll need

• Colander – I used to think a colander with a handle with unnecessary but I really do love mine.
• Casserole Dish – You’ll want to bake this recipe in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. If you use one with a lid, it makes it really easy to store leftovers.
• Box Grater or Cheese Grater – I don’t always grate my own cheese, but every time I do I appreciate that I did. The cheese is creamier and melts better without the preservatives & anti-caking agents they put on shredded cheese.

Ingredients

What is cheddar cheese soup?

Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup is basically a very thick cheddar béchamel sauce, which would be made with butter, flour, milk, cheddar cheese and salt.

How do you keep mac & cheese creamy?

No one wants dried out macaroni and cheese, which can happen when you’re baking it. Adding canned cheddar cheese soup to this recipe helps to keep it really creamy.

Which cheeses should I use?

We typically use shredded mild cheddar and shredded mozzarella cheese when we make this recipe, but you can use all cheddar or mix up sharp cheddar cheese or white cheddar. Sometimes we use pepper jack to spice it up.

I always recommend shredding your own cheese from a block over a bag of pre-shredded cheese. Those have anti-caking agents on them that prevent them from melting nicely. You’ll get better results when you grate it yourself.

How to make Cheddar Cheese Soup Mac and Cheese

This recipe is so easy, you’re gonna love it.

1. STEP ONE: Boil the noodles in well salted water until al dente. Drain and return the noodles to the pan. Pour the cans of cheddar cheese soup over the noodles and stir to evenly distribute.

2. STEP TWO: Butter a casserole dish (or spray with non-stick spray) and start layering – noodles & shredded cheese – repeating until you’re out and ending with shredded cheese.

3. STEP THREE: Once you’re done making layers, add a few pats of butter and bake at 325°F just until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

That’s it! Serve and enjoy.

What to serve with Mac & Cheese

What doesn’t go with macaroni and cheese?!

Here are some of my favorite pairings:

• Laughing Cow Stuffed Chicken
• Meatloaf with Brown Gravy
• Crispy Baked Chicken Strips
• Spicy Ranch Slow Cooker Chicken

How to store leftovers

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Need more cheesy recipes? Try these:

Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese with Ham

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Slow Cooker Chili Mac

4.66 from 79 votes

Best Macaroni & Cheese

Created by Melissa Williams | Persnickety Plates

Servings: 12 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

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My husband is known for making the best macaroni and cheese. Every time we bring it to an event, he’s asked for the recipe. Creamy, baked macaroni and cheese that has a secret ingredient…cheddar cheese soup!

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 pound macaroni noodles or another short pasta
• ▢ 21 ounces Cheddar Cheese Soup two 10.5 ounce cans
• ▢ 3 cups cheddar cheese shredded
• ▢ 4 Tablespoons butter

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the noodles until al dente. Drain the noodles, return to the pot, and pour the cans of soup over the noodles. Stir to evenly distribute.
• Layer the noodles into the prepared pan alternating noodles & cheese, until out of ingredients, ending with shredded cheese.
• Slice up the butter and place pats over the top of the macaroni.
• Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, approximately 10 minutes.
• Serve & enjoy!

Notes

Use your favorite noodle shape – we usually opt for cavatappi or macaroni noodles.

Use your favorite blend of shredded cheeses. We like mild cheddar. Sometimes we add mozzarella to the mix or pepper jack to spice it up.

Store covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.

⭐️ Final Step! Please let me know how you liked this recipe by leaving a review and rating below. Your feedback supports my small business and allows me to continue providing free, high quality recipes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 477mg | Potassium: 341mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 604IU | Calcium: 229mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Originally published December 3, 2009