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A heaping spoonful of cheesy Spaghetti Mac and Cheese.

Spaghetti Mac and Cheese

This easy Spaghetti Mac and Cheese is a simple pasta casserole made with creamy cheese sauce and spaghetti noodles.
Servings: 10 servings
Chef Alli
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups milk I used 2% milk
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder or granulated garlic or to taste
  • 1 tsp. seasoned salt or to taste
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 6 oz. Velveeta cheese cubed
  • 8 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded divided use
  • 1 lb. spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions may substitute angel hair pasta

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a 12-inch deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat; add the flour, whisking to combine.
  • Cook the roux (the flour and butter mixture) for 1-2 minutes until deep golden brown in color; remove from the heat.
  • Slowly add the milk, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Once the sauce is nicely smooth, return the skillet to the burner, still over medium heat.
  • Return the skillet to medium heat, then add the garlic powder, seasoned salt, Parmesan, and cubes of Velveeta cheese.
  • Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is smooth and the Velveeta is fully melted. Add all but 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese to the sauce, a handful at a time, stirring between each addition until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
  • Fold in the cooked spaghetti noodles. then transfer the spaghetti mac and cheese to a greased 9x13 pan.
  • Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar over the top of the spaghetti mac and cheese, then bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly throughout (165 degrees F. at the center).
  • Remove the spaghetti mac and cheese from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  • Bake, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly throughout. (160-165 degrees F. at the center of the casserole is a hot and safe internal temperature.)

Notes

 

 

RECIPE TIPS

Don’t overcook the spaghetti noodles; cook them just until al dente since they essentially cook further once added to the cheese sauce to be baked in the oven.
If you prefer, you can place the cooked spaghetti noodles into the greased casserole dish, pour the prepared cheese sauce over all, then give a gentle toss of ingredients right in the pan.
Spaghetti mac and cheese reheats well as leftovers in the microwave. You may need to add a little milk or even water if the leftovers seem too thickened with sauce.
When making the sauce, use a flat whisk (not a balloon whisk) for whisking the sauce so it is smooth and creamy. Moving skillet off the heat before adding the milk is crucial for ensuring the sauce is lump-free!
I sometimes make spaghetti mac and cheese in my cast iron skillet so I can slide the entire pan right into the oven to bake. This way I don’t have to transfer the noodles and sauce to a casserole dish.
The best melting cheese is the cheese we grate ourselves. This only takes a minute with a handheld grater. Pre-packaged shredded cheeses have added anti-caking agents to prevent the cheese strands from sticking to each other which also affects the consistency of the cheese when it melts. 

Nutrition

Calories: 432kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 20gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 737mgPotassium: 344mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 737IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 434mgIron: 1mg
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