This is the best southern baked macaroni and cheese recipe with eggs ever! When I was growing up my mother usually had one day a week, every week, that was her time.
On that day, my dad took care of dinner one of his favorite recipes (his to cook, mine to eat!) was southern-style macaroni and cheese.
This family recipe for homemade macaroni and cheese was in my Dad's stash of main dish easy recipes and now it's in mine as well.
If serving as a main dish it pairs well with my Mom's creamy cucumber salad and if serving as an easy side dish it is delicious served with slow cooker meatloaf or air fryer pork chops.
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📋Ingredient Checklist
This is an overview of the ingredients. Full instructions and amounts can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Elbow macaroni
- Butter
- Cubed cheese
- Shredded cheese
- Eggs
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Salt and black pepper
See recipe card for quantities and full recipe.
🍴 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full recipe and instructions as well as nutritional information can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
Cook macaroni to al dente in a large pot of cold water following the directions on the package. Strain the cooked pasta well and set aside.
In a large bowl combine beaten eggs, heavy cream, and milk and set aside.
Place one-half of the cooked pasta on the bottom of the prepared
Top the macaroni with half the butter, half the cubed cheese, and half the shredded cheese.
Gently pour in half of the milk and egg mixture over the macaroni mixture and sprinkle with half of the salt and pepper.
Repeat the above layering the macaroni, butter, and cheeses for the top layer and add what's left of the milk and egg mixture. Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.
Place in preheated oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes until top is golden brown.
Remove from oven and let sit about 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into generous square servings or spoon out and serve.
Do not overbake. It may be a bit jiggly when you take it out of the oven. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes or until fully set; this is a firm casserole.
This is a great recipe and is a crowd pleaser that's easy to double for leftovers the next day or another meal to share.
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Substitutions
- Best cheeses and different types of cheese - Use your favorite cheese or blend of cheese for this particular recipe such as mild cheddar cheese, extra-sharp cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, Monterey jack, or pepper jack cheese to name a few.
- Evaporated milk can be substituted for the Heavy Cream in equal amounts.
Variations
- Make this a macaroni
pie by simplybaking it in a pretty pie plate rather than a casserole dish. - Feel free to get creative with your baked macaroni and cheese by adding extras like broccoli florets, cooked bacon, or a pinch of cayenne pepper for a touch of heat.
Cooking Tips and Tricks - How to Cook Pasta Perfectly
- When making baked macaroni and cheese with eggs, it's essential to cook the pasta correctly. To cook the pasta to the perfect al dente texture, follow these tips:
- Boil the pasta in well-salted water: Generously salt the water before adding the pasta as this helps to season the noodles, ensuring better flavor in the final dish.
- Don't overcook the pasta: Cook the pasta until it is al dente or just slightly firm to the bite. Overcooked pasta turns mushy when baked with cheese and sauce.
- Drain well: After
cooking the pasta, it's crucial to drain it well to remove excess water. This prevents the final dish from becoming watery.
⏲️ Equipment
13 x 9 inch baking dish, wire whisk, measuring cups, spatula
💭 Top Tip
This may be a bit jiggly and not fully set when you remove it from the oven. Don't get tempted to put it back in and risk overbaking it at this point. It will firm up as it cools down so allow it to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. The wait will be worth it.
FAQ
It gives the dish a more custard-like texture and makes it an overall firm casserole.
Evaporated milk is higher in protein than regular milk and has much less fat than heavy cream. It's also a convenient option as it doesn't need to be refrigerated and can be kept in your pantry for when your in a pinch!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this baked macaroni and cheese:
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card below ⬇️ you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe with Eggs
Equipment
- Pyrex Baking Dish with Lid 13 x 9 inches with lid for storing leftovers
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked elbow macaroni cooked according to package directions; 8 ounce package
- 4 tablespoons butter cut up
- 2 cups Colby jack or cheddar cheese cubed
- 8 ounce shredded cheese Colby jack or cheddar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 eggs beaten
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease baking dish.
- Cook elbow macaroni to al dente following directions on package. Drain when cooked.
- Combine beaten eggs, milk, salt, and black pepper, and set aside.
- Place one-half of the macaroni on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Top with half the butter, half the cubed cheese and half the shredded cheese.
- Gently pour in half of the milk, half of the heavy cream, and the beaten eggs.
- Repeat the above layering the macaroni, butter, and cheeses and add what's left of the milk, cream, and beaten eggs.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let sit about 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into generous cubes or spoon out and serve.
As with any of my recipes, calorie counts and nutritional information varies greatly depending on which products you choose to use when cooking this dish.
Nutrition
What was your favorite childhood meal?
it does look very good! i saved the recipe. thank you!
Thank you so much for letting me know, Diane! I would love to hear how you like it if you do decide to make it. Have a wonderful weekend.
Yum! It would not last long around here!
Thank you, Paula!