Bready or Not: Legendary Macaroni and Cheese

I needed a make-ahead macaroni and cheese recipe. I already have several other reliable ones like Civil War Macaroni and Cheese and the Pioneer Woman’s recipe, but I didn’t need to babysit boiling milk or dirty a score of pots and pans as I was enjoying company over for a visit.

I have had John Legend’s recipe saved on Pinterest for years. I watched a video of him cooking the recipe with Martha Stewart and read tips from other cooks. I decided to halve the recipe, since this was a side for four people, and otherwise tweak things.

I did the bulk of the recipe in the morning. When it was time to start supper, all I had to do was heat the oven and add the paprika and bread crumbs. It baked up into an oozing, cheesy mass. Everyone raved over it. There were no leftovers.

My other mac and cheese recipes are great but this is the one I’ll keep handy for holidays or when company is coming. Tastiness and convenience? Heck yeah!

Halved and modified from John Legend’s Macaroni and Cheese, as featured on Martha Stewart.

Print Recipe

Bready or Not: Legendary Macaroni and Cheese

This modified version of John Legend's recipe, as featured on Martha Stewart's show, can be prepared in the morning and cooked later in the day! It's everything macaroni and cheese should be: cheesy with a crunchy baked crust.

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: cheese

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for baking dish
• 1 1/2 cups macaroni
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheeses or a mix of cheddars, shredded
• sprinkle paprika
• bread crumbs

Instructions

• If you plan to bake this right away, preheat oven to 375-degrees. Butter or spray a 9x9 baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt and macaroni. Cook until al dente. Drain the water and return the macaroni to the pot. Add butter and stir until it has melted.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together evaporated milk and egg. Add seasoned salt, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Place about 1/3 of the macaroni in an even layer in the bottom of prepared baking dish. This should be just enough to cover the bottom. Cover with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat twice more with remaining macaroni and cheese.
• Pour the milk and seasonings mixture evenly over the contents of the baking dish. At this point, you can stash the dish in the fridge overnight or during the day until it's meal time.
• When you're ready to bake, make sure the oven is preheated. Sprinkle the top of the macaroni with paprika and bread crumbs.
• Bake until top layer is lightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
• OM NOM NOM!