I love comfort food. This recipe for Foster Fam Favorite Mac and Cheese has been in our rotation of comfort food staples for years. When our kids were young, this was a go-to dinner with chicken and a salad.
There are a few key ingredients I focus on when making a mac and cheese that both kids and adults will love. Lots of cheese, lots of sauce, and simple ingredients cooked just right. This recipe is easy to make, won’t break the bank, and pantry/fridge staple friendly!
Cheese is the focus of a good mac and cheese, and this recipe calls for 4-5 cups of grated sharp cheddar. Sharp cheese gives this recipe great flavor – not too strong for kids and flavorful enough for adults!
For this mac and cheese recipe I relied on good old food storage elbow macaroni. I stored cases of it while our kids were growing up and used it for years. This recipe only takes two cups of macaroni, so once I open a can, I try to find other ways to use it. A couple favorites are Classic Shrimp Pasta Salad and Minestrone Soup.
This recipe also calls for a little grated onion and a bit of cayenne pepper. Don’t worry – the kids won’t even notice! These ingredients add a wonderful depth of flavor without being overwhelming.
I hope you will love Foster Fam Favorite Mac and Cheese as much as we do! Even though our kids are grown, we still make mac and cheese for family gatherings!
This recipe originally posted in 2008. Updated in 2024 with new photos and content.
Foster Fam Favorite Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups macaroni or other pasta
- 1/4 cup onion, grated or finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 1/2 cups milk, (2% or whole)
- 4-5 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated, divided
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, fresh or canned
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in the center of the oven. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan or casserole dish.
- Cook macaroni in boiling water according to package directions. Drain well.
- In a saucepan, cook onion in butter until soft. Add flour and seasonings.
- Add milk all at once. Whisk until smooth.
- Cook on medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Add cheeses, stir until melted.
- Add the macaroni to cheese sauce and pour into casserole dish or pan. Top with about 3/4 cup grated cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
Notes
- Make ahead instructions:
Follow the directions as listed, adding 3 cups milk rather than 2 ½ cups. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. The additional ½ cup milk will absorb into the pasta and keep the mac and cheese from becoming too dry.
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. I’d love to see a photo, tag @abountifulkitchen on Instagram!
Bree
The picture above shows what looks like parmesan cheese and sharp cheddar cheese, but the recipe only calls for sharp cheddar cheese, am I missing something? The picture also shows cheese on top, but the recipe doesn’t say to put any on top? It looks so yummy and I just want to make sure I make it right! Thanks!
Jillian
Hi Bree!
Thanks for the heads up 🙂 We adjusted the recipe; it is correct now!
Best,
Jillian
ABK Team
wooricasinogame.com
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Jillian
Hello Friend!
Thank you for the kind comment and feedback. We truly appreciate the message!
Sincerely,
Jillian @ABK Team
Lin
2 cups of pasta? Doesn’t seem like enough for all that cheese. Maybe 2 lbs???
Alton Brown’s Baked Mac and Cheese
[…] I usually make the Foster Family version of Mac and cheese, but thought the panko topping on this recipe looked yummy, and gave it a try. I learned something […]
barbyb
Si. . .??? Si??? WAKE UP AND POST SOME RECIPES!!! Enough with the jet lag. . . .we’re all over the fact that you went to Japan, and we’re hungry now. . .
Courtney
Si, my mouth is WATERING like crazy!! All of these recipes sound ssoo good! Can’t wait to try them!
(Oh, by the way, this is Courtney Wallace, we lived with the Cutler’s while my husband went through treatment for his cancer.) You take such beautiful pictures of food…are you a professional? I am working on a cookie cookbook and need a photographer for it. If you know anyone (or are one), let me know! I have a blog as well–
http://wallacedepot.blogspot.com
(It is not nearly as deliciously decadent as your blog though–be forewarned 🙂