Classic Mac and Cheese with Egg is classic comfort food with a flavorful Parmesan Panko topping. You get a creamy and cheesy custard casserole using an easy roux with the egg.
Steps up your mac and cheese game from that "blue box" habit you have developed with this homemade mac and cheese.
🧀Ingredients
Pasta—usually traditional elbow macaroni
Egg, Butter, Milk
Cheese—shredded cheddar or other
Pantry ingredients—flour, dry mustard, paprika, salt, and black pepper
Optional topping—Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, butter
Jump To:
Featured comment from Chris:
"I'd love this. Had to start taking a statin so I shouldn't, but I love it."
Everybody loves mac and cheese. This recipe can be a main or excellent side dish for any meal. Mac and cheese is one of the best comfort foods for everyday or "take a dish" events. Just follow these easy step-by-step photo instructions.
A classic oven-baked mac and cheese with egg that uses a roux for a thick, creamy custard texture. It might be called Southern-style mac and cheese by some due to the egg.
It has an optional Parmesan cheese and panko bread crumb topping. Please don't skip it.
👨🍳How to Make Mac and Cheese with Egg
- Cook pasta to al dente in boiling water per package directions.
- Make a roux of butter and flour, then add milk slowly and whisk continuously until smooth and thickened.
- Remove ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture and slowly mix into a whipped egg to "temper" the egg. Stir the egg and spices into the roux mixture.
- Add shredded cheese and mix until smooth.
- Mix in cooked pasta and pour the mixture into a prepared baking dish.
- Mix topping of Panko bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and melted butter.
- Sprinkle the casserole with more shredded cheese and the breadcrumb Parmesan topping. You can now cover and refrigerate for later or cook now.
- Cook until nicely brown and edges bubbling—about 30 minutes.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
Variations
Use a different cheese. Sharp cheddar cheese is recommended, but Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or Gouda are good choices.
You can use cream, evaporated milk, or half & half to replace the milk. Add some bacon or ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper for mild heat, making it an adult mac and cheese.
Mac & Cheese and Other Kid-Friendly Recipes
A perfect kid recipe to serve with Grilled Chicken Tenders, Baked Chicken Tenders, Healthy Homemade Chicken Nuggets, or Baked Chicken Legs.
Some other recipes you may enjoy are Easy One Pot Mac and Cheese, Roadhouse Mac and Cheese, Uncooked Macaroni Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, and Creamy Crock Pot Mac and Cheese.
⬇️How to make this a "for two" friendly recipe
This is an easy recipe to cut in half. The full recipe makes about 8 large servings. A half recipe will make only 4 servings and fits nicely in a standard 6 by 9 casserole dish.
- Use the recipe card and adjust the servings from 8 to 4.
- To use half an egg, discard part of the egg after whipping and before tempering.
- Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
- The half recipe will fit a 6 by 9 baking dish, but you can also use a 9-inch round or 8-inch square dish.
- Cooking time will be less. Watch for good browning and bubbling edges.
❄️Making ahead
To make ahead, after adding the topping, you can cover it tightly and refrigerate for 2 days, making it perfect for larger family gatherings. I do not recommend freezing this casserole. Bake as the recipe directs, but it may take a few minutes longer since it is cold. There will be a slight decrease in the texture.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate them for 4 days. Quality will deteriorate slowly. Some people will freeze the leftovers but still have texture issues.
❓FAQs
Eggs will make mac and cheese creamier and give a custardy texture, adding some nice flavor. Without the egg, you get a looser texture. So, it is a matter of taste.
To temper an egg, slowly add some hot liquid from a recipe to the egg before adding the egg to a hot liquid to avoid cooking the egg when adding to the recipe.
If you add a cold egg to a hot liquid, you will frequently get the proteins coagulated (think cooked scrambled egg), and it won't mix in a liquid. So, to add an egg to the hot cheese sauce, you will need to raise the temperature to prevent coagulation.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° if cooking now. Prepare a 9 by 12 baking dish with a light coat of butter.
Cook and drain 1 pound of elbow macaroni or other pasta—cook to al denta per the package instructions.
While cooking pasta, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large pan. Add 4 tablespoons flour to the melted butter and whisk continuously until browning some, about 3 minutes.
Add 1 cup of milk and whisk until smooth, then add the remaining 1 ½ cups of milk. Whisk continuously until thickened.
in a small bowl, lightly beat one egg. Remove ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture from the roux milk mixture and slowly mix it into the egg.
Add the egg to the thickened milk mixture while continuing to whisk. Add in 2 teaspoons of dry mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon paprika. Add 3 ½ cups of shredded cheese and mix until smooth. Bring to 165° for safe storage later.
Mix in the cooked pasta and then pour the mixture into the casserole dish.
Mix topping: in a medium bowl, mix 1 cup Panko bread crumbs with ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Add 4 tablespoons melted butter and mix well.
Top the casserole with ½ cup of shredded cheese, then add the Parmesan Panko topping. You can now cover and refrigerate for later or cook now.
Cook until nicely brown, 165° internal temperature, and edges bubbling—about 30 minutes.
📖 Recipe
Mac and Cheese with Egg
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta
- 1 egg
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 ½ cups milk
- 4 cups shredded cheese of choice - I used sharp cheddar
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Topping-optional but recommended
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° if cooking now. Prepare a 9 by 12 baking dish with a light coat of butter.
- Cook and drain 1 pound of elbow macaroni or other pasta—cook to al denta per the package instruction.
- While cooking pasta, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large pan. Add 4 tablespoons flour to the melted butter and whisk continuously until browning some, about 3 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of milk and whisk until smooth, then add in the remainder 1 ½ cups of milk. Whisk continuously until thickened.
- in a small bowl, lightly beat one egg. Remove ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture from the roux milk mixture and slowly mix it into the egg.
- Add the egg to the thickened milk mixture while continuing to whisk. Add in 2 teaspoons of dry mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon paprika. Add 3 ½ cups of shredded cheese and mix until smooth. Bring to 165° for safety.
- Mix in the cooked pasta and then pour the mixture into the casserole dish.
- Mix topping: in a medium bowl, mix 1 cup Panko bread crumbs with ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Add 4 tablespoons melted butter and mix well.
- Top the casserole with ½ cup of shredded cheese, then add the Parmesan Panko topping. You can now cover and refrigerate for later or cook now.
- Cook until nicely brown, 165° internal temperature, and edges bubbling—about 30 minutes.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- This uses a 12X9 casserole dish.
- Instructions for a half recipe are in the post.
- Use the pasta you want, but elbow macaroni is suggested. Cook to al denta.
- Use the cheese you want, but cheddar cheese is suggested.
- Be sure to temper the egg per instructions.
- I always make more topping. I love topping.
- After adding the topping, you can cover and refrigerate for a few days and cook later if you wish.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.
Originally Published March 20, 2017. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Chris
I'd love this. Had to start taking a statin so I shouldn't, but I love it.
marms
Oh P.S. I never buy Panko when saltines are less expensive and MUCH better tasting.
DrDan
I never have saltines but maybe I should.
Dan
marms
Thanks for adding the "cook for later note. I wonder about "freeze for later".? Have you any thoughts on that? I frequently cook and bake for seniors fundraisers. It has to survive a bus ride home in a shopping bag.
DrDan
Probably ok to freeze but I worry about uncooked eggs. Be sure the sauce gets to 165° after adding the egg and it should be fine. I'm a food safety guy...
Dan