Southern Mac and Cheese with Beer

Southern mac and cheese with beer is creamy, gooey-cheesy like the mac and cheese your kids love but the beer wraps around the flavor and coaxes it to a level that makes your mouth take notice. The classic comfort food that we grew up on has grown up, too.

Ingredients for Southern Mac and Cheese

You know, I don't know what makes this southern unless it's the extra creaminess, extra richness of the dish. Maybe it's southern because it was made in the south. Who knows? Trust me - where ever it was made... it's good!

• Shell or elbow macaroni is a good place to start. Honestly I like the shells better because they hold pockets of the cheese. Use what you prefer.
• Butter can be salted or unsalted as you wish.
• Flour is part of the roux which thickens the cheese sauce.
• Evaporated milk just makes dairy dishes creamier. You can use regular milk if you want but you'll miss out on the extra richness that evaporated milk brings to this dish.
• Beer can be whatever you have on hand but honestly I prefer a dark lager. Amber ale is good, too so try a few to see what you like the best.
• Sharp Cheddar cheese balances the beer and keeps this dish from being confused with your kids' mac and cheese.
• Smoked Gouda adds a smoky note that is great with the beer.
• Smoked paprika enhances the smoky flavor.
• Panko bread crumbs add a crunchy texture.
• Salt and pepper to taste. I use kosher salt so if you use table salt always use a little less than called for in the recipe.

Creamy Mac and Cheese - Not Bland

Baked mac and cheese has always been a favorite around here. I was lucky enough to be part of the last generation that grew up with the real deal - not the stuff that came from a box.

My mom didn't make a super creamy variety - her recipe was pretty basic with just macaroni, cheese, a little milk, and a lot of pepper. I still like it that way sometimes - not creamy at all but gooey with big, melty squares of oozy cheese holding the macaroni together.

Over the years I've warmed up to the creamy macaroni and cheese recipes - the kind where a rich cheese sauce just sort of cuddles around the macaroni.

Well this Southern baked mac and cheese recipe is sort of a combination of the two of them. Creamy sauce and big, melty squares of oozy cheese both find their way into the dish.

The beer flavor is not overwhelming here - the slight bitterness from the beer cuts through the luxuriously velvety sauce and keeps it from being too rich.

I don't know about you but I've had macaroni and cheese where the sauce coated your mouth and you literally couldn't taste anything - it made it sort of bland. Well, the beer keeps that from happening here.

More Casserole Recipes

Who doesn't love a good casserole? Here are some of our favorites!

• Classic Lasagna is easy and when you use fresh, whole milk cheese it takes it way over the top. This wholesome recipe is so full of flavor that you won’t want to make it any other way – I promise.
• Easy Chicken and Noodles can be finished in the oven with a crispy topping or on top of the stove for old fashioned, creamy chicken and noodles goodness. 
• King Ranch Chicken freezes well, travels well, and disappears fast – you can’t really ask for more than that.
• Easy Shepherd's Pie  is a delicious way to use up leftover roast beef! Meat and vegetables are enveloped in a rich gravy and then covered with a creamy cloud of buttery mashed potatoes.
• Tamale Pie has been a favorite of families everywhere for decades – providing a budget friendly comfort food for busy home cooks. My recipe is an adaption of a recipe from a local Women’s League cookbook that was published early in the 1940s. This classic dish will please your wallet as much as it pleases your tastebuds.

Tips for Mac and Cheese with Beer

The secrets to amazing mac and cheese is something Southern cooks are often pretty tight lipped about. After all, we have an image to uphold and we are a competitive bunch. When five dishes of  mac and cheese are lined up at the church potluck we want ours to be the one that gets emptied first.

I 'm only sharing my tips because I'm counting on the fact that none of y'all live close enough to me to encroach on my macaroni and cheese status. Here are some of my best tips for the most delicious mac and cheese you've ever tasted.

• Use evaporated milk. It makes creamy recipes creamier without a lot of extra fat. Our moms and grandmas knew it but it seems to have been forgotten by most of us.
• Use any kind of beer you like. If you use milder cheeses instead of sharp Cheddar you may want to go with a milder beer. Otherwise try the dark beers in this dish.
• Use a variety of cheeses. Sharp cheddar, smoked cheddar or Gouda, some Monterey Jack... experiment with combinations until you come up with something that you really love.
• Overcook the macaroni a little. Oh, not enough to turn it to mush but just past the a la dente stage. It will soak up more flavor and take on a better texture - trust me on this.
• Bread crumbs baked on top take any mac and cheese recipe out of the mundane and into the wow.
• Use a pasta shape that will clutch at the cheese like a shopper with a cashmere sweater at the Neiman Marcus 75% off sale table. Elbows, shells, corkscrews...
• Be sure to salt the water that you're cooking the macaroni in - and salt it well.

Southen Mac and Cheese FAQs

Got questions? Here are common questions about how to make macaroni and cheese:

Do you cover baked mac and cheese in the oven?

Nope. You want the top to get crispy and golden. Covering it would make it soggy.

Can you make baked macaroni and cheese from a box?

If you must because you are short on time or money you can make baked macaroni and cheese from a box. Make it according to directions, add to a greased casserole dish, stir in about 1 cup of cubed sharp cheddar, and top with breadcrumbs. Bake at 375f for about 15 minutes.

What can you add to Southern mac and cheese?

 There are lots of possibilities - smoked sausage, cooked ground beef, chopped spinach, chopped cooked broccoli, Ro*Tel tomatoes, Hatch chiles, Bell pepper, onion, bacon...

How can you make macaroni and cheese without milk?

It's not easy but it can be done. Use a little extra fat in the recipe to help the texture to be creamier. Substitutes for milk are: nut milks, coconut milk, rice milk... create a roux with flour and butter then add chicken stock...if you can use dairy try buttermilk, cream, or half and half... of course you'll need to use a non-dairy cheese as well...

Can you freeze mac and cheese?

Yes you can! Be sure to leave the breadcrumbs off, though. Bake it and then cool completely.

Cover mac and cheese tightly with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.

To bake- Remove from the freezer and put in a 350F oven still covered with foil. Bake for 1 hour, uncover and add your breadcrumbs, then bake 15 to 20 minutes more.

You May Need...

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What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness!  Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!

One of the most used items in my Restless Chipotle Kitchen is my  Lodge Cast Iron Skillet!! It’s perfect for this dish!

Southern Mac and Cheese with Beer Recipe

I love this mac and cheese baked right in an iron skillet - it develops a crispy crust on the bottom and sides and I think it has a better flavor. It's great for Superbowl Sunday !!

You might also want to try this easy crockpot mac and cheese!