Brown Butter Baked Mac & Cheese with Roasted Garlic

My browned butter baked mac and cheese elevates the classic soul food side dish with rich toasty flavor and roasted garlic.

This dish is all about flavor, y'all. I took two detours from an otherwise standard baked macaroni & cheese recipe and the result is well worth the little bit of extra effort. Let's get into it. And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my Three Cheese Mac & Cheese with Crumbled Bacon!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love this Recipe
• What You'll Need for this Recipe
• Substitutions & Variations
• How to Make Soul Food Style Mac and Cheese with a Twist
• Baked Macaroni and Cheese How-to Video
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Favorite Soul Food Recipes
• Easy Holiday Dinner Guide
• Brown Butter Baked Mac & Cheese with Roasted Garlic

Why You'll Love this Recipe

Unique Flavor - I love the normal taste of garlic in my cooking but roasting it mellows it out to something deeper, less biting, and just slightly sweet. Plus, you can avoid the strong garlic-breath factor afterward. And browned butter has a slightly nutty or toasted aroma with richer flavor than plain melted butter. The finished dish has the creaminess of classic mac with a subtle, unforgettable something extra!

Simple Ingredients - This southern style mac & cheese recipe takes pantry staples like elbow pasta, bread crumbs, and garlic, and transforms them into something special--in the same spirit of what James Hemings did when he invented macaroni and cheese as we know it.

My mini mac & cheese bites are another baked fave you'll love! And check out this cheesy brussels sprouts and rice casserole, too.

What You'll Need for this Recipe

Cheddar Cheese - I use sharp cheddar cheese but you can also use medium cheddar, mild cheddar or a blend. Use a block of cheese and shred it yourself because the pre-shredded bagged cheese from the store also contains an anti-caking agent the influences how the cheese melts and tastes.

Elbow Macaroni Pasta - Many folks will say its not macaroni if you don't use elbow pasta! That's what I use for baked soul food mac just like my Grandma used to make but you can use shells or a combination or another type of pasta entirely.

Fresh Garlic - You'll need a whole head of garlic to roast. Don't use pre-peeled cloves, minced garlic or garlic paste because it won't work!

Butter gets caramelized for deeper, richer flavor. I recommend using unsalted butter for browning because the salt in salted butter tends to concentrate in the milk solids that we create during this process.

Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!

Substitutions & Variations

Seasonings - I keep it simple with sea salt and white pepper to complement the herb and aromatic flavors in this recipe but you can customize it to your liking with more spices.

Bread Crumbs - In my experience, Panko bread crumbs will give you the best result for good old fashioned mac & cheese with a crispy top but you can get similar texture using other kinds of bread crumbs.

Size - This recipe easily doubles or cuts in half depending on the size of the crowd you want to serve--just adjust the recipe card settings below to get what you need!

How to Make Soul Food Style Mac and Cheese with a Twist

Step One: Cut off top of garlic head to expose the cloves. Drizzle with oil, wrap in foil, and roast for about softened and golden brown. (Not Pictured)

Pro Tip #1: For a visual, watch me prepare the garlic to roast on video!

Step Two: Melt the butter in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat, stirring regularly until milk solids separate and the butter turns golden brown. (Image One)

Pro Tip #2: Cut the butter into small pieces so that it melts evenly and try to use room temperature butter, if you can. As a beginner, using a light-colored skillet can help you easily see when the butter darkens. The butter should bubble but not pop. If it starts popping, turn the heat down a little until it stops.

Step Three: Stir flour into browned butter to form a roux. (Image Two)

Step Four: Slowly whisk in milk until sauce is uniform then stir in the roasted garlic. (Image Three and Four)

Step Five: Shred the cheddar cheese (Image Five).

Pro Tip #3: Use a food processor with the disc attachment to make quick work of shredding cheese for cooking!

Step Six: Stir the cheese into the sauce mixture until melted and uniform (Images Six and Seven).

Step Seven: Stir cooked pasta into cheese sauce until evenly coated (Image Eight).

Step Eight: Combine butter, parsley, and bread crumbs to make the topping (Image Nine).

Step Nine: Transfer mac and cheese mixture to a baking dish and top with remaining shredded cheese (Image Ten).

Step Ten: Top with bread crumb topping then place pan in oven to bake (Image Eleven).

Step Eleven: Bake the mac and cheese until gooey in the middle and golden brown on top.

Pro Tip #4: Let the dish rest for about 30 minutes before cutting into it so that the cheese and noodles can set.

Serve this brown butter macaroni & cheese alongside your holiday main dish like turkey or ham. Complete the spread with garlic parmesan mashed potatoes, roasted cut carrots, and crispy maple brussels sprouts. And don't forget the peach cobbler for dessert!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese How-to Video

Frequently Asked Questions

More Favorite Soul Food Recipes

I hope you and your loved ones enjoy this buttery, garlic-flavored mac & cheese this holiday season and beyond. And sharing is caring so be sure to pin this holiday mac and cheese recipe over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Easy Holiday Dinner Guide

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