• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • HOME
  • HOLIDAYS & SEASONS
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patrick's Day
    • Easter & Spring
    • Easy Cinco de Mayo Party Recipes
    • Summer
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • ENTERTAINING & EXTRAS
    • Party Time
    • HANDMADE Gifts
    • Crafts & Projects
  • CONTACT
    • ABOUT
  • Shop

Shaken Together logo

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Appetizers
  • Main Courses
  • Desserts
  • All Recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes » Almost Homemade Baked Mac & Cheese

    Last updated: Oct 8, 2020 by Keri · 26 Comments

    Almost Homemade Baked Mac & Cheese

    Jump to Recipe

    Baked Mac and Cheese from a box is the best of both worlds: a fast and convenient side dish that tastes homemade!

    Why I love this recipe

    • it's super fast and easy, preheat the oven while you boil your macaroni noodles
    • all the taste of homemade without the hassle
    • super kid-friendly

    Ingredients

    • box mac and cheese
    • breadcrumbs
    • shredded cheese

    Step by step

    1. Prepare a box of mac & cheese (the kind with pasta and a pouch of cheese sauce) according to the box directions - I use Kraft made with 2% milk mac & cheese or even our local grocery store brand. 
    2. Pour the mac & cheese into a baking dish (8x8 or similar size) prepared with non-stick spray.  Sprinkle the top with a handful of bread crumbs - panko or Italian seasoned are our family's favorite - and then top with ¼ cup of your favorite shredded cheese!
    3. Bake until the mac and cheese is bubbly and the cheese is melted!  I like the cheese toasty and crispy and brown 😉

    Variations

    This can easily be adapted to your family's tastes:  add broccoli, crispy bacon, ham or even a can of rotel (drained) to the macaroni before you pour it in the baking dish!

    FAQs

    What kind of cheese is best for mac and cheese?

    I prefer a cheddar cheese for this but you can easily use a Mexican blend, shredded colby jack, or experiment with your favorites.

    Do I need to cover it with foil?

    Because we're just crisping the top you do not need to cover this mac with foil.

    Can you make this ahead?

    You can make the mac and cheese ahead of time but I would wait to add the breadcrumbs and extra cheese until you are ready to bake.

    How do you store/reheat this recipe?

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven. (Time will vary depending on how much you are reheating.)

    Print
    clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon heart heart icon heart solid heart solid icon
    baked box mac and cheese on white plate

    Almost Homemade Baked Mac & Cheese

    ★★★ 3 from 1 reviews
    • Author: Melissa Riker
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 6 1x
    • Category: side
    • Method: baking
    • Cuisine: American
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Baked Mac and Cheese from a box is the best of both worlds: a fast and convenient side dish that tastes homemade!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 box macaroni and cheese (with premade sauce)
    • 1 cup breadcrumbs
    • 1 shredded cheddar cheese

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 by 9 baking dish with nonstick spray.
    2. Prepare mac and cheese according to package instructions and place in a baking dish.
    3. Cover with breadcrumbs, then top with shredded cheese.
    4. Bake until cheese is melted, about 10-15 minutes.

    Notes

    • use mac and cheese with premade sauce, not powdered
    • you can substitute your favorite cheese
    • keep leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days
    • reheat in microwave

    Keywords: baked box mac and cheese

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

    « {taste this} homemade cream soda
    80s Party BIG REVEAL & Tons of 80s Party Ideas!! »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. the cape on the corner says

      August 22, 2012 at 5:59 pm

      if only you could taste a picture...is that weird? maybe a little weird, lol.

      good luck on your kitten shopping, can't wait to see pictures of your new one when you get it!

      Reply
    2. Back for Seconds says

      August 22, 2012 at 9:03 pm

      Wow! So easy but so yummy looking!

      Reply
      • Elizabeth says

        August 23, 2021 at 3:20 pm

        What temp should the oven be

        Reply
        • Melissa Riker says

          August 30, 2021 at 2:31 pm

          I use 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

          Reply
    3. twelve-O-eight says

      August 22, 2012 at 9:29 pm

      Ooooh this looks so good, and this an awesome but busy time of year! Thank you for sharing 🙂

      hugs, Tanya

      Reply
    4. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says

      August 23, 2012 at 1:49 am

      What a great easy recipe. I'll be needing it this fall!

      Reply
    5. Trish says

      August 23, 2012 at 11:48 pm

      This looks delicious AND easy! We sure have plenty of boxes in our pantry 🙂 I'd love for you to share with my readers if you get the chance - enjoy your weekend! http://www.momontimeout.com/2012/08/taking-timeout-thursday-no44.html

      Reply
    6. Tanya-Lemonsforlulu.com says

      August 24, 2012 at 11:00 am

      Oh my I love that crunchy topping, my favorite part about mac and cheese! Yes, this time of year, life gets suddenly crazy, love to have a great go-to recipe!

      Reply
    7. Jocelyn says

      August 24, 2012 at 12:16 pm

      We use the blue box of mac and cheese all the time...next time it's getting this yummy topping added to it:-) Looks great!!!

      Reply
    8. Jacque n Matt Knowlton says

      August 25, 2012 at 2:37 am

      GAH this is GREAT! I will never make mac n cheese the way I used to!!!
      -Jacque @theDIYvillage.com

      Reply
    9. Suzannes Pastimes says

      August 25, 2012 at 11:21 am

      This looks delicious and sounds so simple. I will have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    10. Carol, The Answer Is Chocolate says

      August 25, 2012 at 3:28 pm

      Looks great! I love the baked kind but don't always have the time to make it the way I like it from scratch. Thanks for sharing at this week's party.

      Reply
    11. Jill says

      August 27, 2012 at 11:50 pm

      Simple and super tasty! The added crunch of the breadcrumbs goes so well with mac n cheese!

      Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
      Hope you have a fabulous week!
      Jill @ Creating my way to Success
      http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

      Reply
    12. Jennifer says

      August 28, 2012 at 1:29 am

      Yum-o! Thanks for linking up to our Pretty Things party. Hope to see you back next week!

      Reply
    13. Jenny Melrose says

      August 28, 2012 at 11:45 pm

      Oh my goodness, it's ooey gooey goodness! That looks absolutely amazing! I found you over at Uncommon's link party. So glad I did.

      Reply
    14. Mrs. Handyverger says

      August 29, 2012 at 1:53 am

      Looks delicious - and easy! Yum!

      Stopping by from DIY by Design's Sizzle into Summer party. 🙂

      Reply
    15. Kim (TheMoney-Pit) says

      August 29, 2012 at 3:53 am

      That is my kind of recipe! I love the fact you start with the box mix, because let's admit the truth: If I needed to make it from scratch, it wasn't going to happen!

      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    16. Maria says

      August 29, 2012 at 7:57 pm

      Mmmmm your Mac&Cheese looks absolutely delicious! Is there anything better?!!! YUM!

      Reply
    17. Printabelle says

      August 29, 2012 at 8:22 pm

      That is a really good idea! Thanks for linking!

      Reply
    18. Louisa says

      October 08, 2016 at 8:19 pm

      Really wish I could see the recipe...

      Reply
    19. WILLIAM BRENNAN says

      October 06, 2018 at 5:21 pm

      yummy an people like me are still looking at this 8 years later!

      Reply
    20. Rhonda Richardson says

      November 18, 2018 at 1:09 pm

      I'm making this for Thanksgiving????

      Reply
      • Keri says

        November 19, 2018 at 4:31 am

        Awesome! I hope you enjoy it! Thanks so much for stopping by, Rhonda!

        Reply
    21. Nancy says

      January 30, 2019 at 2:21 pm

      What temp to bake and how long? I can't find that info!

      Reply
    22. Joy Wilkins says

      August 05, 2021 at 9:18 am

      I was wondering too. Bake for 15 minutes but what temp? Thank you.

      Reply
    23. Breezy says

      November 01, 2021 at 11:04 pm

      I'm making this for the first time but I don't have any cheese, besides the powdered cheese that comes in the box, so I hope it still turns out alright..

      ★★★

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    photo of blogger Melissa Riker

    Hi, I'm Melissa! I have a passion for helping people find easy and delicious recipes to feed their families without a lot of fuss!

    More about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • Hamburger Hash Brown Casserole
    • Creamy Sausage Pasta
    • Ground Beef Stroganoff
    • Mongolian Noodles with Ground Beef
    • Five Cheese Ziti al Forno (Copycat Olive Garden Recipe)
    • Slow Cooker London Broil

    30 Minute Meals

    • Baked Barbecue Chicken Breasts
    • Easy Ground Beef Goulash
    • Shrimp Nachos
    • Pizza Boats
    Subscribe to get our best recipes straight to your inbox!

    Featured on:

    featured in Better Homes Gardens Today Redbook Homes.com Good Housekeeping Country Living Buzzfeed Martha Stewart Apartment Therapy Esquire

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    Privacy Policy

    Disclaimer

    Terms & Conditions

    Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    Contact

    As featured in:

    website and magazine logos

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022

    98 shares