Southern Mac and Cheese

Southern Mac and Cheese is rich, creamy and the ultimate comfort food made with vegan colby jack and cream cheese and leftover macaroni. An easy dish that the whole family will enjoy. I tell you what you can’t go wrong with a fresh and hot baked mac and cheese from the oven. It is a staple in every household and in mine, too.

I love mac and cheese, no secret. Probably I could eat it every day my whole life.

And that would never get boring because seriously there are so many amazing variations that one can think of or enjoy.

Just try out my Creamy Mac and Cheese, Instant Pot Mac and Cheese, Garlic Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese, the One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese, or Jalapeno Mac and Cheese (vegan, 15 minutes).

What makes Southern Mac and Cheese so good

My Southern Mac and Cheese is made with vegan cream cheese which is amazing because it adds a lot of richness and at the same time it is super convenient. You don’t even have to attempt to make a white sauce.

You will find vegan Colby jack in the sauce and on top melted after baking makes everything even more wonderful. 

The flavors are what really makes a difference: I add garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika which I think is an amazing mix of flavors.

I share step by step pictures so you see how you can do this at home.

What you need for this Southern Mac and Cheese recipe

• Cooked macaroni
• Vegan cream cheese
• Oat milk
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Vegan Colby jack
• Smoked paprika

How to make Southern Mac and Cheese

Give oat milk to a casserole, and heat up slowly. Add vegan cream cheese and vegan Colby, but reserve 1 cup for the garnish. It is really important to use a low temperature: be patient until everything is melted into a creamy and silky mixture.

Now add garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika. Stay on low heat, so everything get really smooth and creamy.

Finally mix in macaroni until everything is combined, top with vegan Colby Jack and bake for 20 minutes at 380°F.

After baking please allow the Southern Mac and Cheese to cool down for around 5 minutes. I find this really makes the texture so everything will taste even more delicious.

Freezing instructions and leftovers

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for around 4 days, so you can easily whip up a bigger batch.

For freezing, make sure the baked mac and cheese is completely cooled down. You can use a freezer container or individual freezer Ziploc bags.

Also it is great, if you reheat in the oven.

What to serve Southern Mac and Cheese with

Salads are great, for example my Pea Salad, or the Black Bean and Corn Salad.

Potatoes are always amazing, just check out my Funeral Potatoes, or the Garlic Mashed Potatoes. 

Try combining it with corn: Corn Dip, Corn Soup, or Cream Corn Casserole. 

Tips and tricks:

I come straight to the point: I do an extra step in preparing the Southern Mac and Cheese, making the sauce first and then mixing in the macaroni. Of course, you could just mix everything together in a bowl, transfer to the casserole and bake. But here is the thing, the result will be really different. Not as smooth and creamy.

Allow the extra minutes to cool down which is great for the texture. Don’t eat it piping hot from the oven.

You can use any short shaped pasta, but my favorite is elbow macaroni, because I just love the classic.

Try this Southern Mac and Cheese and enjoy.

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Cheers, Florian.