Whether to cover mac and cheese while baking is a point of debate among home cooks. Some swear by baking it covered to help the cheese melt evenly, while others prefer uncovered for maximum browning and crustiness on top. So which method is best?
The purpose of covering during baking
The main reason to cover baked mac and cheese is to help the cheese melt and distribute evenly throughout the pasta. Here’s why this works:
- Covering traps steam from the boiling, cheesy liquid inside the baking dish. This steam helps the cheese melt faster and more evenly.
- It prevents the cheese sauce from drying out and becoming rubbery on top.
- It stops the breadcrumb topping from over-browning before the insides are baked through.
Overall, covering is recommended if you want soft, melty cheese sauce that permeates every bite. It’s especially important for thicker or dense cheese sauces made with low-moisture cheeses like cheddar, gouda, or gruyere.
The benefits of uncovered baking
On the flip side, there are some advantages to baking mac and cheese uncovered:
- You get nice caramelized, crispy edges on the breadcrumb topping. Uncovered bakes promote air circulation, which dries out and browns the topping.
- Excess liquid can evaporate, preventing a soggy or watery casserole.
- You get a nice roasted flavor from the browning reaction.
Uncovered baking works best for mac and cheese with a thin, milk-based cheese sauce or a lot of ooey, gooey melted cheese. The crispy topping provides texture contrast.
Compromise method: Start covered, finish uncovered
The ideal baking method often depends on your specific recipe. But a good compromise is to start covered and finish uncovered.
Here are the steps for this combined approach:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare mac and cheese and transfer to a casserole dish.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake 15 more minutes until topping is crispy.
Starting covered allows the cheese sauce to melt evenly throughout. Then finishing uncovered crisps up the crust for added texture.
More tips for great baked mac and cheese
Here are a few more tips to ensure your baked mac and cheese turns out perfectly, whether you cover it or not:
- Don’t overbake. Bake just until hot and bubbly, about 30-45 minutes. Overbaking can dry it out.
- Use a hot oven. Bake at 350-375°F for best results.
- Preheat the baking dish. Place empty dish in oven as it preheats so pasta doesn’t cool down cheese sauce.
- Use a shallow, wide dish. More surface area means better browning.
Sample mac and cheese recipes
To see the covering techniques in action, here are two sample recipes to try:
Baked Mac and Cheese with Crispy Breadcrumb Topping
Uncovered method
Ingredients:
- 8 oz elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 2-qt baking dish.
- Make cheese sauce: Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and cook, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mustard powder, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese until melted and smooth.
- Add cooked macaroni to cheese sauce and mix well. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
- In a small bowl, toss breadcrumbs with 2 Tbsp melted butter. Sprinkle over mac and cheese.
- Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly with crispy golden topping.
- Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Classic Baked Mac and Cheese
Covered method
Ingredients:
- 8 oz elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2-qt baking dish.
- Make cheese sauce: Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and cook, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mustard powder, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese until melted and smooth.
- Add cooked macaroni to cheese sauce and mix well. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes.
- Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Conclusion
Whether to cover baked mac and cheese comes down to personal preference. Covering helps cheese melt evenly, while uncovered bakes get a nice crispy top. For the best of both worlds, start covered then finish uncovered.
The most important thing is to avoid overbaking. And use a hot oven, preheated baking dish, and wide shallow pan for optimum results. With the right techniques, you can get mouthwatering mac and cheese with a perfectly melted cheesy center and golden crusty topping.