In addition to plenty of delicious and comforting ground beef and chicken breast creations courtesy of Mom, I was raised on a fair amount of boxed mac and cheese. In fact, the blue box is the first “recipe” I recall making from scratch. Special occasions called for the “yellow box.” Once I discovered the delight that was Velveeta Shells and Cheese, I never looked back. (By the time I was 10, I was probably 10% mac myself!)

Although I had become well-versed in the semi-homemade mac and cheese space at a young age, I hadn’t met a mac of the baked variety until my 20s. Once I became privy to the concept, I quickly understood the appeal. What’s not to love about a pasta casserole that tastes like my childhood-favorite mac and cheese yet offers even more textural contrast? 

I can still whip up the stovetop macs on autopilot, but I haven’t quite mastered my signature baked mac recipe. So when I heard John Legend crooning about his favorite macaroni and cheese recipe that happens to be of the baked variety on a recent episode of Your Mama’s Kitchen podcast, I knew I had to try it.

How to Make John Legend’s Mac and Cheese 

Legend shares his signature recipe on Your Mama’s Kitchen and on Cravings by Chrissy Tiegen, where Legend’s wife says, “I still like my creamy version better, but I am coming around to Johnny’s casserole-style mac ‘n’ cheese, which doesn’t require you to make a separate sauce and may—aren’t I kind?—just sit a little better on a buffet. It has a cheesy crust that gives you that good, good cheese pull, too.” 

Although Your Mama’s Kitchen focuses on family food memories, the singer, songwriter, and producer admitted to the host Michele Norris that this is his riff on his mom’s dish. Legend’s mom made her mac with diced green peppers mixed into the cheesy pasta, then she topped things off with crumbled Ritz Crackers. 

The instructions below walk you through how to make John’s version, which he says is “more old school; like a soul food restaurant,” he says.

1. Prepare the pasta. Cook macaroni in salted water until the noodles are al dente. Drain the pasta, place it back in the pot (off the heat), then toss with butter until the macaroni is evenly coated with melted butter.
2. Stir together the sauce and combine the cheeses. In one bowl, whisk together evaporated milk, whole milk, eggs, seasoned salt, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. In a second bowl, mix grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese and grated Monterey Jack cheese.
3. Layer it up. In the bottom of a greased 9- x 13-inch baking dish, place one-third of the buttery macaroni in an even layer. Top evenly with one-third of the cheese blend. Repeat two more layers of each. Pour the milk mixture evenly on top, then sprinkle with paprika.
4. Bake until golden-brown. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is light brown. Allow the dish to stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

What Makes This Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Special?

Cooking the pasta and tossing it with butter? That’s a step I know well from my boxed mac days. From there, Legend (and his mom) revise the script with a new-to-me strategy. 

Instead of adding the cheese to the milk mixture to make a cheese sauce, this mac and cheese recipe calls for layering the pasta and cheese lasagna-style, then dousing it all in the seasoned milk blend. Another less-common feature of this formula: evaporated milk. It makes up more than 85% of the milk mixture. (Whole milk fills in the gaps.) Compared to a mac and cheese made with whole milk alone, the texture feels lavish.

As the cheese melts and the milk soaks into the pasta, the casserole comes together into a scoopable celebration of cheese and carbs. The careful editing of the ingredient list—this recipe calls for just a couple spices and zero mix-ins—really allows the cheese flavor to step into the spotlight.

Tips for Making Baked Mac and Cheese

In case you’re tempted to try this baked mac and cheese recipe, here are a few tips from our Test Kitchen:

• Don’t confuse evaporated and condensed milk. They both come in cans that look pretty similar, and are often sold next to each other in the baking aisle. But be sure to grab evaporated milk (which is exactly as it sounds: milk that is simmered until the liquid is reduced by 60%) not condensed milk (which is the same thing, but with added sugar). If you can’t find or don’t have any on hand, the best evaporated milk substitutes include whole milk, 2% milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream. Any of the above work as a one-for-one swap.
• Try a different pasta shape. Elbows are traditional, but chefs we spoke to agree that they’re far from your only option for cheesy pasta dishes. Consider swapping in one of our other best pasta shapes for mac and cheese if you like: cavatappi, orecchiette, and shells would also be spectacular here.
• Vary your cheeses—and grate them yourself. Cheddar and Monterey Jack are terrific teammates, but options abound when it comes to fromage. Consider gouda for a smoky note, gruyère for even more nuttiness, havarti for a buttery quality, or asiago for a bold backbone. Regardless of which cheeses you choose, grate them yourself rather than buying pre-shredded cheeses for optimal meltability.
• Doctor it up as desired. Not everyone is a purist, and Legend’s mom proves that it’s okay to go off script. To make this casserole your own, consider adding crumbled crispy bacon, caramelized onions, or on top of each pasta layer. You can also top things off with crumbled crackers or buttery bread crumbs.
• Try not to rush the resting step. Wait at least 10 minutes after removing the dish from the oven before scooping up a serving. If you try to eat this immediately after the dish comes out of the oven, you’re going to be disappointed—it will be a soupy mess. 

The Verdict on John Legend’s Mac and Cheese Recipe

If you’re fond of the scoops of classic mac and cheese you might order at a soul food or meat and three restaurant, John Legend’s family heirloom recipe will satisfy in the comfort of your own home… until you can pull up a set and order again. 

You might feel that this mac and cheese recipe is a bit basic if lobster-studded or crumbled Taki-topped mac and cheese are your jam. But I found the simplicity to be an asset. Not only does the thoughtful ingredient list make it easy to executed (and memorize!), but the “stripped-down” nature of this mac and cheese recipe also allows you to truly taste the sharp, nutty qualities of the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. It’s like a singer going a capella, in a way.

This isn’t the recipe for you if you’re in a rush to get dinner on the table. It takes a little more than an hour, then it’s essential to wait another 10 to 15 minutes before diving in. But patience is a virtue. Most of the time is hands-off, and after allowing the baked mac and cheese to rest for the length of a couple love songs, you’ll be treated to cheese pulls galore and an interior consistency that is luscious and almost custard-like, thanks to the concentrated nature of evaporated milk.

Actually, now that I mention that soundtrack, add a salad and pop open a bottle of bubbly and cue up a John Legend album, and you have the makings of a pretty spectacular date night!