This is the kind of oven baked 5-ingredient church supper macaroni you’d find written in blue ink on a stained index card from 1962, tucked in the back of your aunt’s recipe box. It’s simple, creamy, and comforting, the kind of casserole that showed up at every potluck, funeral lunch, and Wednesday night church supper—and always went home empty. With just a few pantry basics, you get that old-fashioned, golden-topped macaroni that people remember and request years later.
Serve this macaroni hot from the oven with a simple green salad, steamed peas or green beans, and some sliced tomatoes if they’re in season. It pairs nicely with ham, meatloaf, or baked chicken, but it’s also filling enough to stand on its own with a basket of dinner rolls or buttered bread. For a true church-supper spread, set it out alongside a jello salad, pickles, and a pan of brownies or sheet cake for dessert.
Oven Baked Church Supper MacaroniServings: 6
Ingredients
8 oz (about 2 cups) dry elbow macaroni
4 cups shredded mild or medium cheddar cheese, divided
3 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or 1 tsp table salt), plus more for pasta water
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch blue speckled enamel baking dish or similar casserole dish with butter or cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook until just shy of al dente, about 1–2 minutes less than the package directions. The pasta should still have a little bite, since it will finish cooking in the oven.
Drain the macaroni well and return it to the warm pot. Let it sit a minute or two so excess steam can escape; this helps keep the casserole from getting watery.
In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the milk, eggs, and salt until the eggs are completely blended and the mixture looks smooth and pale.
Spread half of the warm macaroni in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar (2 cups) evenly over the pasta.
Pour about half of the milk-and-egg mixture over the macaroni and cheese in the dish, letting it seep down between the noodles.
Add the remaining macaroni in an even layer on top. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of shredded cheddar evenly over the top.
Slowly pour the rest of the milk-and-egg mixture over the casserole, trying to cover as much surface as you can. Gently tap the dish on the counter so the liquid settles down into the pasta.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place it on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes, until the casserole is hot and the edges are just starting to bubble.
Carefully remove the foil and continue baking, uncovered, for another 20–25 minutes, or until the top is golden, the cheese is bubbly, and the center is set (it shouldn’t be sloshy when you jiggle the dish). If you like a deeper crust, you can leave it in for an extra 5 minutes, watching closely.
Remove the dish from the oven and let the macaroni rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This rest time helps it firm up so you can scoop out generous, picture-perfect spoonfuls with a big metal spoon, just like those old church suppers.
Scoop and serve warm. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and reheat gently in the oven or microwave with a splash of milk if needed to bring back the creaminess.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, stick with mild cheddar and skip any extra seasonings so the flavor stays familiar and comforting. If your family likes a little more zip, you can swap part of the cheddar for Colby or sharp cheddar without changing the basic recipe. To make it slightly richer, you can replace 1 cup of the milk with evaporated milk or light cream, but keep the total liquid amount the same so it still sets properly. If you’re cooking for a crowd at a church supper, this recipe doubles easily; just use a larger roasting pan and add 5–10 minutes to the baking time, watching for a set center and nicely browned top. For a bit of texture, you can scatter a small handful of extra shredded cheese over the top during the last 5–10 minutes of baking to boost that golden crust. Food safety tips: Make sure the eggs are fully cooked by baking until the center of the casserole is set and reaches at least 160°F if you check with an instant-read thermometer. Don’t leave the baked macaroni out at room temperature for more than 2 hours; refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers so they cool evenly. Reheat leftovers until steaming hot throughout before serving again. If you’re taking this to a potluck, transport it in an insulated carrier and keep it warm, or plan to reheat it briefly in the oven once you arrive.
