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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 09/30/2019
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This baked mac and cheese is a family favorite recipe, loved by both children and adults.It uses a combination of cheeses, layered in the dish as well as melted into a rich and creamy cheese sauce, for the ultimate in cheesy deliciousness! Perfect for a comforting dinner or as a holiday side dish!
Looking for other comfort food dishes? Check out my Homemade Sloppy Joes, Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Crockpot Meatloaf, and Homestyle No-Boil Mashed Potatoes!
BAKED MAC AND CHEESE
Baked mac and cheese. It’s nearly the universal comfort food, and there are SO many variations! In fact, I almost didn’t post this recipe, as there are SOOOO many mac and cheese recipes available, and most people already have their favorite way of making it.
Of course, there’s no “right” way or “wrong” way, so I’m here sharing the way I like to make my mac and cheese (the way my family loves it too).
HOW TO MAKE MAC AND CHEESE
If you’ve never made homemade mac and cheese before, it can seem a bit daunting. But don’t worry, we’ll break it down and take it step by step!
- Boil the pasta, drain.
- Make the cheese sauce by combining a fat (butter), and starch (flour), then whisking in the milk products.
- Cook the sauce until it’s nice and thick.
- Add in shredded cheeses, stir well.
- Combine cheese sauce with cooked pasta.
- Transfer half of the mac and cheese to a baking dish, sprinkle with more shredded cheese.
- Top with the rest of the mac and cheese, top with more shredded cheese.
- Bake and prepare to thoroughly enjoy!
COOKING TIPS FOR BAKED MAC AND CHEESE
- Boiling the pasta – cook the pasta less than you normally would. I like to boil my elbow pasta for between 4 and 5 minutes. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven, and you don’t want it to get mushy.
- Use room temp liquids – if you can… cold liquids generally take longer to thicken than warmer ones. I usually set my milk and half and half out while the water for the pasta is coming up to a boil.
- The cheeses – use your favorites! Our personal favorites are the cheddar and gruyere used in this recipe, but you can be very creative with the cheese selection here. Mozzarella, gouda, smoked gouda, swiss, monterey jack, colby jack, colby. There are plenty of reader comments down below the recipe that talk about the cheeses they used!
- Shred your own – I know it’s a pain, and it’s SO tempting to use the pre-shredded cheese in the bags. But those bags of cheese contain a starchy substance that keeps the cheese from clumping… which also prohibits it from melting as well as it should.
VARIATIONS OF MAC AND CHEESE
- Bacon – if you love bacon, feel free to add some crispy, crumbled bacon to the topping, or even inside the mac and cheese as well!
- Stovetop – if you’d prefer not to bake this mac and cheese, you don’t have to! Make sure you boil your pasta until al dente (check the packaging for correct times), and you’ll only need about 3 – 3 1/2 cups of cheese total. No need to layer the pasta and cheese, just add all the cheese to the sauce, then combine with the pasta.
- Different Toppings – I’m a huge fan of the cheese layer on top, since it gets nice and crispy, but we also love tossing 1 cup of panko with 2 Tbsp of melted butter and using that as a topping. 1 cup of crushed Ritz crackers with 2 Tbsp of butter work amazingly well too!
- Different Baking Times – the recipe calls for a lower baking temperature and time, but most of the time I find myself adjusting that based on my family’s tastes. I like to bake this mac and cheese at 350 F degrees for 30 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes to get that glorious cheesy “crust”.
MAKING MAC AND CHEESE AHEAD OF TIME
- Make as directed (but do not bake), transfer to baking dish and cool completely. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate 1-2 days ahead.
- Before baking, let dish sit on counter for 30 minutes.
- Bake at recipe temperature for 25-35 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
As a caveat, this recipe, as with most mac and cheese recipes, loses some of it’s creaminess when made ahead. This dish has been tested when made right away, which yields the best results.
I would increase the amount of sauce slightly if you need to make this recipe ahead of time.
STORING MAC AND CHEESE
Any leftovers need to be refrigerated and covered tightly. Mac and cheese can be stored this way for 3-4 days.
To reheat, stir in a little bit of milk or cream and microwave partially covered with plastic wrap. Stir often as it reheats.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT USED IN THIS RECIPE
- Box Grater– remember, the best mac starts with freshly shredded cheese!
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT OTHER READERS’ COMMENTS!
AND DON’T FORGET, IF YOU’VE MADE THIS RECIPE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING!
Post has been updated in September 2019 with new photos and additional information.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Creamy Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese
4.86 from 3004 votesAuthor: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Calories: 665
Servings: 8 - 10 servings
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This baked mac and cheese is a family favorite recipe, loved by children and adults.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried elbow pasta
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 1/2 cups half and half
- 4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese divided (measured after shredding)
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese divided (measured after shredding)
- 1/2 Tbsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. paprika smoked paprika is our favorite!
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3 qt baking dish (9x13"). Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.
While water is coming up to a boil, shred cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles. Approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often. Slowly pour in about 2 cups or so of the half and half, while whisking constantly, until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining half and half and the whole milk, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.
Continue to heat over MED heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency. It should almost be the consistency of a semi thinned out condensed soup.
Remove from the heat and stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth.
In a large mixing bowl, combine drained pasta with cheese sauce, stirring to combine fully. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheeses, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.
Sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until cheesy is bubbly and lightly golden brown.
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Chef Tips
- Please feel free to add additional seasonings per your tastes, this is a base recipe that you can change up to make your own. Garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, smoked paprika, and hot sauce are some favorites of ours to add.
- To get the 4 cups of cheddar, use a 16 oz block of cheddar and shred.
- To get the 2 cups of gruyere, use as close to an 8 oz block of gruyere as you can (different brands have different sized blocks), and shred.
Mac and Cheese can be made ahead:
- Make as directed (but do not bake), transfer to baking dish and cool completely. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate 1-2 days ahead.
- Before baking, let dish sit on counter for 30 minutes.
- Bake at recipe temperature for 25-35 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
FIVE CHEESE VARIATION:
Replace cheese amounts with the following:
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Colby cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Muenster cheese, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
FOR A CRUNCHIER TOPPING AND FIRMER CONSISTENCY:
- Prepare recipe as directed but bake at 350 or 375 F degrees for 20-30 minutes. Broil at the end of baking for approximately 2-5 minutes, until golden brown and crunchy.
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Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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Meet The Chunky Chef
Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!
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Linda says
I made this tonight for a dinner party. Absolutely delicious! Are used a combination of sharp cheddar cheese, gruyere cheese, and the cheese recommended to me at a local grocery store – – a melting white cheese with caramelized onions. This recipe is so easy to follow. Melting the butter with the flour to make a white roux Was super easy. Melting in the cheese was super easy. Of course cooking the elbow macaroni was very easy. Assembling everything in the baking dish was super easy. I did use my own seasoned breadcrumbs for a topping in the oven. This was so delicious and everybody loved it and went back for seconds and thirds.
At first I thought 4 cups of combined milk and half-and-half would be a lot of liquid but it’s not. You need all of it so be sure to use the entire quantity.
I will most definitely be making us again and again and again. It will be fun to experiment with different types of cheeses.
Now that I’ve made it one time I think I could make the entire recipe without actually having to look at the recipe. It really is that easy not to mention delicious.
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Elaine Onstad says
Made this for a family birthday celebration and it was a hit! Used cheddar, Swiss, longhorn and Colby Jack as the grocer didn’t carry gruyere. Bonus, I grated enough cheese to have it again. Am I the only person on the planet who didn’t know a food processor grates?
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Linzy says
Thank you! I had no idea! This is a gem to know. 🙏
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Micki Wright says
Next time you choose to use a smoked Gouda if the Gruyère is not available. You will love it! I am going to try your version tomorrow for Sunday Supper.
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SeattleSheri says
Really great M&C!
Note: Salt, pepper and paprika show up on the ingredients list, but are not referenced in the actual directions. After I’d compiled everything, I was left wondering when I was supposed to have added the paprika since it’s the last ingredient listed. Obviously salt, pepper and paprika are not deal-breakers. The photos show pepper on the finished product and salt is pretty much added to everything, but perhaps the directions could be updated to indicate when they should be added 🙂
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Amanda says
Glad you enjoyed the mac and cheese! Just as a note, step 6 indicates to add the spices 🙂
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Karen says
First time making this. I made the five cheese version with Panko bread crumbs on top. It is well worth the time it takes to make it. Should I have had seconds, no. Did I, absolutely!!
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Brian says
My new go-to M&C recipe. I always add smoked sausage and jalapeño and throw it in the smoker.
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Steven M Milligan says
I never rate and review on what recipes I use from the internet. But this one was really good! I substituted some cheeses and added bread crumbs on top but what I was really really impressed with was the texture of the cheese sauce, not too runny not too dry. And make sure to use block cheese instead of shredded cheese cause it’s less oily.
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Rebekkah L Inman says
Just made the five cheese baked Mac and cheese recipe for the first time and my whole family says this is THE recipe. I must make it every time we have Mac and cheese from now on. Very scrumptious. Thank you. I did not have gruyere,so I subbed grated parmesan and chunked deli American cheese instead.
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Seanna says
Mac and Cheese perfection! Such a great recipe with easy to follow instructions.
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Jean says
Great recipe!
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Esther Hart says
Please tell me how many cups is in one pound of elbow pasta that is used in this recipe?? Is it 4 cups dry pasta or what??
So appreciate this info.
Thanks, EstherReply
Amanda says
I’ve found for questions like this, Google is a great resource, and you’d get a response quicker 🙂 In general, yes, 4 cups of dry pasta is roughly equivalent to 1 pound. Here in the US, most of our pasta is sold in 1 pound boxes, which is why I wrote it that way.
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George K says
This was GOOD. I used swiss cheese instead of Gruyere ($$), and it worked just fine. I finally got to use my Kitchenaid shredder attachment, and made very fast work of shredding cheese. I’ve made bechamel sauces before, and I think heating up the milk and half and half before adding it to the butter and flour helps with avoiding lumps. I will make this again, it’s so good.
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Sara says
I didn’t realize how much work it is to make good homemade mac and cheese until I made this recipe yesterday for Sunday dinner. I have to say all the cheese shredding was worth the final product! I think this was the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had and I still have plenty of leftovers for easy meals the rest of the week or however long it lasts. Going to pair it with some fresh broccoli tonight and looking forward to it! Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper!
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Sharon Morgan says
I have been making this for several years now and it never fails to get raves from family and friends! I made it again to night and dared to use 8! Cups! Of mixed shredded cheeses! Holy guacamole it is AmAzInG!!!Thank you for the inspiration!
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Sharon Morgan says
I have been making this for several years now and it never fails to get raves from family and friends! I made it again to night and dated to use 8! Cups! Of mixed shredded cheeses! Holy guacamole it is AmAzInG!!!Thank you for the inspiration!
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Martha Moore says
I have a favorite recipe I’ve used for years (and should know by heart) but a kitchen remodel has left me with no handy cookbooks. Your recipe is top notch. Love the breakdown too!
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Brett says
This is best I’ve ever had. Easy to make as well. Rich, creamy, and a hit with everyone I’ve served it to. It’s a southern thing.
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Moe says
I get compliments from everyone of all ages when I make this. I follow the recipe exactly and just add my breadcrumbs on top before baking. Thank you for this!
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KELLI PATAT THOMPSON says
So Delicious!
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Katie says
Best mac and cheese I have ever made! I used smoked gouda, cheddar and colby jack. Definitely will make again.
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Kim Kugler says
Best recipe! Made it for many parties adults and kids both loved it and everyone asks for the recipe each time. Very Creamy!
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