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!
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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!
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
- Half and half is a common dairy product in the US - https://www.thekitchn.com/what-is-halfandhalf-ingredient-intelligence-205959
- Please note that if you adjust the servings via the slider bar above, the ingredient amounts listed in the directions do not change. You'll need to use your own common sense and judgement to extrapolate that the new ingredient amounts listed in the "ingredients" section will need to replace the amounts listed in the directions.
- 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.
Video
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.
Lisa says
Hi…I assume when you say 8 servings, that would be as an entree? I want to make this as a side and not the main item. We will have 25 people so how many servings do you think I should aim for?? Thanks.
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Lisa 🙂 Well, only you know what else is being served and how hungry your guests typically are, but I would say this should serve 12 or so as a side.
Diane says
The very best I ever had. My family devoured it. Could eat it every day.
Mike says
When making the cheese sauce, it says add 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses then another 1/2. Would this be 1 1/2 and 1/2 cups of each cheese, or a combined 1 1/2 then 1/2 of all cheeses? Im thinking combined but want to make sure. Not a chef here at all, but can follow good instructions easily enough.
The Chunky Chef says
The cheese for the cheese sauce is added in stages, to prevent a clumpy sauce. So you add 1.5 cups, stir and melt it in, then add another 1.5 cups and stir to melt. Then proceed 🙂
Miranda says
Hi! I love this recipe and want to make some single servings for my brother, who adores it, and freeze for his birthday. I was curious if you have any tips for freezing/thawing and cooking or if you would ward against it for this recipe. Thanks!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Miranda 🙂 I haven’t tested freezing this recipe, but my advice (based on reader feedback) would be to make the mac and cheese (but don’t bake it), then let it cool completely. Cover the dish tightly with several layers of foil and freeze. Thaw completely in the refrigerator (the exact amount of time will depend on the dish you’re using, how cold your refrigerator is, etc). Let the dish sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then preheat the oven. Since these are single servings, the bake time may not need to be added on to too much.
Amanda Coston says
My new favorite macaroni and cheese recipe and will never make it any other way. The creaminess is perfect. Sooo good 👍.
Diane says
Delish!!! 🙂 I added ground mustard, paprika, & onion powder for a little extra flavor. Sooo creamy, fam and friends loved it!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Angela says
Came out amazing! I added garlic & onion powder and used a different blend of cheese but still came out creamy and delicious. The husband couldn’t get enough!
Jennifer Jordan Fox says
This is a great recipe! You are so good at writing instructions. I have made roux-type mac and cheese before but this was definitely the easiest to follow. Thank you!
Madelyn H. says
I am making this recipe today. Labor Day 2023. Can’t wait to taste. Thanks!!!
Arianna Senkevech says
My all time favorite Mac and Cheese recipe!! The first time I tried this recipe I became hooked and haven’t used a different one since. For the cheese I use Sharp Cheddar and Smoked Gouda 🤍
Brenda Hemsath says
A big hit with family.
Carol says
THE BEST MACARONI AND CHEESE I EVER MADE!!!!!
Carol Bonifatto says
I tried this recipe last night and it was a winner with church dinner.
Michael says
I’ve made this several times, and it always turns out great, and is a very flexible recipe.
It’s perfect in its simplicity:
Make a roux -> turn that into a béchamel -> add your cheese of choice -> mix in cooked pasta.
I’ve done it with the baking, and without, and I generally don’t bake it anymore because my family prefers a looser sauce.
I just made a quarter batch, and it served two with some leftovers for tomorrow.
Good stuff!
Claire says
Everything I have made from Amanda’s recipes have easy to make and so delicious!
Victoria says
Some of the best Mac and cheese I’ve ever had…super easy to make and it got rave reviews. I used sharp cheddar and baby Swiss. I used Italian style breadcrumbs on top which added a bit of flavor. Will definitely make again!
Cara says
My family loved this recipe! Will be the only way I make it from now on. Thank you!
Auntie says
I’ve loved Mac & Cheese my entire life and learned how to make it as a young girl. I bumped into your recipe one day and decided to make it. It’s FABulous! Thanks for writing this down because now when folks ask for my recipe, I give them yours! It’s perfect with no guess work needed. Thank you!
Melissa says
Best Mac and Cheese recipe I’ve tried! If you brown the butter a little before you add flour, it’s adds a really nice nutty flavor that brings out the Gruyère! Thanks for this one! It’s a keeper!
Justin says
Do I have to use the gruyere cheese or can I use something else
The Chunky Chef says
Alternate cheeses are discussed in the “cooking tips for baked mac and cheese” section of the post above the recipe.