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!
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.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
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.
Sophie says
Hey how would you store and reheat this for the next day
The Chunky Chef says
Storage and reheating tips are detailed in the section of the post above the recipe titled “storing mac and cheese”. I prefer to reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Matt says
This is an amazing recipe! Super creamy and cheesy. However, I don’t know if it’s because I did something wrong when making the sauce but at Step 7, when mixing the sauce with the macaroni, I felt that the ratio of the sauce and macaroni was a little off, as it was too much liquid vs solid. It still turned out very well and it thickened well after the baking, but I would maybe add an extra 5 oz of pasta to the 1 lbs mentioned in the ingredients list next time, so the mix in the bowl looks more balanced. Would it affect the consistency of the cream after baking, if I add that much pasta? Thanks a lot for the recipe, I’m definitely saving it for future meals with the family!
Briana says
I just made this ahead of time for Thanksgiving. I haven’t baked it yet but I tasted it and it’s the best macaroni I’ve ever had. It wasn’t hard to make either! I added a little bit of onion powder and garlic powder to my cheese sauce like suggested in the notes.
Valerie Niederdrenk says
Planning on making this tomorrow for thanksgiving and going to double the recipe to feed 16. It seems like quite a lot of cheese as well as liquid (milk and half and half). Just want to make sure I would double everything when using 2 boxes of elbow noodles.
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, if you double the pasta, you need to double all the other ingredients as well. It may seem like a lot, but trust me, that’s what makes it so creamy.
Stacy says
Hello, how long does it usually take for step 5? For it to thicken?
The Chunky Chef says
For me, between 5 and 10 minutes. But there are so many variables, such as what type of saucepan, how thick is the bottom, what type of stovetop are you using, how hot is the burner, etc… so that’s why I give visual descriptors so you can tell what to look for 🙂
Dbow says
Loved it
Lillian says
I want to make this for Thanksgiving but I live 2 hours from my family so I plan to make it early and bake it when I get there would that be possible? Or even bake it and then just reheat in oven when I get there?
The Chunky Chef says
Yes it’s very possible to make this ahead. All the details and info is in the section of the post titled “making mac and cheese ahead of time” 🙂
Biana Hatcher says
I had to adjust the ratio of some things but man this really is my fave Mac n cheese recipe thank you Amanda:)
Maritza says
Delish! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING!
Kalia says
I have made this Mac and cheese recipe the last 2 thanksgivings and it has been the favourite dish in our family! I’m curious though- when I made it last year it seemed to be much more flour-y than when I made it before. Could that be something I was doing wrong? I followed the recipe exactly both times. I just want to make sure it is great this year! Thanks so much!
The Chunky Chef says
So glad to hear how much you’ve all been enjoying this recipe! Hmm, did you use the same flour both times? I’ve never had this recipe turn out floury, but the occasional review will come through saying something similar (I just can’t seem to replicate the problem). If you used the same flour, I would make sure to cook the melted butter and flour for a full 1-2 minutes (or even longer if you’d like), to remove the taste of raw flour. You could also cut back and use 1/4 or 1/3 cup each of flour and butter 🙂
Julio says
I made this recipe tons of times and with different cheeses combinations and is the best recipe!
Sara says
The BEST mac n cheese.
Dave says
I have made this a few times now, and it is becoming a big hit with my family. So my one question would be, I use ASIAGO cheese and it comes out a little greasy, what can I do to prevent that.
The Chunky Chef says
You could try using a different cheese… different cheese varieties will contain varying amounts of oil.
User537582 says
How many people does it feed?
The Chunky Chef says
Since mac and cheese can be either a side dish or main course, that will alter the number of servings this recipe makes. I listed it as 8 servings, but that’s a size in between a main dish and side dish size. As a side, it would have about 12 servings. As a main dish, in between 6-8 servings 🙂
Amy says
This is our absolute favorite mac & cheese recipe. It is the most requested Thanksgiving dish, even above mashed potatoes! It’s absolutely perfect!
Olivia says
Would it be weird if I used a few cheddar varietals?(mild and two different types of sharp) or should I stick to one foundational taste? I also plan on using Gruyere !
Thanks !
The Chunky Chef says
Not weird at all… the more cheese the merrier 🙂
Sarah Bent Bent says
WHEN DO YOU ADD THE SEASONINGS
The Chunky Chef says
In step 6 where it says to add the spices 🙂
Rose Rostkowski says
The best Mac and Cheese recipe!
Ethel says
Looks so delicious. I’m making it for the first time. How many does this feed?
The Chunky Chef says
Since mac and cheese can be either a side dish or main course, that will alter the number of servings this recipe makes. I listed it as 8 servings, but that’s a size in between a main dish and side dish size. As a side, it would have about 12 servings. As a main dish, in between 6-8 servings 🙂
Kara says
I accidentally bought extra sharp cheddar and velveeta (I think i was looking at your crockpot recipe at one point vs the baked). Are these two cheeses good with the baked recipe here?
The Chunky Chef says
The sharp cheddar should be just fine, but I haven’t tested this recipe using velveeta, so I can’t say for certain how well it would work out. If you do some experimenting, I’d love to know how it turns out 🙂
Kara says
Can I substitute light cream or evaporated milk with the half and half?
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, it’s a really forgiving recipe 🙂
Debbie says
Can I use shredded cheese in the bag instead of grating it?
The Chunky Chef says
As mentioned in the post above the recipe, I don’t recommend using pre-shredded packages of cheese. 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, and can lead to a grainy sauce.