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 **see chef tips #1 below**
- 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 plus 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.
Salsa Bri says
I made it for the 4th of July. The family loved it. It was a great hit. Not one piece of Mac n chess was left in the dish!!!
Mary Anderson says
Very good and easy to make!
Directions were easy to follow!
Great advice to shred the cheese yourself instead of buying pre-shredded!
Amanda says
Wow! So good and I haven’t even tried it out of the oven yet! I used med sharp cheddar and aged Gouda. I also mixed in cauliflower with the noodles. Absolutely amazing!
Linda says
That “starchy” product you mentioned in pre-shredded cheese to keep it from clumping is Wood Pulp. I don’t consider that a starchy product. I shred my own thank you.
Amanda says
Yes which is why I always recommend shredding your own, as directed in the recipe…
Angela Hujing says
Made this recipe for a BBQ and it was the biggest hit. Im asked to make this Mac & Cheese for every event.
Diana says
By far the best Mac n cheese recipe I’ve tried! It always turns out smooth and creamy (not grainy) and I can count on it to turn out well in general, every single time. Measurements and instructions are on point! Thanks Amanda for making it easy on a newbie cook like me. I typically like to add some minced onion and 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder as well. This is my go-to recipe for gatherings and pot lucks!
BadAuntieJanet says
Fantastic for children with timid palates and adults who recognize it as the delicious comfort food it is.
Thank you for this simple and tasty recipe which could be adapted to many different flavor profiles!
Have made it twice in one week with different flavor profiles for company.
Rich, creamy, flavorful and delicious!
Cyber Girl says
EASY and yummy
I prepared it the night before the gathering.
Put it layered with shredded chicken and stored it with foil over the top in the refrigerators ready for the baking in the morning.
In the morning I did a Half hour out at room temperature before baking.
Yummy and a hit !
Charles Schaiper Schaiper says
instead of baking I turn a 13×9 pan upside down and set it in my smoker and set your baking dish on the upside down pan. I smoke it at 275 for 1/2 hour or until cheese is melted
Boyd E Hudson III says
My mom had an unusual mac and cheese recipe. After I was married I asked her where she got it. She looked down and smiled, then explained how she was very late getting dinner started (for a family of 4 four). She made a roux, butter, flour, milk, and an egg or two, whisking as you added ingredients. Then she poured it over the macaroni in a baking pan. She then took cheddar slices and stuck them randomly into the macaroni, threw it into the oven to bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes. Everyone liked it better than the melting the cheese and making a “proper sauce”. I just called it “Fast Mac” after that.
Sandra says
Most delicious mac and cheese I ever had/made!
MrsReyesK says
New favorite baked Mac & Cheese recipe. I did the 5 cheese variation. Everyone loved it, including my 2 yr old & picky 8 yr old. Thanks!
Monica says
Soooo good! Perfect Mac recipe. I used about 14 oz of a sharp cheddar block and about 5-6oz of COLBY JACK! Couldnt find gruyere but colby had that perfect tradition mac and cheese flavor. A light sprinkle of garlic powder, a little more salt than you think youll need, and “one minute shy of al dente noodles” created the most delicious mac. Thank you so much!!
Monica says
Ouh and side note, didnt have heavy cream so just used an extra cup of whole milk and was still perfect.
Lisa says
Love this recipe😍 First and only mac and cheese I’ve ever made. Making again for the umpteenth time today. We just had back to back 3 day heatwaves and today is cold and rainy. Perfect day for this. Thank you so much for all the time and effort it takes you to make such awesome recipes
Laurie says
Delicious and ridiculously creamy!
Katherine says
Came out so well! I substituted the elbows for tortellini, and sprinkled a bit of bread crumbs before broiling at the end… delish!
Pototami says
Awesome! Kids love it with bacon.
Pototami says
I have also made it with garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
Another variation that I have made was with Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo sauce.
Both were a great success!
Kim says
My go to recipe for mac & cheese, I am asked to make it for every occasion! May take a little more time to prepare, but well worth it!
Stefa says
Can you freeze before baking? What about adding a bit of mustard and worstershire sauce to the recipe?
Amanda says
I’ve not tested freezing this recipe, as freezing cheese sauces hasn’t worked out too well for me in the past. However I do know a few readers have done so successfully. I think the mustard and worcestershire sauce would be delicious. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!
Tee says
Have you ever made this ahead and then froze it?
Amanda says
I’ve not tested freezing this recipe, as freezing cheese sauces hasn’t worked out too well for me in the past. However I do know a few readers have done so successfully. I think the mustard and worcestershire sauce would be delicious. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!