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 **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.
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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 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.
Yvonne says
Easy and Delicious! I’ve made it twice now. I’m still adjusting the time in oven. 25-30min is too firm for me. I will try 15 min or 20 next time. Panko and corn flakes are good toppers. My husband tried premade crispy onions on top and it was good too. My tip is to use blender to shred the cheese. I used medium cheddar and gruyere as the recipe calls for and loved it but would like to try sharp cheddar next time with the gruyere. Thank you for delicious recipe!
Scott says
Thanks for posting this!!! The BEST part about Mac/Cheese is that you can add variations until the cows come home! I love getting creative. I also add some bread crumbs that have been mixed with melted butter to add some crunch! There’s no way to go wrong!!!!
Ed says
Hi Amanda great recipe.can this be prept then frozen?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not frozen this recipe myself, but I know many other readers have done so successfully.
Gary Golembiewski says
Made this tonight. Very nice recipe Added shrimp and imitation lobster. Delish!
Anna says
Hi Amanda! I am so excited to try this recipe. But I have to travel quite a way and bring it for Christmas. Can it be frozen before baking? Thanks!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Anna 🙂 I’ve not frozen this recipe myself, but I know many other readers have done so successfully.
Janice Kowalski says
How do I make the topping of the Mac n cheese burnt and crunchy?
This will be my first attempt for Christmas Eve lunch with my grown kids. Love to try new recipes. And found cheddar with bacon in it already and guohda cheese. Do I need a third cheese?
The Chunky Chef says
That cheese sounds fantastic! You could add another cheese if you’d like, but I think those flavors already in it would be perfect 🙂 The crispy top comes from broiling the mac and cheese after it’s been baked. Just for a couple of minutes, keeping a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn too much.
Amanda says
To get the top crunchy use the broiler for a couple of minutes! You don’t need a third cheese it’s whatever you like
Hope says
Great recipe! I used monterey jack, chedder and mozzarella. Broiled the top. The family loved it! Smiles abound.
Janaya says
If I use smoke Gouda instead of Gruyère should I use sharp or medium cheese too?
J says
Can you use evaporated milk or heavy whipping cream instead of half and half and milk?
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, you can use either. You just need 4 total cups of dairy 🙂
The Chunky Chef says
You can use any combination of cheeses you’d like. I would personally do smoked gouda and medium cheddar 🙂
Denise says
Oh my gosh is all I have to say it was the best!!
Jacqueline says
This Mac and cheese was a hit for my family. They loved it but I wish I hadn’t made so much because I doubled the recipe… either way at least half the pan is gone from Sunday dinner.
Erin McNally says
Absolutely amazing! I like to make two batches and bring a pan to a friend or family member. So yummy, so easy. The cheese sauce portion moves pretty quickly once you start. I find it best to have all your ingredients pre measured out
Frank says
If I wanted to add a 3rd cheese, what would be the ratio of Cheddar to Gruyere? Thanks
The Chunky Chef says
It can honestly be any ratio you’d like. You just want 6 total cups of cheese 🙂
Lucinda Bailey says
I made this at Easter, and there was not one single bite of it left!! It is delicious.
DiLee says
Excellent recipe! Great flavor and texture. I use 2% milk instead of the whole milk and half & half the second time I made it and it still came out very well.
Dan says
My favorite
Ann-Marie Dosher says
Thank you for this recipe. I made 12 servings. Here is what I did (and had to do) different. I hadn’t bought enough cheese to shred, I had 1lb total of Extra Sharp and Colby/Monterary Blend, which was not 9 cups, what I would have needed per your recipe. However, I had bought some Ricotta (as a just in case I want to use this) and so I used one container of that ( and some sliced cheddar I had in fridge) to try and make sure I had enough cheese. So, I did that. AND, I ADDED, on my own behalf for fun some caramelized onions that I prepared while the noodles were cooking and the cheese sauce was being created. I stirred the browned caramelized onions into the cheese sauce then added the noodles to it all and mixed it. I used your smashed Ritz Cracker idea in between the layers as well as on the top. TUNED OUT SO YUMMY! Brought it to a pot luck dinner last night and everyone loved it. Having it again now with burgers! I can’t wait to eat! Thx again
Lee says
Hi, in the ingredients you call for 4 cups of grated medium sharp cheddar cheese. Do you mean medium cheddar or regular sharp cheddar? Because I cannot find medium sharp cheddar anywhere. Thanks
The Chunky Chef says
Medium cheddar is what I use, but you can use sharp as well.
Jessica says
Perfect! I’ve tried other baked Mac and cheese and found them to not have flavor, be too thick etc. I used Colby jack, sharp cheddar and Gouda. This was the best thing at thanksgiving we had! Everyone devoured it. Thank you for an easy lovable recipe.
Sarah McCoy says
Hey Jessica! I’m planning to use the same cheeses that you used, what measurements did you use for each of those cheeses?
Kim Fox says
I’ve made this several times. I don’t usually like Macaroni and cheese but I love this. I usually use whatever cheeses I have in the fridge. Sometimes I add bacon and I always add a topping of Breadcrumbs, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese.
5 star recipe for sure.
Christy says
Make sure to use freshly grated cheese. There is a cellulose powder added to bagged grated cheese to keep it from sticking together – and if you use use pre-grated cheese it will make your mac’n cheese very gritty.