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.
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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.
Marc says
I never comment on food blogs honestly, but this one is worth it. I love it as is but have done variations including adding minced garlic (sometimes shallots too) to the butter before adding the flour, doing a ritz cracker crust (which was suggested), and I play with seasonings a bit. I particularly like using ground mustard and cayenne, and a tad more salt. I think the two cheeses are perfect – too many cheeses can just be too much. Elbows are great, but it’s fun to try with other pastas like bucatini, orecchiette, or any other pasta that has grooves or holes for the sauce to stick to.
Benji says
I’ve made this recipe several times, and I always get frustrated by the half and half/milk ratios. Why not say 1 cup of cream and 3 cups of milk? I never have half and half on hand and end up doing a bunch of mental math trying to get the ratio right. 15 minutes at 325 is also not nearly long enough to get the top browned and bubbly.
The Chunky Chef says
Well I wrote the recipe this way because it’s how we like it best. But as with any recipe, you’re free to make it your own, so you can certainly use whichever ratio you’d prefer… no need to be frustrated by the mental math if it’s not your forte. With regards to the baking time and temperature, I took the time, and money, to test this recipe multiple different ways and mention some additional options regarding bake times (and broil for that browned cheesy “crust”) in the “variations of this recipe” section of the post.
Andrew says
Chances I can get the ingredient measurements for 30 people?
The Chunky Chef says
This recipe serves 8, so you’ll need to multiply all ingredient amounts by 4, which will give you 32 servings.
Lou says
Excellent! My husband gave a 10/10 rating. Even for next day leftovers. I used Tillamook sharp cheddar for entire recipe. Didn’t have whole milk, so used evaporated milk. Will try including another cheese next time. Sprinkled some panko crumbs on top and broiled for few minutes after baking. Thank you for this delicious creamy version of mac n’cheese.
Kelly says
THis is the absolute best recipe. I get so many compliments!
Karen W says
So creamy and delicious!
Kel says
This is so good! I didn’t have any Gruyere on hand so I substituted with Colby Jack and added some dried mustard and it is SO yummy. My daughter, who is picky about Mac and Cheese, had 2 helpings.
Aimee says
Whats nice about this recipie is ot gives you room to add your own twist to it. I ended up adding havarti along with a couple extra spices. What a great recipe! Its delicious
Marie says
Anybody out there ever used this recipe to make potatos
Devin says
Have made this twice and love it. The only thing i do differently is to steam/boil the milk + half & half this way its ready when you add it to the roo. I also add cubed panchetta and peas. The panchetta is nice because if you cook it down you can use the fat in place of some of the butter. The peas add a little sweet to the otherwise very creamy/savory dish. But the dish is great the way it is. Just a few shortcuts I picked up from my brother
Mary E. Rossi says
Came out GREAT! My granddaughter ate 3 bowls and I ate 2 bowls. Haven’t eaten that much in a long time.
Nancy says
I have seen a variety of Gruyère cheeses. Can you tell me which one you use?
The Chunky Chef says
This may vary based on your location, but I typically use Emmi Le Gruyere Cheese, 6 oz block (https://www.meijer.com/shopping/product/emmi-le-gruyere-cheese-6-oz-/7301500172.html)
Naomi says
I’ve made this several times and we LOVE it! How do you think it would hold up in a crockpot? I’d love to bring this to work for our potluck!
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested this myself, but many readers have kept it warm in a slow cooker after baking 🙂
Angela McCabe says
I was looking for an easy way to do it, and this one looks and sounds great!
Amy says
Can this be frozen after cooking?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not frozen this recipe myself, but I know many other readers have done so successfully.
Gigi Wasson says
My new favorite recipe for mac n cheese!!!
Melissa Grimm says
My family loves this recipe! I add french fried onions to the top and then broil a few minutes. Adds flavor and crunch!
beth says
Hi there! Do you have a scaled up for a crowd version? I’ve made this before but I am looking to make a massive batch without math.
The Chunky Chef says
If you hover over the servings number, a toggle bar will appear. You can slide it either way, but in your case you’d want to slide it to the right until the number of servings you would like appears. Then the recipe card will automatically calculate the new ingredient amounts. 🙂
Michelle Leiby says
Can I use all milk instead of needing the half & half too? I wanted to make this for dinner tonight but don’t have the half & half.
The Chunky Chef says
You’re welcome to use all milk if that’s what you have on hand. The liquid might take a tiny bit longer to thicken up. Just make sure you’re replacing the half and half liquid amount with the additional milk (you’ll need 4 total cups for this recipe).
Dame Friandise says
Hi Amanda,
I’ve tried many, many Mac & Cheese recipes before, but they were never good enough to make again. This is it! I love this simple, delicious recipe. I cut the ingredients in half and used an 8 x 8 baking dish because it’s just me and my husband. We are not big fans of leftover M&C. Oh my, it was so good that we ate 2/3rds of it for dinner. Not much left over 🙂
Nicole says
This is the BEST and easiest Mac and cheese to make. Thank you!
Ellen R says
We all thought this was fantastic and I didn’t have gruyer cheese, only cheddar. Most recipes say to bake at 350, I have never tried 325, but I baked for 325 for 20 min or so, wanted to broil but guess you shouldn’t with Pyrex dish. Next time I’ll use a metal pan, but like the lower temp, and would broil to brown the top a little next time. It is so good and has an awesome creamy texture this way! I really want to try it with the gruyer next time!
Veronika Carpenter says
I have made this several times wow as good as mine I knew someone out there was as good as mine thanks so much everyone loves it