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.
Lisa V. says
By far my favorite mac and cheese recipe! Even my kids love it, and they usually only want the boxed stuff. I’ve made this as is, and sometimes with pepper jack, and sometimes with smoked cheddar. Comes out great every time!
Sandra says
Best mac and cheese recipe! I made it this past weekend and it did not disappoint. My family loved it. I love how cheesy it is. I made it with extra sharp cheddar and gruyere. I used lactose free whole milk and the sauce thickens just fine. I can’t wait to make it again.
Megan says
FOR CROCK POT:
Follow all instructions as is; however, I suggest using 3 C whole milk and 1 C heavy whipping cream or half and half considering the longer it is in the crock pot it gets thick! Do not layer cheese. Just add noodles and cheese sauce to crock pot. It will look watery at first but don’t worry it will thicken! If you are trying to serve almost immedetly you can do high heat for 15 min then serve, serving time in an hour use low heat; if this will be sitting for a couple hours only use Keep Warm setting and stir occasionally.
SO YUMMY AND SO EASY
Jessica Fitzgibbons says
Please help! I need to know how to make more sauce since i’m making ahead. Also, please tell me when you add the panko bread crumbs and should i put butter on top?
The Chunky Chef says
As I mentioned in the post, mix 1 cup of panko with 2 Tbsp of melted butter. Then just sprinkle it over the top before baking, so it can get golden brown. I would take the sauce ingredients (butter, flour, milk, half and half, and seasonings) and multiply them by 1.33-ish. It’s not an exact science, and in fact I don’t normally measure it when I’m making a bit of extra sauce, just go a little more heavy handed when you pour the milk. Make the seasoning amounts a heaping amount etc.
Sarah says
Hi!! I’m so excited to try this for my family’s Thanksgiving. Thank you for this recipe!! I don’t have half and half – can I use heavy whipping cream instead?!
Thanks in advance!
The Chunky Chef says
You sure can!
J.Hooper says
Can I use evaporated milk instead half and half?
The Chunky Chef says
Absolutely 🙂
Linda Kapsos says
I discovered this recipe when my grandson and I were in search of the ultimate Mac and cheese recipe. Everyone absolutely loves it! I am making it as a side dish for Thanksgiving. I always make a lot because everyone loves the leftovers!
Edward Gouveia says
If I were to double this recipe would I need to double the baking time as well?
The Chunky Chef says
It would truly all depend on the depth of your pan, but I would bake for about 20-30 minutes.
Paige says
Trying this recipe for thanksgiving this year ! Can we use any seasoned breadcrumbs besides the Panko ?
The Chunky Chef says
You sure can 🙂
Steph says
Delicious! I am making this again. Best Mac and cheese I’ve ever had.
Sasheen Pierre-Louis says
Has anyone tried Habari cheese? What will it do to the taste and consistency?
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tried it myself, but this is a pretty forgiving recipe, so if you like the flavor of Havarti cheese, I think it would work well 🙂
Lauren says
I made this last night using smoked Gouda and instead of bread crumbs I used crumbled Frosted Flakes! Perfect mixture of sweet and savory! It was a big hit, I will definitely be making this again!
Tricia says
What size baking dish do you use?
The Chunky Chef says
Any 3 quart baking dish will do. I usually use a 9×13″ or a 3 quart cast iron skillet.
Meagan says
Can this be cooked in a crockpot as well?
The Chunky Chef says
I know a few other readers have baked it, then kept it warm in a crockpot, but without testing and retesting it myself, I can’t say for certain if that would work. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!
Ann says
Can I use Mexican blend cheese for this recipe
The Chunky Chef says
Sure! 🙂
Terri says
What about using heavy whipping cream in place of the milk???
The Chunky Chef says
You can absolutely do that 🙂
Nani says
Hi I have a question, on the notes part, are those 5 cheeses in substitute to the original recipe above that has 2 cheese if we wanted to add more variety? I want to try a new mac recipe this Thanksgiving and was curious about that! Thank youuuu
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Nani 🙂 Yes, those are just an alternate variety.
Nani says
Thank you ! I appreciate you and will post the masterpiece when I make it! Thank yoooou
MJ says
HI – I have whole milk and heavy cream, what measurements should I follow instead, since I do no have half-and-half? Also, can I use sharp cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan? If so, what would be the measurements?
Thank you 🙂
The Chunky Chef says
I would do 3 cups of milk, and 1 cup of heavy cream. Those cheeses would be delicious, and as long as you’re using 6 total cups of cheese, the proportions would be up to you and which cheeses you like the best 🙂
Ann Caren says
Have you ever added fresh spinach or broccoli to this dish? My daughter and I are vegetarians and I am always looking at ways to add nutrition. Thanks!
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t (because my kids would freak out over the “green things” lol), but I think it would be delicious!
Jessica Fitzgibbons says
I have made several times since making last year for thanksgiving and everyone loves this!! I have never made ahead of time and need to this year. SO
1- How do you increase the sauce slightly if making ahead?
2- DO you just sprinkle the panko breadcrumbs on top before baking? Do I need to toss them in butter?
The Chunky Chef says
Mix 1 cup of panko with 2 Tbsp of melted butter. Then just sprinkle it over the top before baking, so it can get golden brown. I would take the sauce ingredients (butter, flour, milk, half and half, and seasonings) and multiply them by 1.33-ish. It’s not an exact science, and in fact I don’t normally measure it when I’m making a bit of extra sauce, just go a little more heavy handed when you pour the milk. Make the seasoning amounts a heaping amount etc.
Lin says
My oven will be very busy this thanksgiving, I’m hoping to bake it off in my slow cooker while I’m doing everything else. I was thinking maybe making this recipe first and plopping it in the crock pot for a few hours on low? Would that work?
The Chunky Chef says
I know several other readers have done this successfully, without testing and retesting it myself, I can’t say for certain if that would work. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!