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. Â 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. Â
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 grated medium sharp cheddar cheese divided (measured after grating)
- 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese divided (measured after grating)
- 1/2 Tbsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
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, grate 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 milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining milk/half and half, 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. Â 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 grated 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
Mac and Cheese can be made ahead:
- Make as directed (but do not bake), transfer to baking dish and cool completely. Â Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate 1-2 days ahead. Â
- Before baking, let dish sit on counter for 30 minutes.
- Bake at recipe temperature for 25-35 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Â
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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
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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
Ann says
Delicious! Family loved it
Stacey says
Has anyone made an addition of cream cheese during the cheese melting sauce phase? I don’t want to mess this up, but a bit more creaminess crossed my mind, and I have some about to go bad on me.
Seth says
It will be super cream without the cream cheese. But who dosent love more lol. I added a bit of Velveeta to help smooth it plus my son loves velveeta
Shanna says
Should I add milk and half &half or just one or the other?
Amanda says
Both, as per the ingredients 🙂
WALT S. says
I added tomatoes, finely diced, because that’s how my mom always made it. It’s a nice compliment to the audacious cheeziness of this meal!
Michelle says
This is amazing! I would like to take this to a company picnic. I know you said it shouldn’t be cooked in a crockpot but can it be made on the stove and transferred to a crockpot to keep it warm for a picnic?
Amanda says
So glad you love it Michelle! I’ve not tested it myself, but I know several other readers have transferred it to a crockpot on warm and said it worked out well 🙂
Step-Jeff says
I needed a recipe with the sauce from scratch, so chose this one. I followed the flour mixed with butter part exactly and it came out perfect. Grated my own sharp cheddar (16 oz block) plus threw in some mozzarella and provolone only because it was what I had on hand. Finally, I mixed in an entire package of crumbled low sodium bacon along with a pan fried ham steak (cut into tiny pieces) with a package of frozen peas. (Got the idea for bacon and peas from Pioneer Woman, added ham on my own). Everyone loved it! Thanks
Julie K says
First time making mac-n-cheese, and this was a good starting point. I will probably add a bit more flavoring. Otherwise, love it.
Susan says
Very tasty!! Never made homemade mac and cheese before. We may change up the cheeses at some point, but awesome recipe!!
Missy says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. This is my family’s new favorite Mac and cheese! I used Lawry’s seasoning salt instead of regular salt and it was amazing!
Misty says
My mom makes the best baked Mac aND CHEESE
JULIE CALLEGARI says
Tried this recipe for a family dinner and everyone raved about how good it was and wanted the recipe!! I did use old cheddar and gruyere for the cheese. Thank you so much for sharing, this one is a keeper for sure.
Jenn Gilbert says
Wow that person before this comment was rude!! This is a delicious recipe, one we come back to as comfort food. Making it tonight 😀
Joan Shortall says
Disgusting. I followed the recipe but the cheese sauce tasted like nothing but flour. I used .5 cups flour. Luckily I did not make it for company. I threw the entire pan away. Wasted all that money, time and effort. Very disappointed. GROSS.
Amanda says
Oh no! Did you cook the flour for a full minute with the butter?
Sharon Morgan says
Amanda, I was thinking the SAME THING. Don’t know that person but I apologize for the rudeness! I have been making this recipe for years using different cheese substitutions and it has been AMAZING every time!
Debra Chase says
So rude! You probably didn’t make it right. It was delicious.
Dan says
You did not do it right. I’ve been making this for years and it’s never failed to please. I’d guess you just need to learn to make a proper roux.
Lisa says
Can you make this in advance and then freeze it before baking?
Amanda says
I’ve not tested freezing this recipe, but I know several other readers who have done so successfully 🙂
Georgia says
This was a great recipe. I used Jarlsberg instead of gruyere. It was wonderful. This is now my new go to Mac N Cheese.
Dewey S says
Tried this recipe today with a little modification. I replaced the 4 cups of cheddar with 2 cups of bourbon white cheddar and 2 cups of maple bourbon white cheddar. for the gruyere, I used an applewood smoked gruyere. I also added diced ham to it and turn it into a casserole. It ended up with a rich, robust earthy taste with just a hint of sweetness.
Tracie Milford says
Family loved this recipe! Thanks
Martina M says
I made this ahead of time for a party & it was a big hit. Lots of compliments. I added a little mozzarella for extra stringyness & crushed ritz, butter & Parmesan topping.
Wendy says
This was the best Mac n Cheese that I have ever tasted. It was creamy and delicious. I did add Fontina and Colby Jack, instead of Gruyere. Directions were easy to follow. I also added Garlic powder, and ground mustard powder.Everyone asked me for the recipe. The next day i added whole milk and reheated it in microwave. A quick stir, and it tasted like the night before.
Sierra Jones says
When do you add the ground mustard? I’ve used it before but can’t remember when to add it in
Katie says
I also add mustard powder to mine, I add all my seasonings in with the flour when I make the roux to bloom the flavor. It also helps them to combine and incorporate into the sauce fully!
Christina says
I have made a lot of Mac and cheese but by far this was the best yet. I substituted mozzarella for the gruyere because I was being lazy in the food store. This is my go to from now on!
laura krum says
This was good but missing something. I think a big scoop of Dijon would have jacked it up a notch.