Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

A family-favorite recipe loved by both children and adults. Uses a combination of cheeses — layered in the dish and melted into a rich, creamy sauce — for ultimate cheesy deliciousness. Perfect for a comforting dinner or as a holiday side dish.

Source: The Chunky Chef Prep: 20 min | Cook: 15 min | Total: 35 min | Servings: 8–10 | Calories: 665

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried elbow pasta
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 2½ cups half and half
• 4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese, divided (measured after shredding)
• 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese, divided (measured after shredding)
• ½ tbsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp paprika (smoked paprika is great)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 3-qt baking dish (9×13"). Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
3. While the water is coming up to a boil, shred the cheeses and toss them together. Divide into three piles: ~3 cups for the sauce, 1½ cups for the inner layer, and 1½ cups for the topping.
4. Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk to combine — the mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for ~1 minute, whisking often. Slowly pour in about 2 cups 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.
5. Continue heating over MED heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency — almost like a semi-thinned condensed soup.
6. Remove from the heat. Stir in the spices and 1½ cups of the cheese, stirring to melt and combine. Stir in another 1½ cups of cheese and stir until completely melted and smooth.
7. In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained pasta with the cheese sauce, stirring to fully combine. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with 1½ cups of shredded cheese, then top with the remaining pasta mixture.
8. Sprinkle the top with the last 1½ cups of cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown.

How to Make Mac and Cheese (Overview)

• Boil the pasta and drain.
• Make the cheese sauce by combining a fat (butter) and a starch (flour), then whisk in the milk products.
• Cook the sauce until nice and thick.
• Stir in shredded cheese.
• Combine cheese sauce with cooked pasta.
• Layer half in a baking dish, sprinkle with shredded cheese.
• Top with the rest of the mac and cheese, then more shredded cheese.
• Bake.

Cooking Tips

• Boil the pasta less. Boil elbow pasta for 4–5 minutes. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven — you don't want it mushy.
• Use room-temp liquids. Cold liquids take longer to thicken. Set milk and half and half out while the pasta water is heating.
• Choose your cheeses. Cheddar and gruyere are favorites here, but mozzarella, gouda, smoked gouda, swiss, monterey jack, colby jack, and colby all work.
• Shred your own. Pre-shredded bagged cheese is coated with starch that prevents proper melting.

Variations

• Bacon. Add crispy crumbled bacon to the topping or inside the dish.
• Stovetop only. Boil pasta to al dente. Reduce total cheese to 3–3½ cups. Skip the layering — just mix all the cheese into the sauce, then combine with pasta.
• Different toppings. Toss 1 cup panko or crushed Ritz crackers with 2 tbsp melted butter and use as a topping.
• Crunchier topping / firmer consistency. Bake at 350°F or 375°F for 20–30 minutes, then broil 2–5 minutes until golden brown.

Five-Cheese Variation

Replace cheese amounts with:

• 2 cups cheddar, shredded
• 1 cup Colby, shredded
• 1 cup Muenster, shredded
• 1½ cups Gruyere, shredded
• ½ cup mozzarella, shredded

Make Ahead

1. Prepare as directed but do not bake. Transfer to baking dish and cool completely. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate 1–2 days ahead.
2. Before baking, let the dish sit on the counter for 30 minutes.
3. Bake at the recipe temperature for 25–35 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Mac and cheese loses some creaminess when made ahead. Increase the sauce slightly if you need to make it ahead.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers covered tightly for 3–4 days. To reheat, stir in a little milk or cream and microwave partially covered with plastic wrap. Stir often as it reheats.

Equipment

• Box Grater — the best mac starts with freshly shredded cheese.

Chef Notes

1. Half and half is a US dairy product. See The Kitchn's guide.
2. Add seasonings to taste — garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, smoked paprika, and hot sauce are favorites.
3. For 4 cups cheddar, use a 16 oz block.
4. For 2 cups gruyere, use about an 8 oz block.
5. Not designed for slow cooker. For a slow-cooker version, see Ultra-Creamy Crockpot Mac and Cheese.