Baked Macaroni and Cheese
This Baked Mac and Cheese is full of a combination of cheeses, layered into a rich and creamy cheese sauce, for ultimate cheesy deliciousness! It's a family favorite recipe that is perfect for a comforting dinner or as a holiday side dish!
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb large elbow macaroni pasta (or any short cut pasta)
- 1 stick salted butter
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 ½ to 4 cups Colby Jack, Gouda, Mozzarella (or any of your favorite cheese combinations)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ teaspoons pepper
- 1 to 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Butter or grease 9 x 13 baking dish. 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. Return to pot and toss in 1 tablespoon of butter to keep the noodles from sticking together, if desired.
- While pasta is boiling, grate cheese with a box grater if using block cheese (this will produce the creamiest result). If using a pre-shredded cheese, use a good quality cheese (I like the thick-cut Sargento brand). I use 7 ½ to 8 cups of cheese; however, you can reduce it to 6 cups total if desired. 4 cups total for the cheese sauce. 2 cups to mix into the pasta after adding the cheese (this step is optional, but I love the results. If grating the cheese, you can use those pieces of cheese you cannot grate for this step). 1 ½ to 2 cups for the topping
- Add butter to a saucepan and melt over medium heat. Then pour the heavy cream into the melted butter and add 2 cups of cheese, whisking until melted and combined. Continue slowly adding in the remaining 2 cups of cheese and milk, whisking until combined and smooth.
- Add in salt and pepper and mix until combined and remove from heat.
- Pour the cheese sauce into the macaroni noodles and stir to coat the pasta. Add in reserved 2 cups of shredded cheese and stir to combine.
- Pour into baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and bubbly. Broil for 2 to 5 minutes, until golden brown and crunchy. Keep an eye on it so that it does not burn.
Notes
5 Cheese Mac and Cheese Blend
- 3 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 2 cups Colby Jack Cheese
- 1 cup Muenster Cheese
- 1 ½ cups Gouda or Grueyer Cheese
- ½ cup Mozzarella Cheese
Nutrition
Serving: 11 serving | Calories: 606kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 702mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1412IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 615mg | Iron: 1mg
Find it online:
www.soulfullymade.com/baked-macaroni-cheese/