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Mom's Creamiest Mac and Cheese

CheesyOvenPastaThanksgivingVegetarian
Time :35 minutes
Yield :8 servings
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Creamy macaroni and cheese casserole with a golden baked crust, featuring cheese and pasta, served in a blue baking dish. Perfect comfort food recipe for dinner or family gatherings.

The Scoop

This is not the mac and cheese you make when you want to behave.
Elbow pasta gets folded into a silky cheese sauce loaded with sharp cheddar and nutty Gruyère, then layered with even more cheese before going into the oven.
The result is creamy in the middle, golden on top, and gloriously over-the-top in exactly the right way!
Hack it:
Make it extra crispy: Mix panko with melted butter and Parmesan, then scatter it over the top before baking for a crunchy contrast to all that creaminess.
Switch the cheese: Try Monterey Jack, fontina, smoked Gouda, Parmesan, or pepper jack alongside the cheddar.
Sneak in greens: Stir in chopped spinach, roasted broccoli, peas, or caramelized onions before layering.
Make it garlicky: Add roasted garlic or a pinch of garlic powder to the cheese sauce.
Leftovers:
Crispy Mac & Cheese Cakes: Chill the leftovers, shape them into patties, coat with breadcrumbs, and pan-fry until golden and crisp.
Loaded Mac & Cheese: Reheat with a splash of milk, then fold in crispy bacon, jalapeños, scallions, or pulled chicken.
Mac & Cheese Waffles: Press chilled mac and cheese into a waffle iron until deeply golden and crisp. Serve with hot sauce or a fried egg.
Creamy Mac & Cheese Soup: Loosen leftovers with milk or broth and add roasted vegetables or shredded chicken for a completely different dinner.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound elbow pasta, uncooked
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cups medium-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions

  • Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add in the elbow pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the recommended cook time on the package instructions, to ensure the noodles are al dente.
  • Drain and combine with olive oil to avoid any sticking. Set aside.
  • Meanwhile, toss to combine the grated cheddar and Gruyere cheeses. Then, divide the cheese mix into 3 separate containers: 1 1/2 cups for the center layer, 1 1/2 cups for the topping, and 3 cups for the sauce.
  • In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter.
  • Pour in the flour, whisking to combine. The mixture should have a wet-sand appearance. Whisk the flour and butter often, cooking for about 1 minute until the raw flour smell dissipates.
  • In a separate dish, combine the milk and the half-and-half. Then slowly pour 2 cups of the milk/cream mixture into the saucepan, whisking frequently until smooth.
  • Once you have a smooth consistency, slowly pour the remaining milk/cream mix into the saucepan, whisking frequently to fully combine.
  • Continue heating the milk, flour, and butter over medium heat, constantly whisking, until it forms a thick and smooth consistency.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cheese blend as well as the salt, pepper, and paprika, mixing to combine until melted.
  • Then stir in an additional 1 1/2 cups of the cheese blend, mixing until fully melted and smooth.
  • In a large mixing bowl, incorporate the drained pasta with the cheese sauce, stirring to combine.
  • Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.
  • Then, pour 1 1/2 cups of the grated cheese blend over top.
  • Top with the remaining pasta mixture.
  • Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture over the top.
  • Bake the mac and cheese until the cheese is bubbly and golden-brown, for about 15 minutes.
  • Serve hot and melty!
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