Description
This creamy homemade baked mac and cheese recipe combines perfectly cooked elbow pasta with a rich and velvety cheese sauce made from cheddar and Gruyere cheeses. Baked to bubbly golden perfection, it’s a comforting classic taking mac and cheese to the next level with a blend of cheeses and a smooth, flavorful sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 lb. dried elbow pasta
Cheese
- 4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese (divided, measured after shredding)
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (divided, measured after shredding)
Sauce
- 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 Tbsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 3 quart baking dish (about 9×13 inches) to prevent sticking and set aside.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add dried elbow pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions to achieve al dente. Drain the pasta and drizzle lightly with olive oil to keep it from sticking.
- Shred and Divide Cheeses: While the water heats, shred both the cheddar and Gruyere cheeses. Toss them together and then divide into three portions: approximately 3 cups for the cheese sauce, 1 1/2 cups for layering inside the casserole, and 1 1/2 cups for topping just before baking.
- Make Roux and Start Sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly to combine. The mixture should resemble very wet sand. Continue cooking for about 1 minute while whisking to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Add Dairy to Roux: Slowly pour in about 2 cups of the half and half while whisking constantly until smooth. Then, gradually add the remaining half and half and the whole milk, whisking continuously until the mixture is smooth.
- Thicken the Sauce: Continue heating the sauce over medium heat, whisking frequently. Cook until the sauce thickens to a consistency similar to a thinned condensed soup.
- Add Spices and Cheese: Remove the sauce from heat. Stir in the salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture until melted. Then add another 1 1/2 cups of cheese and stir until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy.
- Combine Pasta and Cheese Sauce: In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained pasta with the cheese sauce, mixing thoroughly to coat all the noodles evenly.
- Assemble Mac and Cheese: Pour half of the pasta and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese over this layer. Then add the remaining pasta mixture on top.
- Top and Bake: Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese evenly over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese topping is bubbly and lightly golden brown.
Notes
- For best results, use freshly shredded cheese rather than pre-shredded for better melt and creaminess.
- Smoked paprika adds a wonderful depth, but you can use regular paprika if preferred.
- To prevent pasta clumping after draining, tossing with a small amount of olive oil helps keep noodles separate.
- Half and half gives the sauce a rich texture; whole milk can be used for lighter variation but the sauce may be slightly less creamy.
- Feel free to adjust cheeses or add a pinch of mustard powder to enhance the flavor further.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 19 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
Keywords: baked mac and cheese, homemade mac and cheese, creamy mac and cheese, cheddar mac and cheese, Gruyere mac and cheese, comfort food
