Ingredients to make baked mac and cheese

by Stephanie on April 18, 2022   (Updated June 9, 2022)  12 *This post may contain affiliate links. Read more »

This Baked Mac and Cheese recipe is easy to make with a creamy 3-cheese blend and perfectly cooked macaroni. There is plenty of delicious cheese sauce with even more melted cheese on top. This makes a perfect dinner recipe or holiday side dish idea.

Optional additions include ham, bacon, chicken, or a crunchy Ritz cracker or breadcrumb topping!

Baked Mac and Cheese

Nothing beats a casserole dish filled with this creamy 3-cheese Baked Macaroni. This recipe ensures that there is absolutely no shortage of that delicious cheese sauce. (It’s amazing how much sauce the macaroni continues to absorb when it bakes, but this recipe completely factors that in.)

I love the combination of cheddar, gruyere, and gouda, but the cheese combinations are endless. Feel free to keep it simple and stick to cheddar, or add in as many additional cheese combinations as you want! 

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour and use a silicone spatula to stir continuously for 2 minutes. Add the milk/heavy cream in small splashes, stirring continuously. 

Let it heat through and thicken while you continue to stir for 5 minutes. Add the seasonings and hot sauce and remove from heat.

Gradually sprinkle in 4 cups of shredded cheese, stirring continuously until smooth. Meanwhile, boil the macaroni for 1 minute less than al dente. 

Combine the drained macaroni and the cheese sauce and transfer to a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. 

Top with 2 cups of shredded cheese and bake at 325° for 25 minutes. Broil at the end for a few minutes if desired, then serve!

Make Ahead Method

• Pro Tip: If making ahead, I recommend using a little less than the full pound of pasta to ensure that there is an extra abundance of cheese sauce, as the macaroni will absorb more of it during storage.
• Assemble and Store: Cook the macaroni for 1-2 minutes less than al dente. Assemble the macaroni as outlined but do not bake. Let it cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Bake: Let it thaw in the fridge prior to baking. Let it sit out for 30 minutes prior to baking, then bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes. Note that the consistency won’t be quite as creamy as when prepared and served immediately.

Pro Tips

• Optional additions include diced ham, bacon, caramelized onions, steamed broccoli, shredded chicken, buffalo chicken, and more!
• Pasta shells also make a great choice for this recipe instead of macaroni.
• Make sure the base of the sauce isn’t too hot when the cheese is added, otherwise the dairy will separate and the consistency will be grainy.
• Cheese options are endless, you can use any combination of cheddar, gouda, gruyere, mozzarella, Colby, and more.
• I used Cracker Barrel Cheddar, Yancey’s Fancy Gouda (regular, not smoked), and Emmi Gruyere cheese as well as Frank’s hot sauce.
• The hot sauce and mustard powder are flavor enhancers and can’t be tasted outright. The hot sauce doesn’t make it spicy.
• For a crunchy topping: Combine 1 cup of crushed Ritz crackers and 2 tbsp. melted butter. Add it during the last 15 minutes of baking.

Storage

• Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• You can freeze leftovers, however they don’t restore quite back to their original consistency.

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

• 9 x 13-inch Casserole Dish: This is the one pictured in this recipe, this is a less expensive one, and disposable tins can be used as well. 
• Box Cheese Grater– Grating/Shredding cheese from a block will also give you the best flavor and consistency.
• Pasta Strainer– I have this one and love it.
• Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
• Pinch Bowls– for measuring out seasonings ahead of time.

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This Baked Mac and Cheese recipe is easy to make with a creamy 3-cheese blend and perfectly cooked macaroni.

• ▢ 1 lb. elbow macaroni
• ▢ 6 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 6 tablespoons flour
• ▢ 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ▢ 2 ½ cups milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon each: onion powder, pepper
• ▢ 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• ▢ 2 cups shredded Gruyere
• ▢ 1 cup shredded Gouda

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

• Pro tip: Shred the cheese from a block. It will melt and taste much better than packaged shredded cheese. See notes for brand of cheese that I use.

• Prep Work: Shred the cheese and toss to combine. Reserve 2 cups for the top of the macaroni and use the remaining 4 cups for the cheese sauce. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.

• To Cook the Macaroni: Begin boiling salted pasta water for the macaroni while you prepare the cheese sauce. Add the pasta to the boiling water right around when you are letting the cream sauce reduce/thicken, before adding the cheese. Refer to the package and cook it for 1 minute less than al dente. Set a timer to avoid overcooking the macaroni.

• For the Cheese Sauce: Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Use a silicone spatula to stir in the flour. Continue to stir for 2 minutes, it should start to turn a light brown. Add the heavy cream/milk in small splashes, stirring continuously. (If you add it too quickly you’ll “break” the roux and the sauce will be thin.)

• Let it heat through and thicken while you boil the macaroni. Stir continuously during this time.

• Add the seasonings and hot sauce. Remove from heat.

• Gradually sprinkle in 4 cups of shredded cheese. Stir continuously until smooth and combined. If it seems too thick, add a splash of milk.

• Once the macaroni is cooked, drain it and add it to the warm pot you boiled it in. Pour the cheese sauce on top and stir to combine. Transfer to a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Top with remaining 2 cups of cheese.

• Bake for 20 minutes. If desired, broil at 450 for 3 minutes to brown the top. Serve!

Pro Tips:

• Optional additions include diced ham, bacon, caramelized onions, steamed broccoli, shredded chicken, buffalo chicken, and more!
• Pasta shells also make a great choices for this recipe instead of macaroni.
• Make sure the base of the sauce isn't too hot when the cheese is added, otherwise the dairy will separate and the consistency will be grainy.
• Cheese options are endless, you can use any combination of cheddar, gouda, gruyere, mozzarella, Colby, and more.
• I used Cracker Barrel Cheddar, Yancey's Fancy Gouda (regular, not smoked), and Emmi Gruyere cheese as well as Frank's hot sauce.
• The hot sauce and mustard powder are flavor enhancers and can't be tasted outright. The hot sauce doesn't make it spicy.
• For a crunchy topping: Combine 1 cup of crushed Ritz crackers and 2 tbsp. melted butter. Add it during the last 15 minutes of baking.

Storage:

• Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• You can freeze leftovers, however they don't restore quite back to their original consistency.

Nutritional information is per serving, this recipe makes 10 servings. Note that the nutritional information shared is an estimate.

Calories: 677kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 44g, Saturated Fat: 27g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 138mg, Sodium: 694mg, Potassium: 294mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1454IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 661mg, Iron: 1mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American