Description
This Creamy Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese is a rich, cheesy comfort food perfect for family meals. Featuring a blend of medium cheddar and Gruyere cheeses, a creamy roux-based sauce, and a golden bubbly baked topping, it's a classic dish loved by both kids and adults.
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. paprika (smoked paprika preferred)
- Olive oil (a drizzle to prevent pasta sticking)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3 quart (9x13 inch) baking dish. Set aside for later.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the dried elbow pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions indicate for al dente texture. Drain the pasta and drizzle a little olive oil over it to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Shred and Divide Cheese: While waiting for water to boil, shred the cheddar and Gruyere cheeses and toss them together. Divide the shredded cheese into three portions: approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.
- Make Roux: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour and whisk constantly until the mixture resembles very wet sand, cooking for about 1 minute.
- Add Dairy: Slowly pour in about 2 cups of the half and half while whisking continuously until the mixture is smooth. Then slowly add the remaining half and half along with the whole milk, whisking constantly until fully combined and smooth.
- Thicken Sauce: Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens to a consistency similar to a semi-thinned condensed soup.
- Add Cheeses and Seasoning: Remove the sauce from heat and stir in salt, black pepper, paprika, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture until melted and combined. Then stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese until fully melted and smooth.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: In a large mixing bowl, mix the drained pasta with the cheese sauce thoroughly until fully combined.
- Layer the Dish: Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese evenly over the pasta layer. Top with the remaining pasta mixture.
- Add Final Cheese Layer: Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese on top is bubbly and lightly golden brown.
Notes
- This baked mac and cheese is a family favorite recipe, loved by children and adults alike.
- Using smoked paprika adds a wonderful depth of flavor but you can substitute with regular paprika if desired.
- Drizzling olive oil on cooked pasta helps prevent sticking before mixing with the cheese sauce.
- Make sure to cook the pasta just shy of al dente since it will continue to cook slightly in the oven.
- For a crispier topping, you can broil for an additional 1–2 minutes at the end—watch carefully to prevent burning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 665 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 41 g
- Saturated Fat: 25 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 126 mg
