Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Cheesy, nutty, buttery, and all around just oozing with savory flavors.
Texture: This is the best part of mac & cheese, right? The cheese sauce is oh-so rich, thick, silky, and creamy, the pasta is al dente, and the breadcrumb topping is crisp and crunchy.
Ease: Making cheese sauce from scratch might seem a little intimidating but it’s so worth the effort.
Pros: Ultimate comfort food recipe.
Cons: Dirties quite a few dishes and is not exactly an everyday dish, but it makes it all that much more special.
Would I make this again? Absolutely.
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This Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese Recipe is my favorite mac and cheese of all time.
According to my parents, I was a pretty picky eater as a little kid. When I was a toddler, the only things I liked to eat were pears, grilled cheese, and macaroni and cheese.
At least I liked one fruit? It’s funny because I rarely eat macaroni and cheese these days.
I decided I needed to remedy this by making my ultimate version of macaroni and cheese – because really, what’s better than carbs loaded with a creamy cheese sauce and topped with more carbs in the form of breadcrumbs?? Not much.
This mac & cheese recipe beats the boxed version by miles, and I grew up eating the boxed version. It’s nostalgic to me. My favorite part was squeezing the ultra-yellow cheese out of the foil packet. Gross, but nostalgic.
This recipe replaces that squeeze cheese with high-quality extra sharp cheddar, Gruyere, Jarlsberg, and fontina cheese. Don’t skimp here because really, what’s mac and cheese without the taste of great cheese?
This recipe is straightforward and simple, but there are so many ways you can switch things up. I’ve listed flavor customization ideas as well as tips for making the BEST baked macaroni and cheese right below.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make The Ultimate Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
What is the Best Cheese to Use For Macaroni and Cheese?
This recipe uses FOUR different kinds of cheese for the cheesiest, most indulgent macaroni dish ever. Feel free to experiment with your favorite shredded cheeses, but the combination below yields the best taste and melty-rich texture. Mozzarella or Gouda would also be delicious in this homemade mac.
- Extra sharp cheddar (tastier and meltier than younger, milder cheddars)
- Gruyere
- Jarlsberg
- Fontina
Be sure to shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains ingredients to prevent the shreds from clumping together, and these ingredients prevent it from melting as beautifully as freshly shredded cheese. I love to use the grating attachment on my food processor to make quick work of shredding the cheeses. If you don’t have a food processor, a regular box cheese grater will do just fine.
Do I Have to Use Macaroni? Can I Use a Different Pasta?
I typically use elbow macaroni, but feel free to switch up the pasta type for something of similar size and shape.
How to Make CREAMY Macaroni and Cheese
- Don’t skimp on the milk or butter as those ingredients help keep the cooked macaroni ultra-rich and creamy.
- Use full-fat milk for creamiest results.
- Also, avoid overbaking, as that will dry out your mac and cheese.
Is a Roux Necessary for Mac and Cheese?
Absolutely. This is how the cheese sauce develops its thick, creamy texture. Without a roux, mac and cheese sauce would just be runny.
Can I Make This Macaroni and Cheese Without the Egg?
The egg in this recipe adds richness and helps make the sauce beautifully velvety. While I haven’t tried this recipe without the egg, it should work just fine to simply omit the egg.
What Can You Add to Macaroni and Cheese?
- Chopped jalapeno peppers or hatch green chiles
- Bacon crumbles
- Lobster!
- Shredded pork or chicken
- Chopped sausage
- Caramelized onions
- Top with Sriracha or chipotle Tabasco sauce
Alternate CHEEZ-IT Topping for Mac & Cheese
For a super nostalgic alternative to the herb Panko topping in the recipe, try this fun Cheez-It cracker topping instead. I swear adults will love it even more than the kids.
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup original Cheez-It crackers
- 2 Tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted
Pulse Cheez-It crackers in a food processor until coarse crumbs, or crush in a plastic bag with a rolling pin or mallet. Mix Panko bread crumbs, Cheez-It cracker crumbs, and melted butter in a small bowl until combined. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture evenly over the top of the macaroni and cheese, and bake as directed.
How to Make Mac and Cheese Ahead of Time
If you’re planning on serving this to company, cook the pasta noodles but shave a minute or two off the normal boiling time to leave them very al dente. Make the sauce as the recipe directs and let it cool completely. Toss the noodles in the sauce and place in the casserole dish as directed. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Pull directly from the fridge and proceed with the recipe as written, topping with the Panko mixture and baking, adding a minute or two to the cooking time.
How to Store Macaroni and Cheese
Although leftover Macaroni and Cheese won’t have the same crisp texture to the topping, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can You Freeze Mac and Cheese?
Yes! Follow the same steps as above for preparing ahead of time. Store the un-topped, unbaked dish in the freezer in an air-tight container for up to 2 months. Let defrost in the fridge overnight before proceeding with the recipe as written.
More Cheesy Recipes You’ll Love:
- Garlic Parmesan Soft Pretzels
- Copycat Red Lobster Cheesy Garlic Biscuits
- Beer Cheese Dip
- Quiche Lorraine
- Cheesy Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
More Delicious Side Dish Recipes:
- Potato Salad
- Easy Cornbread Recipe
- Jalapeño Cornbread with Bacon & Cheddar
- Homemade Hawaiian Rolls
- Crowd-Pleasing Sweet Potato Casserole
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Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
For Macaroni & Cheese:
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 quart (4 cups) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)*
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, sliced
- 1/2 cup (64 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 8 ounces (2 cups) extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 4 ounces (1 cup) Gruyere cheese, grated
- 4 ounces (1 cup) Jarlsberg cheese, grated
- 4 ounces (1 cup) Fontina cheese, grated
For Topping:
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish or individual gratin dishes with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, 6 to 8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan set over medium heat, warm the milk. Stir together kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, & paprika in a small bowl, and set aside.
- In a large saucepan set over medium-low heat, heat 1 stick of butter until melted. Sprinkle the flour into the saucepan and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in the hot milk and cook for about 3 minutes, until thickened and smooth, and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Whisk in the spice blend and red wine vinegar. Remove from heat.
- Slowly whisk a spoonful of sauce into a small bowl with the beaten egg, to temper the egg. Add egg mixture into the sauce. Add in the cheeses and whisk until cheese is melted. Stir in pasta, then pour into prepared baking dish.
- Mix panko bread crumbs, fresh thyme leaves, and melted butter in a small bowl until combined. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture evenly over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, or until bubbling and browned. Remove the macaroni and cheese from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
This recipe was originally published in 2014 and has been updated with new photos and recipe improvements in 2022. Photos by Joanie Simon.
Outstanding Mac & Cheese ! Followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect!
Great Recipe! Just a couple of thoughts about reducing the number of utensils to wash up afterwards:
First, sift together the flour, salt, pepper, mustard & paprika onto a paper plate.
Pulse the bread to crumbs. After you have cooked and drained you macaroni, use the same large pot to melt ALL the butter, then spoon out one quarter [2 Tbs] into the breadcrumbs and pulse again.
Return the large pot to the heat to continue making the sauce to the point where you remove it from the heat.
The paper plate can then be re-used to hold the grated cheeses, as soon as you have the required amount you can add it to your sauce.
Apart from the serving dish/es, you then only need to wash up one pot, the grater and perhaps a measuring jug.
This Mac and Cheese was a hit!!!!! I now have to bring it to all family functions. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
NOM! Made this a few weeks ago–absolutely delish and flavors perfectly balanced. Really loved it and making it again tonight–can’t wait to get home, num num num 😀 Thanks Tessa!
I just made this tonight, and Tessa, you never disappoint! It did dirty a few dishes, but I’m just a mess when I’m making something for the first time. I subbed an Italian white cheese blend for the Gruyere and I can’t begin to explain how right you were about not skimping on the cheese: I will not be making that substitution again! Overall, a great dish that satisfied even the pickiest eaters in my family, I even added onions. Thank you!
this recipe list 1 tablespoon of salt in the body of the recipe but not in the listed ingredients (except for kosher salt) I didn’t see this discrepancy (or maybe it isn’t a discrepency) but one tablespoon of salt in the cheese mixture was way too salty for me. I wound up adding two additional cups of milk and more cheese and more flour to counterbalance that tablespoon of salt. This made it just right. I had extra sauce so the next day when I heated up the mac and cheese I was able to use this extra sauce to make the dish nice and creamy.
You have to use Diamond salt if you put in a whole Tbsp because it’s literally hollow in the middle. If using say Morton’s salt, I’d cut the amt to 1/2 -2/3 Tbsp
Hi Maggie! Yes, we include in the Recipe Notes that if using Morton’s Salt kosher salt instead, to use 1 1/2 slightly heaping teaspoons 🙂
The tablespoon of salt is in the water to cook the pasta. (not specified in instructions)
Hi there! That is not correct, the Kosher salt is not the salt added to the water – we don’t list that measurement as it will be different for everyone. The amount of salt added to your water depends on how much water is added to your pot. Here’s a great article detailing more). In the third paragraph down in the directions, you’ll see that the Kosher salt is stirred together with the other spices. Hope that helps!
Oh Tessa this is dreamy!!
My favorite kind of comfort food!
I think mac and cheese might be my most favorite food ever.
This looks fantastic! Would it be good as leftovers? Everytime I’ve made mac and cheese from scratch it gets greasy and clumpy overnight and just doesn’t reheat well. I want to make this but might half the recipe if I can’t figure out how to reheat the extra for lunch the next day.
Yum 🙂 mac ‘n cheese is awesome!
You can never go wrong with mac ‘n cheese EVER….and this truly does look like the ultimate…from the creamy sauce to the crunchy topping! Pinned! 🙂