Description
This creamy homemade baked mac and cheese is a comforting classic, featuring a rich cheese sauce made with cheddar and Gruyere cheeses, combined with al dente elbow pasta, baked to golden perfection with a bubbly cheese topping. Perfect for a family-friendly main course or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 lb. dried elbow pasta
Cheese 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
- 4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese (divided)
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (divided)
- 1/2 Tbsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 3 quart (9x13 inch) baking dish and set it aside for later use.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dried elbow pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions for al dente texture. Drain the pasta and drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Cheeses: While the water heats, shred the cheddar and Gruyere cheeses. Toss them together and divide into three piles: about 3 cups for the cheese sauce, 1 1/2 cups for layering inside, and 1 1/2 cups for topping.
- Make Roux: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk to combine, creating a mixture resembling very wet sand. Cook for about 1 minute while whisking frequently.
- Add Dairy: Slowly pour in about 2 cups of the half and half, whisking constantly until smooth. Then gradually add the remaining half and half plus the whole milk, continuing to whisk until the sauce is smooth and combined.
- Thicken Sauce: Continue heating over medium heat, whisking often until the sauce thickens to a consistency similar to a semi-thinned condensed soup.
- Add Spices and Cheese: Remove the sauce from heat. Stir in the salt, black pepper, paprika, and 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheeses until melted and combined. Then stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese until smooth and fully melted.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained pasta with the cheese sauce and stir thoroughly to fully coat the pasta.
- Assemble Baking Dish: Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the inner layer of 1 1/2 cups shredded cheeses over it, then add the remaining pasta mixture on top.
- Add Topping and Bake: Sprinkle the final 1 1/2 cups of cheese evenly over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown.
Notes
- This baked mac and cheese is a beloved family favorite, appealing to both children and adults.
- Using half and half results in a richer, creamier sauce; you can substitute with whole milk for a lighter version but sauce may be less creamy.
- To prevent pasta from sticking, drizzling with olive oil after draining is effective.
- For extra flavor, smoked paprika is recommended but regular paprika works well too.
- If desired, you can prepare the cheese sauce ahead and refrigerate before assembling and baking.
- Ensure not to overcook the pasta since it will continue cooking in the oven during baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 665 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 41 g
- Saturated Fat: 25 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 126 mg
