Baked Mac and Cheese
Baked Mac and Cheese loaded with flavor and texture that wows every time. Learn the pro-tested method and bake your best dish now
Ingredients
Pasta Base
- 1 pound dried elbow macaroni or short pasta with ridges
Roux and Sauce
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter
- 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- 2.5 cups half and half Can substitute with equal parts whole milk and cream
Cheese Blend
- 4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese measured after shredding, divided
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese measured after shredding, divided
Seasonings
- 0.5 tbsp salt
- 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
- 0.25 tsp smoked paprika for extra depth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease a 3-quart or 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.
- Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook pasta 1 minute less than package directions for al dente. Drain and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Shred all cheeses. Mix cheddar and Gruyère together and divide into three parts: 3 cups for sauce, 1.5 cups for layering, 1.5 cups for topping.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute until it resembles wet sand.
- Slowly whisk in 2 cups of half and half. Stir constantly until smooth. Add remaining half and half and milk gradually, whisking until fully incorporated.
- Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking until sauce thickens to a slightly thinned condensed soup consistency.
- Remove from heat. Add salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir in cheese in batches (1.5 cups at a time) until melted and smooth.
- In a large bowl, mix the pasta with the cheese sauce until evenly coated.
- Layer half of the pasta in the prepared dish. Top with 1.5 cups reserved cheese. Add remaining pasta and top with final 1.5 cups cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, or until bubbling and lightly golden. Optional: broil for 2–3 minutes at the end for extra browning.
Notes
Let rest 5–10 minutes before serving for best texture. Always shred your own cheese for smoother sauce. To add crunch, try a panko breadcrumb topping with Parmesan and smoked paprika.