Description
This creamy homemade baked mac and cheese recipe features tender elbow pasta enveloped in a rich, velvety cheese sauce made with cheddar and Gruyere cheeses. Baked to bubbly, golden perfection, it’s a comforting family favorite loved by kids and adults alike.
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 (smoked paprika preferred)
- Olive oil (for tossing cooked pasta)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and grease a 3-quart (9×13″) baking dish. Set 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 to achieve al dente texture. Drain well and drizzle lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Cheese: While the water heats, shred the cheddar and Gruyere cheeses and combine them. Divide the shredded cheese into three portions: approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layering, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.
- Make Roux: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until fully combined and the mixture looks like wet sand. Cook for about 1 minute, whisking frequently to avoid burning.
- Add Dairy: Slowly pour about 2 cups of the half and half into the roux while whisking continuously until smooth. Then gradually add the remaining half and half and the whole milk, continuing to whisk until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Thicken Sauce: Continue cooking the mixture over medium heat, whisking often until it thickens to a consistency similar to a semi-thinned condensed soup.
- Incorporate Spices and Cheese: Remove the sauce from heat, stir in salt, black pepper, and paprika. Add 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheeses and stir until melted and combined. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained pasta with the cheese sauce, stirring until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Assemble in Baking Dish: Pour half of the pasta and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, then add the remaining pasta mixture over the top.
- Top and Bake: Sprinkle the final 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese evenly on 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 recipe, loved by both children and adults alike for its creamy texture and rich flavor.
- Using a combination of cheddar and Gruyere cheeses adds depth and complexity to the flavor.
- Cooking the pasta just shy of al dente ensures it will finish cooking perfectly in the oven without becoming mushy.
- Drizzling pasta with olive oil after cooking prevents clumping and sticking before combining with the sauce.
- You can substitute smoked paprika with regular paprika or omit it if preferred.
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: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 126 mg
