Description
This creamy homemade baked mac and cheese combines tender elbow pasta with a rich, velvety cheese sauce made from cheddar and Gruyere. Baked until bubbly and golden, it’s a comforting crowd-pleaser perfect for family dinners.
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)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dish: Preheat oven to 325°F 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 dried elbow pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions for al dente texture. Drain pasta and drizzle with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Cheese: While water heats, shred the cheddar and Gruyere cheeses. Mix together and divide into three piles: about 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for topping.
- Make Roux: Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle flour over the melted butter and whisk to combine. Cook for about 1 minute while whisking frequently—you’ll get a wet sand-like texture.
- Add Dairy: Slowly pour approximately 2 cups of half and half into the roux, whisking constantly to ensure smoothness. Then add the remaining half and half plus whole milk gradually, whisking continually until combined and smooth.
- Thicken Sauce: Continue heating over medium heat, whisking often until the mixture thickens to a consistency similar to a semi-thinned condensed soup.
- Add Seasoning and Cheese: Remove from heat. Stir in salt, pepper, paprika, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese blend until melted and combined. Then add another 1 1/2 cups of cheese, stirring thoroughly until smooth.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: In a large bowl, mix the drained pasta with the cheese sauce until fully combined.
- Layer Mac and Cheese: Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese over the pasta layer. Add the remaining pasta mixture on top.
- Top and Bake: Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown.
Notes
- This baked mac and cheese is a family favorite loved by children and adults alike.
- Using smoked paprika adds a lovely depth of flavor but regular paprika works fine.
- Dividing the cheese into sauce, inner layer, and topping enhances both flavor and texture.
- Be careful not to overcook pasta; undercooking slightly ensures it stays tender after baking.
- The use of half and half along with whole milk creates the perfect creamy consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 665
- 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
