Best Baked Mac and Cheese
This baked mac and cheese is rich, creamy, and loaded with a blend of cheeses for the perfect balance of flavor and texture. A comforting, easy-to-make dish for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
- 10 oz elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup unsalted butter 56g
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk 720g
- 1 cup heavy cream 240g
- ¼ cup cream cheese room temperature (4 oz or 113g)
- ½ to 1 tsp salt
- ½ to 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese for topping
- ½ cup shredded Gruyère cheese for topping
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese for topping
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cook the pasta: Boil the elbow macaroni until al dente, following package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the cheese sauce:
- Melt butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat.
- Add flour and stir until golden and fragrant.
- Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder. Stir for 1 minute.
- Pour in milk, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Whisk and cook until the mixture comes to a boil. Turn off heat.
- Gradually add 1 cup each of cheddar, Gruyère, and mozzarella while stirring until melted.
- Combine the pasta: Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and mix well. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Assemble the dish:
- Grease a 7x11-inch casserole dish.
- Spread half of the mac and cheese mixture into the dish.
- Sprinkle half of the reserved shredded cheeses on top.
- Add the remaining mac and cheese, then sprinkle the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted. Broil for a few minutes until golden brown.
- Garnish with parsley and serve hot!