Once you try this easy homemade mac and cheese, you’ll never make boxed again
Tender noodles, swathed in an outrageously cheesy, ultra-creamy sauce, and topped with a crisp, panko-parmesan crust — this macaroni and cheese is the definition of comfort food.
This quick-and-easy recipe starts with a sauce made with milk, cream and two kinds of cheese. It’s thick, rich, sharp and melty. If you use good quality, flavorful cheese, there’s no need for extra seasonings, such as garlic powder, onion powder or nutmeg. Spend a smidge more on cheese and you can skip the spice aisle.
One bite and you’ll never go back to boxed mac and cheese again.
The best cheese for homemade mac and cheese
Choose cheeses for both flavor and meltability. In this recipe, I marry sharp cheddar and gooey Swiss in the cream sauce. Cheeses that work well in macaroni and cheese include fontina, mozzarella, Monterey jack, pepper jack, Colby, gouda, Gruyere, and American. You can substitute a variety of cheeses, just choose a combination that delivers both the taste and gooeyness you want. You’ll need a total of six cups of shredded cheese, so mix and match as desired.
Use blocks of cheese, not pre-shredded cheese sold in bags. Pre-shredded cheese is often coated with cellulose, an anti-caking agent that prevents clumping. This coating also prevents the cheese from melting properly.
Pick up blocks of cheddar and jack, grab your box grater (or food processor) and let the shredding begin.
The best pasta for homemade mac and cheese
Elbow macaroni is classic, but any pasta shape works for mac and cheese. I prefer small tubes of pasta because the cheese sauce works its way into the noodle tunnels and each bite delivers tender pasta that’s both coated and filled with melty cheese.
No matter which shape you choose, be sure to cook your pasta slightly less than al dente. Stop cooking your pasta about 1 minute before it reaches al dente, typically the earliest suggested time on the package. This macaroni and cheese is baked, so it will continue to cook in the oven. If you start with…
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