Move over ordinary boxed mac and cheese, there’s a new mac in town! Here’s a four-cheese symphony, where cheddar plays famously along with nutty gruyere, gooey mozzarella, and salty parmesan. And what’s more is that it’s all topped with crunchy breadcrumbs for the ultimate textured satisfaction in every bite. Now, I’m a fan of using shells in my mac simply because I think they hold the sauce better, but look, if elbows, penne, or fusilli is your game – go for it! Make this mac your own, the cheese is the star, and we welcome all pasta shapes in this house.
Homestyle Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Cheddar, Gruyere, mozzarella, and parmesan come together in this creamy, dreamy mac and cheese. Use the pasta shape of your choice, but shells remain superior!
Servings 0
Ingredients
Cheese Sauce
- 1 pound pasta shells
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 cup gruyere, shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
Layers
- 1 cup cheddar, shredded
- 1/2 cup gruyere, shredded
- 1/2 cup parmesan, shredded
Topping
- 3 Tbsps butter
- 1 cup seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large pot of salted water, boil pasta until al dente.
- In a skillet, heat 1/4 cup butter. Add flour, stirring quickly to remove lumps. Cook for a few minutes until raw flour has been cooked off.
- Slowly pour in milk and cream one cup at a time, stirring between each to smooth any clumps.
- Cook the milk mixture on medium heat for a few minutes, until bubbling lightly and thickened.
- Add in 2 cups cheddar, 1 cup gruyere, and 1 cup mozzarella. Stir to melt.
- Add salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, mustard powder, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Adjust seasonings to your liking.
- Add cooked and drained shells to the cheese sauce. Stir until combined.
- Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Add in half of pasta mixture.
- Layer with 1/2 cheddar, 1/2 cup Gruyère and 1/4 cup parmesan. Repeat pasta and cheese layers.
- In a separate skillet, heat 3 Tbs butter. Add in 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs. Toast a few minutes until lightly golden. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
- Layer toasted breadcrumbs on top of mac and cheese.
- Bake for 30 mins until bubbly and golden. Optional: broil for a minute or 2 at the end until desired color is achieved.
- Garnish with fresh parsley.
