A good macaroni and cheese recipe has to be cheesy and has to melt in your mouth.This 3-Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe is just that.
Recipe video:
I don’t usually brag about recipes that I post on my blog, but I had to brag about this one. A good macaroni and cheese needs to be cheesy and creamy. This 3-Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe is the perfect mix of cheesiness and creaminess. I love this recipe and I had to share it with you guys.
With the holidays knocking at the door, I just cannot share this amazing recipe. Not having a mac n cheese on the buffet table for the Christmas/Thanksgiving party is unimaginable to me. Although, turkey and ham tend to be the big stars of the show, this dish is the second star. It’s very important.
It’s so important that I had to make sure I share the best recipe as possible. In order to get the recipe as perfect as I possibly can,I had to choose the right type of cheese. some cheeses will not work well, goat cheese for instance may be hard to make work because of the strong taste. Instead of strong cheeses, I used the three simple ones: cream cheese, cheddar and gouda.
Although the cheese you use is very important, the sauce and the seasonings are just as important. In my years of making mac, I found that making a cheese sauce from a classic béchamel sauce is what works for me. I tried various other ways but this one works every single time for me.
In addition to the cheese, the seasonings are also very important. Now you cannot make a baked macaroni and cheese without seasonings. You do not want a bland dish, you need some flavour, the cheese isn’t going to give it all the flavour it needs. I don’t use fancy seasonings, I used the seasonings that are in everyone’s pantry.
Before diving into the recipe, I thought I should share some TIPS & TRICKS first.
TIPS & TRICKS
- Cheeses: Like I said previously, I like to keep it simple. I used cheese that you can easily find in your grocery store. The blend that I love is cream cheese, gouda and cheddar cheese. The reason why I add cream cheese to my mac is because it gives the sauce this amazing creamy and silky texture. Without the cream cheese the sauce wouldn’t be as thick and creamy as it will be if you use it. When it comes to gouda, the reason is simply because of preference and what I grew up on. however, if gouda is not available in your country then I suggest Gruyère or Monterey jack. Finally, the cheddar cheese is the basic of any mac so I could not pass it.
- Cheese sauce: If you are familiar with the classic béchamel sauce then this sauce will not be a new thing for you. I started off making my sauce by melting the butter, then adding the flour followed by the milk. Now the milk has to be at room temperature and you have to add it gradually as well. Although this sauce may be easy, you have to keep an eye on it and you have to stir constantly as well.simmer the sauce at a medium-low heat to prevent the milk from boiling over.
- Seasoning: In order for the sauce to be close to perfect, you need seasonings. I cannot skip the seasonings in this recipe because the mac n cheese will just be bland and I cannot have that. The seasonings I used are simple, I used dried thyme, paprika, ground cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Now, let’s get into it.
3-Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
Pasta:
- 2 cups Elbow macaroni
- Salt to taste
Cheese sauce:
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups Gouda or gruyère
- 1 1/2 cups Whole milk at room temperature
- 6 oz Cream cheese
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 tbsp All-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp Salt or more to taste
- 1 tsp Ground paprika
- 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper or more to taste
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp Dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp Dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp Onion powder
- 1/4 tsp Chili flakes
Instructions
Pasta:
- Into a large pot with water over medium-high heat, add the salt and macaroni. Boil until al dente, which is about 8-12 minutes.
Cheese sauce:
- Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.
- In a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter then whisk in the flour until they are both combined. Whisk in the milk gradually and let the sauce thicken for about 5 minutes. Make sure to whisk constantly.
- Whisk in the seasonings and finally half of the cheddar cheese, gouda or gruyère and the cream cheese. Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes or until all the cheeses have been melted.
Assembly:
- Add the macaroni to the cheese sauce and mix it all together.
- Pour the mixture into a greased 11.1 x 7.1 inch casserole pan. Smooth out the top and add the cheddar cheese to the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes before enjoying.
Other recipes you may like:
Perfect mashed potatoes recipe