3 cheese mac and cheese

One of my favorite things about this 3 cheese mac and cheese, is that you can serve it as is, or bake it in a dish with some extra cheese for a fancier look! It was a hard call picking which cheeses to go with but ultimately I decided on a blend of gouda, cheddar and parmesan and boy is it magic!

What do I need to make 3 cheese mac and cheese?

• Elbow noodles or cavatappi- their shape helps the sauce cling to the noodles for that perfect noodle to cheese ratio bite.
• Butter
• Flour
• Whole milk
• Gouda cheese
• Cheddar cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt, black pepper, paprika

How to make it:

1. If your going to bake the mac and cheese, start by preheating the oven to 350F.
2. Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente.
3. Shred the cheese with a hand grater and set aside.
4. Next, melt the butter in a large saucepan or pot and stir in the flour. Mix well until you've formed a nice thick roux. Pour in the milk and gently simmer until the milk starts to get nice and thick.
5. Add in 3 cups of the hand grated cheese and whisk the sauce until it's incorporated.
6. Season with the spices and mix well. Remove the sauce from the heat and mix in the cooked noodles. At this point you can serve as is, or pour into the prepared baking dish to bake.
7. Sprinkle with additional grated cheeses and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
8. Broil at the end for 1-2 minutes (watch it carefully!) if desired.

Storing and reheating:

3 cheese mac and cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

If you'd like to make it in advance, I recommend putting the mac and cheese mixture into a baking dish, refrigerating, and then baking before serving.

Before reheating ready baked mac and cheese, stir in a little milk. Reheat in a warm low temperature oven until warmed through for best reheating results.

Tips and tricks for the best 3 cheese mac and cheese:

• Pasta: It's really important to cook the pasta until it's just al dente or even a bit less if your baking it because the noodles will continue to cook in the oven.
• Cheese: It's best to shred your own cheese with a hand grater. It sounds like a lot of work, but with a good grater, it only takes a few minutes. It's important because pre-shredded cheese contain anti caking agents and that can make your mac and cheese grainy!

More pasta recipes

Quick garlic bread pasta

Lasagna roll ups made with vodka sauce

Baked ziti pasta on a skewer

3 cheese baked mac and cheese

Creamy gouda, sharp cheddar, and nutty parmesan come together in this 3 cheese mac and cheese for the perfect crowd pleaser! Enjoy as is, or baked in a dish.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb elbow noodles
• 4 tablespoon butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar plus more for baked version topping
• 1 cup shredded gouda plus more for baked version topping
• ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese plus more for baked version topping
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Equipment

• cheese grater

Method

 

1. If your going to bake the mac and cheese, start by preheating the oven to 350F.
2. Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. (approx 8 minutes)
3. Shred the cheese with a hand grater and set aside.
4. Next, melt the butter in a large saucepan or pot and stir in the flour. Mix well until you've formed a nice thick roux. Pour in the milk and gently simmer until the milk starts to get nice and thick.
5. Add in 3 cups of the hand grated cheese and whisk the sauce until it's incorporated.
6. Season with the spices and mix well. Remove the sauce from the heat and mix in the cooked noodles. At this point you can serve as is, or pour into the prepared baking dish to bake.
7. Sprinkle with additional grated cheeses and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
8. Broil at the end for 1-2 minutes (watch it carefully!) if desired.