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This creamy, cheesy Baked Mac and Cheese will be the recipe your friends and family ask you to make for every holiday or dinner! It uses three types of cheese and my secret ingredient that takes this dish to next level delicious! (If you’re looking for a Baked Mac and Cheese with a crispy panko topping, try my Crispy Baked Mac and Cheese instead!)
Watch the Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe Video!
Table of Contents
PRO TIPS
Key Tips For Making This Recipe
There are my three key tips that will make this the best Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese you will have:
- Undercook the pasta by 3 minutes less than the package instructions. You want to do this to avoid your pasta being overcooked after baking. I like my pasta to be able to hold up and not fall apart with all of the ooey, gooey cheesiness.
- Evaporated milk is my secret ingredient for the best Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese! It’s milk that has 60% less liquid than regular milk, making it creamier and thicker with all of the milky, dairy flavor without the water. This makes every bite of my Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese taste better! If you are going to make this recipe, I strongly discourage you from substituting this. (And do not get it mixed up with condensed milk, which is a completely different ingredient!)
- Turn the heat off BEFORE adding the cheese – if the roux is too hot, the cheese can curdle and become grainy, rather than the smooth, cheese sauce that is key to the recipe. (This is because the fats and proteins in the cheese can break apart from too much heat, which makes it grainy.)
Ingredient Tips
- cavatappi pasta – I think the ooey, gooey cheesy sauce goes perfectly with cavatappi. However, you can use any pasta you prefer! (In my other Baked Mac and Cheese recipe, I actually recommend using shells!) Some other pasta shapes that would work well are medium shells, corkscrew, or elbow macaroni
- gruyere cheese, colby jack cheese, sharp cheddar cheese – make sure to grate your own cheese to avoid any of the additives or preservatives that are used to prevent pre-shredded cheese from melting!
- Sharp cheddar cheese is a staple in my household – I use it in recipes like my addictive Cheddar Biscuits, classic dips like Buffalo Chicken Dip, Crab Rangoon Dip, and Baked Crab Dip and my crowd pleasing Jalapeno Popper Wonton Cups!
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- garlic powder
- smoked paprika
- cayenne pepper
- ground mustard – this is a dry mustard in powder form, but you can also substitute for 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
- unsalted butter – make use to use unsalted butter; you can always add salt to taste but you will probably not need it, considering there are three different cheeses in this recipe.
- all purpose flour
- evaporated milk – see note above on evaporated milk, which is my secret ingredient to this recipe and a non-negotiable!
- heavy cream – I recommend using heavy cream, as the higher fat content will add to the decadence and richness of this dish.
- freshly grated nutmeg – I find that freshly ground nutmeg adds a vibrance and depth of flavor that warms up any creamy, savory dishes (this is a trick I use in my other Baked Mac and Cheese and Creamed Spinach recipes!) It’s a tiny bit but it makes a world of difference! Make sure to use freshly ground nutmeg for the most aroma and flavor.
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
Key Tip
Baking Dish Size
This recipe calls for a 9×13″ baking dish and feeds approximately 8-10 people as a side dish (alongside a main dish and at least 1-2 other side dishes). If you want to scale this down, make sure to scale it down appropriately, considering the size of the baking dish you’ll use. This is a very rich, decadent, and ooey, gooey Baked Mac and Cheese – I highly recommend pairing it with other sides to balance it out! (I have been known to lose self control and eat half the dish in one sitting but I don’t recommend it, ha!)
Recipe Instructions
1. Cook the Pasta
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bring a large pot (about 3 quarts) of water to a boil over high heat and add 1 tbsp of kosher salt. (You always want to salt your pasta water!)
Cook the pasta for 3 minutes less than the package directions. You want to do this to avoid your pasta being overcooked after baking. I like my pasta to be able to hold up and not fall apart with all of the ooey, gooey cheesiness. Drain the cooked pasta and set aside.
2. Shred the Cheese and Make the Seasoning Mix
While the pasta cooks, shred your three cheeses – you can use the coarse shred side of a box grater or a food processor attachment (this is much faster but be careful not to over-shred the cheese).
Once you’ve finished grating the cheese, mix them together in a large bowl. You want each bite to have a little bit of each of the three cheeses, so don’t skip this step!
Once mixed well, divide the cheese into two even portions. Set both aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and ground mustard. Set aside.
3. Make the Roux
In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is fully melted, add the seasoning mix. Cook the seasoning mix, stirring well, for 30 seconds – the spices should be fragrant.
Add the flour and cook, making sure to stir constantly so your roux is not lumpy! This will require a little bit of babysitting until everything in the pan is bubbling slight, looks well incorporated, and is a light to medium brown in color. This should take about 2-3 minutes. All of this should be over medium heat – do not use higher heat, as you do not want to burn the roux!
4. Add the Dairy and Keep Whisking!
You should still be cooking over medium heat. Add in the evaporated milk, about 1/4 cup at a time while continuously whisking – do not add more milk until there are no lumps! Once all of the evaporated milk has been added, whisk for another 30 seconds to ensure that there are no lumps.
Slowly add the heavy cup, 1 cup at a time, while whisking constantly – this is to fully incorporate the cream. Keep whisking while you add the remaining heavy cream.
Let the sauce come to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes, still continuing to whisk to ensure there are no lumps. We want this sauce to be as silky smooth and creamy as possible!
5. Add the Cheese, Nutmeg, and Pasta
Turn the heat off – this is a key tip, as a too hot roux will lead to the cheese sauce breaking!
Add half of the grated cheese, a few handfuls at a time – do not dump it all in at once! You want to ensure the cheese has melted completely before you add more (otherwise you will have a lumpy cheese sauce).
Grate the fresh nutmeg and stir well to combine. We add the nutmeg at the end to preserve the flavor of the oils in the nutmeg. Cooking it over heat would reduce the flavor, which we want to avoid.
Add the cooked pasta and stir into the cheese sauce – make sure the pasta is thoroughly incorporated with the sauce. Give it several mixes (better safe than sorry!)
6. Layer the Mac and Cheese
Take a 9 x 13″ baking dish. Add approximately half of the mac and cheese mixture to the bottom of the dish. Use a spatula to spread evenly – it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Take half of the grated cheese remaining and layer it on top of the mac and cheese layer. Try to do this as evenly as possible but again, it does not have to be perfect.
Layer the remaining half of the mac and cheese mixture before finishing with a final layer of the remaining grated cheese.
The order of layers should be: mac and cheese mixture, shredded cheese, mac and cheese mixture, and a final layer of shredded cheese.
6. Bake the Mac and Cheese
Place the baking dish in the preheated over and baking for 25-30 minutes. The top layer of the cheese should be melted and the mixture should be bubbling hot.
Broil for the last 3-5 minutes to crisp up the cheese topping and add color.
Take the Baked Mac and Cheese out of the oven and set on a heatproof surface. Let the Baked Mac and Cheese cool for 15 minutes before serving. Not only does this allow the dish to thicken and for the flavors to continue to melt together, it will also help prevent burning your mouth, as it will be extremely hot fresh out of the oven!
What Should I Serve with Baked Mac and Cheese?
Serve it as a rich, decadent side to classic dishes like Steak with Peppercorn Sauce or Grilled Steak! You can also eat it alongside Meatloaf, Fried Chicken, Baked Chicken Thighs (or Air Fryer Chicken Thighs) or Braised Short Ribs!
Because it’s so cheesy and creamy, I like to have it with a vegetable side like Creamed Spinach, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Cauliflower, Crispy Smashed Potatoes, Honey Glazed Carrots, Mashed Potatoes, and Roasted Green Beans with Bacon.
Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead Tips
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I find that Mac and Cheese tastes the best fresh out of the oven – leftovers are always delicious but I think it tastes less creamy. The pasta will also soften and the overall dish will have a little bit less texture.
I like to reheat leftovers in the microwave – it’s super easy and quick.
I personally would not make this ahead of time – however, if you absolutely need to, I would assemble the layers in step #8, wrap tightly with saran wrap, and store in the refrigerator until the day of serving (max 2-3 days). On the day of, I would continue step #9 and bake.
If you tried this Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 1 lb cavatappi pasta, can sub medium shells, corkscrew, or elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 lb gruyere cheese
- 1 lb colby jack cheese
- 1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground mustard, can sub 1 tbsp of dijon mustard
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 12 oz evaporated milk, 1 can
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot (about 3 quarts) of water to a boil over high heat and add 1 tbsp of kosher salt. Cook the pasta 3 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the cooked pasta and set aside.
- While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, shred the cheese using the course shred side box grater or food processor attachment. Once you finish grating, mix all the cheese together in a large bowl, then divide into two even portions and set aside.
- Make the seasoning mix: in a small bowl, stir together the pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and ground mustard. Set it aside.
- In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add the seasoning mix. Cook for 30 seconds until the spices are fragrant. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until everything bubbles slightly and looks incorporated, about 2-3 minutes. The color should be light to medium brown.
- Still over medium heat, add in the evaporated milk about ¼ cup at a time while whisking to ensure there are no lumps before adding the remaining milk. Mix for another 30 seconds to stir out any remaining lumps. Next, slowly add the heavy cream 1 cup at a time, whisking constantly to fully incorporate before adding the remaining heavy cream. Let the sauce come to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes, whisking to ensure there are no lumps.
- Turn off the heat, then add half of the cheese a few handfuls at a time, ensuring the cheese melts before adding more. Grate in the fresh nutmeg and stir to combine.
- Stir in the drained pasta until the pasta is thoroughly incorporated with the cheese sauce.
- Take a 9×13 inch baking dish and add 1/2 of the mac and cheese to the bottom of the dish, spreading evenly. Layer on 1/2 of the remaining cheese then the remaining mac and cheese. Finish by evenly layering on the last of the shredded cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top melts and bubbles. Broil for 3-5 minutes to crisp up the cheese topping as desired. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving and enjoy!
Notes
-
- Undercook the pasta by 3 minutes less than the package instructions. You want to do this to avoid your pasta being overcooked after baking. I like my pasta to be able to hold up and not fall apart with all of the ooey, gooey cheesiness.
- Evaporated milk is my secret ingredient for the best Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese! It’s milk that has 60% less liquid than regular milk, making it creamier and thicker with all of the milky, dairy flavor without the water. This makes every bite of my Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese taste better! If you are going to make this recipe, I strongly discourage you from substituting this. (And do not get it mixed up with condensed milk, which is a completely different ingredient!)
- Turn the heat off BEFORE adding the cheese – if the roux is too hot, the cheese can curdle and become grainy, rather than the smooth, cheese sauce that is key to the recipe. (This is because the fats and proteins in the cheese can break apart from too much heat, which makes it grainy.)
- Let the Baked Mac and Cheese cool for 15 minutes before serving. Not only does this allow the dish to thicken and for the flavors to continue to melt together, it will also help prevent burning your mouth, as it will be extremely hot fresh out of the oven!
- This recipe calls for a 9×13″ baking dish and feeds approximately 8-10 people as a side dish (alongside a main dish and at least 1-2 other side dishes). If you want to scale this down, make sure to scale it down appropriately, considering the size of the baking dish you’ll use. This is a very rich, decadent, and ooey, gooey Baked Mac and Cheese – I highly recommend pairing it with other sides to balance it out!
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I find that Mac and Cheese tastes the best fresh out of the oven – leftovers are always delicious but I think it tastes less creamy. The pasta will also soften and the overall dish will have a little bit less texture. I like to reheat leftovers in the microwave – it’s super easy and quick. I personally would not make this ahead of time – however, if you absolutely need to, I would cook the pasta 4 minutes less than package directions, assemble the layers in step #8, wrap tightly with saran wrap, and store in the refrigerator until the day of serving (max 2-3 days). On the day of, I would remove the saran wrap and continue step #9 and bake.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
