Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese (VIDEO)
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!
Servings: 10
Equipment
- Box Grater for grating cheese
- Food Processor for grating cheese...FAST!
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 9x13 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
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- 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 9x13" 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
Calories: 625kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 1345mg | Potassium: 255mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1872IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 892mg | Iron: 1mg