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Try this staple recipe for the ultimate comforting side dish! Made with two types of cheese and a whole lot of spice, this is the Best Classic Mac and Cheese Recipe you’ll make all year!
The best traditional mac and cheese recipe
What’s cozy and cheesy and always a good meal idea? Macaroni and cheese, of course! And when it’s this good, it’s impossible to not have seconds.
Today, I’m showing you how to make the best classic mac and cheese recipe made with lots of butter and milk and two different kinds of cheese. To finish it off, we add a special breadcrumb layer that transforms the top of the dish into golden brown deliciousness!
Ingredients in this classic macaroni and cheese
Classic macaroni and cheese is made with a variety of cheeses. That’s the golden rule! For the best flavor, two different types are a must. This one uses a blend of cheddar and gruyere (5.5 cups of cheese total) for the ultimate creamy dish.
- Noodles: First up are the noodles. You’ll need 16 oz of elbow macaroni.
- Butter: Next, you will need some butter. You will need 1 tbsp and 1 stick, divided.
- Flour: Flour will help thicken up the macaroni and cheese. Use 1/2 cup.
- Milk: Next, achieve the right texture with the addition of 4 cups of whole milk.
- Cheddar cheese: Finally, the cheese! Use 3 cups of freshly shredded cheddar and 2.5 cups of freshly shredded gruyere.
- Salt & pepper: Add flavor with 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper.
- Spices: Follow the salt and pepper with 1 tsp of garlic powder, 1/2 tsp of ground mustard, 1/4 tsp of nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp of smoked paprika.
- Breadcrumbs: 3/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs will add a nice top layer to the mac and cheese.
- Butter: Near the end of the recipe, you will need 2 more tbsp of butter (melted).
- Salt: Last but not least, finish off the recipe with another 1/4 tsp of salt!
Kitchen tools you’ll need to prepare this recipe
Seven main kitchen tools are needed to make homemade mac and cheese, in addition to a variety of measuring cups. Find the complete list below:
- 9×13 casserole dish
- Large pot
- Strainer
- Large saucepan
- Whisk
- Stirring utensil
- Small mixing bowl
- Measuring cups: 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/2 cup, 3/4 cup, 1 cup
How to make the best traditional mac and cheese recipe
Boxed mac and cheese? Forget about it! After giving this recipe a go, you’ll never want to eat mac from the box again. Here’s how this spectacular homemade version is done!
To begin, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 casserole dish.
Use a large pot to cook the macaroni according to the instructions. Once cooked, drain and add back to the pot with 1 tbsp of butter to prevent sticking.
Then, use a large saucepan to heat a stick of butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until everything is combined. Slowly add in the milk, whisking the entire time. Let this cook for about 8-10 minutes over medium heat or until it turns into a very thick mixture. Be sure to stir often.
Once the milk mixture has thickened greatly, turn off the heat and add the cheese. Stir it in and let it melt. Then, add all of the spices and stir until all of the cheese has melted and is very thick.
Pour the cheese mixture on top of the noodles and mix until well combined.
Pour into the greased 9×13 pan.
Next, use a small bowl to mix together the breadcrumbs, melted butter, and salt. Sprinkle this over the macaroni.
Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly, and broil for 3-4 minutes at the end for an extra crispy brown crust. Be sure to keep an eye on it to prevent burning!
Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Spice up your mac and cheese with these mix-ins
Did you know that you can add mix-ins to your macaroni and cheese? It’s true! By adding a few extra ingredients, you can totally transform the flavor while still maintaining that great, cozy cheesiness. Here are some ideas!
- Bacon
- Jalapenos
- Onion
- Shredded chicken for extra protein
- Tomatoes
- Parmesan
- Bacon (because it deserves to be on the list twice)
If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!
Cook up some delicious recipes that the entire family will enjoy with these casserole ideas. There are options for both breakfast and lunch/dinner! Find even more ideas here.
- Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole
- Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Squash Casserole
- Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato Casserole
- Easy Pizza Casserole Recipe
All recipes by Erin Morrissey and Photos by Sierra Inn
Best Classic Mac and Cheese Recipe
Try this staple recipe for the ultimate comforting side dish! Made with two types of cheese and a whole lot of spice, this is the Best Classic Mac and Cheese Recipe you’ll make all year!
Ingredients
- 16oz elbow macaroni noodles
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 stick butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 3 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 2.5 cups freshly shredded gruyere cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease 9×13 casserole dish.
- In a large pot, cook macaroni according to instructions. Drain and then add back to pot with one tbsp butter to keep from sticking.
- In a large sauce pan, heat stick of butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until all combined. Slowly add in the milk, whisking the entire time. Let this cook for about 8-10 minutes over medium heat or until it turns into a very thick mixture. Be sure to stir often.
- Once the milk mixture has thickened greatly, turn off heat and add in cheese. Stir it in and let it melt. Add all the spices to the mixture, and stir until all the cheese has melted and is very thick.
- Pour the cheese mixture over top of the noodles and mix until well combined.
- Pour into greased 9×13 pan.
- In a small bowl, mix together panko, melted butter, and salt. Sprinkle over macaroni.
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Broil for 3-4 minutes at the end for an extra crispy brown crust, keep an eye on it!
- Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
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Johanna says
Best mac & cheese ever. It was a hit at my Thanksgiving table.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Johanna, so happy you loved it!
Michaela says
The best Mac n cheese! And so easy to make
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Michaela, so happy you loved it!!
Stephanie says
Made this for thanksgiving, and it was so good! Everyone loved it ! My kids have already asked if I can make it again:)
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Stephanie, so glad you all loved it! 🙂
Holly says
The best macaroni and cheese!!!! I made this for thanksgiving and was told I have to make it for Christmas. So so good!!!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Holly, so happy you loved it!
Stephanie says
I made this for Thanksgiving. It was a huge hit. Everyone raved about it. People liked it so much that I made it two days later on Saturday when everyone came over to watch football. It was so easy to make. I can’t wait to try more ELW recipes!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Stephanie, so happy everyone loved it!!
Stephanie says
I made this for Thanksgiving. People raved about it. It was so good I made it two days later when people came over to watch football. It was the best and so easy to make. Can’t wait to try more ELW recipes!!
Erin says
Hi Stephanie, so happy everyone loved it!!
Vanessa says
Made for Thanksgiving and overall, family liked it. Cooking instructions was easy enough to follow. I looked at a variety of other recipes and this one was particular heavy with the amount of rough and cheese. I’d like to try other recipients with less.
★★★★
Erin says
Hi Vanessa, so happy everyone loved it!
Michelle says
This Mac was so good!! A real crowd pleaser at Thanksgiving this year.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Michelle, so glad everyone loved it! 🙂
Sam says
Made this for thanksgiving and it was a HUGE hit. Everyone raved about how good it was and went back for seconds and thirds. This will definitely be my go-to mac and cheese recipe from now on!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Sam, so happy everyone loved it!! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Tara says
Hands down the best mac and cheese I’ve ever made. I subbed fontina cheese since the store I was at did not have gruyere but it was amazing. The kids inhaled it and went back for more. So so good!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Tara, so happy everyone loved it and you made it your own! 🙂
Len says
This was the best mac and cheese I have made or eaten. I followed the reciepe exactly but halfed the amounts and it still made A LOT. Everyone not only loved it but I swear it made me them all a little happier. I made one accidental change and picked up smoked gruyere instead of plain gruyere. It was fate because the smoked gruyere was meant to be in the reciepe. This is worthy of being main and not a side dish. Just skip the turkey. 🙂 Thank you for sharing this recipe.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Len, so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Katie says
Legitimately never need another Mac n cheese recipe again. This is incredible!! I added in sautéed onion and garlic and otherwise stuck to recipe. It is killer and delicious.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Katie, so happy you loved it so much and great additions! 🙂
Clara says
Made this for our Thanksgiving this year and it got rave reviews!! I ended up using a full 24oz of pasta because I had two 12oz bags and I wasn’t sure how to measure, and it was great! Will definitely be making this for future Thanksgivings as well! Love all of Erin’s recipes so I knew this one would be worthy of the Thanksgiving table!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Clara, so glad you loved it!! 🙂
Grace says
Excellent classic mac and cheese recipe!! Made it for thanksgiving and so many asked for the recipe! Will be making again.
Erin says
Hi Grace, so glad you loved it! 🙂
Rachel says
Can you use almond milk instead of whole milk? Making this tomorrow for Thanksgiving!!!
Erin says
Hi Rachel, yep that should have worked. How did it come out?
Rachel S says
Are you kidding me, Erin?!?!?! This Mac n cheese is INCREDIBLE! The cheesy saucy mac goodness is chefs kiss! Made for a thanksgiving eve meal with my husband and parents and everyone went back for seconds. Hot tip for those not used to broiling, WATCH IT so it doesn’t burn. We may or may not have set off the fire alarm. OOPS! But completely salvageable and delicious. Thanks for sharing!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Rachel, so happy you loved it and great tip! So glad it was still okay and now you know for next time! 🙂
Barbara says
Hi! I was wondering if you could make this recipe gluten free? What kind of flour would I use as a substitute? Thanks!
Erin says
Hi Barbara, that should be okay! I haven’t tried it with another flour but feel free to pick one you like and please note gf flours work on a totally different absorption rate. You can definitely give it a try but you’d likely have to adjust the amount. Let me know how it comes out!
Sydney Skiles says
I made this for our Friendsgiving dinner and it was delicious! Next time I make it though I will half the cheese sauce recipe. It was WAY too much sauce for 16oz of pasta. I even made another batch of pasta so I could use it up and I still had sauce left. Maybe it’s just my personal preference but it seemed like I would’ve barely had any noodles if I used the whole sauce mixture. Not a critique but a good to know if someone is wanting to make it!
Erin says
Hi Sydney, so glad everyone enjoyed it!! 🙂
Annette Norton says
Do you think this could be prepared a day or 2 ahead of time and then baked the day of?
Erin says
Hi Annette, yep that should be okay! Let me know how it comes out!!
Nikki Thompson says
This looks amazing but I don’t like mushy mac and cheese? Are the noodles cooked to Al dente before being baked to prevent this?
Erin says
Hi Nikki, you can cook them aldente. Let me know how it comes out!
Bri says
Erin this looks amazing! What do you think about swapping the pasta with a chick pea or brown rice version? Would it just turn mushy in the baking?
Erin says
Hi Bri, thank you and brown rice would be your best bet for this! Let me know how it comes out!