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I have been working on my Creamy Mac & Cheese for years and finally nailed down the perfect recipe! So many people love this recipe because you don’t need to make a roux, and you do not need an egg. This recipe is a guaranteed show-stopper at any event because it is creamy and cheesy but also drop-dead gorgeous- I mean, look at her. 😉
It’s the side dish my family fights over every Thanksgiving, and you can assemble it up to two days ahead, so it’s the easiest holiday win on your table. Scroll down for my make-ahead plan and how to scale it for a crowd.
P.S. If you love this recipe, please leave a review at the bottom of this page.
Table of Contents
- Why everyone loves this Recipe
- Tips for making the perfect Cheese Sauce
- Watch Me Make It (and follow @themoodyfoody)
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Substitutions and Recipe Variations
- How to make Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Making Mac and Cheese for Thanksgiving
- What to Serve with Mac and Cheese
- FAQ
- Creamy Mac & Cheese Recipe
Why everyone loves this Recipe
It’s easy- A huge part of the reason I developed this recipe is that many home cooks struggle with making a roux. It does take practice, and if you don’t cook out the flour long enough or if your liquid ratio is off, your cheese sauce will come out too thick. The roux step made my original recipe very intimidating, and I always strive for easy recipes that anyone can make, regardless of experience.
It’s creamy– The inside of this Mac and Cheese is so deliciously creamy and moist! When trying different Mac and cheese recipes, I found that even the ones that nailed the creaminess had a dryer sauce.
It’s cheesy- The cheeses I chose are appropriate because they have a balance of flavors and melt nicely. A cheese pull is mandatory, especially if you bring this to Thanksgiving dinner or a family potluck!
Tips for making the perfect Cheese Sauce
Buy Good Cheese
Buy the good stuff (if you can). If you’re trying to budget, I would suggest shopping at Aldi as they have amazing cheese options for affordable prices. Personally Tillamook is my cheese of preference. The cheese is perfectly salted and melts wonderfully.
Grate your own cheese- Store bought shredded cheeses contains cultures and preservatives that prevent the cheese from melting properly and change the taste of the cheeses. Not only are cheese blocks usually a lot cheaper than pre-shredded cheese, you’ll get better flavor and texture if you grate your own. This is a non-negotiable step.
Take your time- Although this is an easy recipe, it’s not a recipe I would suggest rushing through. Follow the steps slowly to ensure the best possible outcome. I mean, the ingredients aren’t cheap- do it right!
Watch Me Make It (and follow @themoodyfoody)
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pasta: 1½ boxes (24 oz) of elbow macaroni. Cavatappi works too.
- Four cheeses: sharp cheddar, Colby jack, Gouda and mozzarella, all freshly grated. Plus cream cheese (optional) for extra creaminess.
- Heavy cream and salted butter: this is the base of the no-roux cheese sauce.
- Seasonings: salt, chicken bouillon, onion powder, ground mustard, white pepper and adobo.
Full amounts are in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Recipe Variations
Make it without Heavy Cream- Don’t have heavy cream? No problem! Use evaporated milk instead!
Make it with another noodle- Don’t have elbows? Use cavatappi!
Make it with pre-shredded cheese- While I highly recommend using freshly grated cheese, it’s perfectly fine to use pre-shredded cheese, freshly grated just melts better!
Make it Keto- If you’re keto, this is the perfect recipe for you. Swap the macaroni noodles for boiled cauliflower!
How to make Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Grate your cheeses. Divide into 3 parts
- Boil your noodles.
- Make your cheese sauce
- Mix your noodles with your cheese sauce. Save some cheese sauce for layering.
- Add half your noodle sauce to a 13×9 Baking Dish, layer some cheese sauce and shredded cheese on top of half the noodles and then add the rest of the noodles on top. Repeat this process, your final dish should have a fully covered shredded cheese top.
- Bake your four cheese Mac & Cheese at 350 degrees until cheese is fully melted. This should be about 20-25 minutes. Broil on high until you have a bubbly golden brown top.
Making Mac and Cheese for Thanksgiving
Make it ahead: Assemble the whole dish (noodles, sauce and the cheese top) up to 2 days before, cover it tightly and refrigerate. Take it out about 30 minutes before baking, and expect it to need a little longer in the oven than the recipe card says since it starts cold. Broil at the end for that golden top.
Feeding a crowd: One batch fills a 13×9 dish and serves 8. For a big Thanksgiving table, double it and bake two 13×9 dishes side by side instead of one deep pan, so it heats evenly and everyone gets some of that cheesy top.
Oven space: Bake it while the turkey rests. It goes in at 350°F, the same oven you just used for the bird.
What to Serve with Mac and Cheese
- Roasted Cajun Butter Turkey and Turkey Gravy from Drippings
- Honey Butter Cornbread or Cornbread Dressing
- Fresh Green Bean Casserole and Southern Fried Cabbage
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble
- For Christmas: Orange Glazed Ham or Pernil
FAQ
My Cheese sauce is watery! What should I do?
Add more of your reserved cheese or continue to allow your cheese to melt while stirring. Your sauce will also thicken up over time
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes! You can make this recipe up to two days before and save the baking part before serving!
Can I make this recipe in the crockpot?
Yes! Use the recipe the same way and add all of your ingredients to the slow cooker on low heat until the top layer of cheese is melted.
How do I reheat leftovers so they stay creamy?
Add a splash of heavy cream or milk, cover with foil and warm at 350°F until hot. In the microwave, stir halfway through.
Why is my cheese sauce gritty?
The heat was too high. Keep the sauce on low while the cheese melts, and grate your own cheese, since pre-shredded cheese has coatings that stop it melting smoothly.
If you love this recipe, check out all my holiday recipes and side dishes!
Please leave a star rating for this recipe if you enjoyed it 🙂
Creamy Mac & Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- 1 ½ boxes elbow noodles or cavatappi (24 oz total)
- 16 oz sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 16 oz Colby jack cheese freshly grated
- 8 oz Gouda freshly grated
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese freshly grated
- 5 cups heavy cream
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 4 oz cream cheese optional
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp chicken bouillon for the pasta water
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp adobo
Instructions
- Grate. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grate the cheddar, Colby jack, Gouda and mozzarella on the large holes of a box grater and toss them together. Save any small chunks that are too small to grate.
- Boil. Cook the noodles according to the package directions in water seasoned with the chicken bouillon. Drain.
- Start the sauce. Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Slowly pour in the heavy cream, whisking until smooth.
- Melt the cheese. Stir in about half of the grated cheese until smooth, then add the cream cheese, if using. Season with the salt, onion powder, ground mustard, white pepper and adobo. Keep the heat low and let it melt completely. Taste and adjust, then take it off the heat and let the sauce sit for 15 to 20 minutes so it thickens.
- Combine. Put the drained noodles in a large bowl. Ladle the sauce over the noodles, add the saved cheese chunks and toss until coated. It should look creamy and wet.
- Layer. Spread half of the mac and cheese in a 13×9-inch baking dish and sprinkle with some of the remaining cheese. Add the rest and cover the top generously with cheese. If you need more for the top, use cheddar or Colby jack.
- Bake and broil. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Finish under the broiler on low for about 2 minutes. Watch it closely so the top doesn’t burn.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hands down the best!! It’s delicious. My kiddos loved it. Easy to make and better than that boxed up stuff. I can’t wait to make it for thanksgiving
I made this for the first time on Monday and it was delicious and full of flavor. I messed up and it still came out amazing! I am making this again for Thanksgiving so had to get the test run out of the way. My 6 year old daughter said this mac and cheese is bomb with a big smile. I love your recipes, thank you for sharing!
This recipe looks amazing! So cheesy and creamy. Quick question: would the steps be the same if I used boiled cauliflower instead of the noodles?”
You made this recipe too damn good, it’s hard not to eat it in one sitting
I love when my wife makes this for the family
this tastes as good as it looks!
Everyone loved this! I’m in charge of the Mac and cheese at Thanksgiving now!
I make this mac and cheese multiple times a year, it’s soooo good and everyone loves it every time!
Usually I’m lazy, but I gotta say, the tip about grating your own cheese was dead on, it made a huge difference in the texture. The cheese melted down so smooth and creamy, waaaay better than the pre-shredded stuff. Definitely worth the extra few minutes!
This mac and cheese was so creamy and delicious! I loved that it skips a roux. It made the whole thing super easy.