Creamy Macaroni Cheese Classic (Print Version)

Tender elbow macaroni in a smooth béchamel sauce with sharp cheddar and Gruyère cheeses.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni

→ Béchamel Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
04 - 2 cups whole milk, warmed
05 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Cheese Mixture

06 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
07 - ¾ cup Gruyère or Swiss cheese, grated
08 - ½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - ½ tsp garlic powder
11 - ½ tsp onion powder
12 - ½ tsp salt
13 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
14 - Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

→ Topping (for baked option)

15 - ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
16 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
17 - 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a medium baking dish (about 2 quarts).
02 - Boil elbow macaroni in salted water until just al dente, about 1–2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1–2 minutes until lightly golden without browning.
04 - Gradually whisk in warmed whole milk and heavy cream until smooth. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens, about 4–5 minutes.
05 - Lower heat to low, then stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne if using.
06 - Add sharp cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan cheeses in batches, stirring continuously until fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
07 - Fold cooked macaroni into cheese sauce until pasta is evenly coated.
08 - For stovetop, serve immediately with optional extra cheese. For baked version, transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and Parmesan cheese, sprinkle over top, and bake 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbly. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The combination of three cheeses creates a depth that store-bought versions can't touch, building layers of flavor instead of just one-note saltiness.
  • This is the kind of dish that tastes like you spent hours on it, but the entire process is genuinely just 45 minutes from start to finish.
  • The béchamel method means no canned soup or cornstarch tricks—just real, silky sauce that clings to every piece of pasta.
02 -
  • If your cheese sauce breaks or gets grainy, it's usually because the heat was too high or you added cold cheese to hot sauce—low heat and patience are the antidotes to every mac and cheese disaster.
  • Cook the pasta just slightly underdone because it will continue cooking when you fold it into the hot sauce and again if you bake it.
  • Warming the milk before whisking it in prevents lumps and helps you avoid the shock of temperature that creates clumps in the roux.
03 -
  • Extra-mature cheddar will give you a sharper, more sophisticated flavor if you want to go deeper instead of creamier.
  • Warming your milk before you whisk it in prevents the shock of temperature that causes lumps and uneven cooking.
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