Four Cheese Mac & Cheese Bake (Printer View)

Creamy pasta layered with four cheeses and baked until golden for a comforting main dish.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz elbow macaroni or short pasta

→ Cheese Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
04 - 2 cups whole milk
05 - 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
06 - 3/4 cup Gouda cheese, shredded
07 - 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
08 - 1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, optional

→ Topping

13 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
14 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
15 - 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly to eliminate any raw flour taste.
04 - Gradually whisk milk into the roux, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Add shredded cheddar, Gouda, mozzarella, and crumbled blue cheese. Stir constantly until all cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
06 - Season the cheese sauce with salt, black pepper, ground nutmeg, and Dijon mustard if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings to preference.
07 - Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and fold gently until all pasta pieces are evenly coated with the sauce.
08 - Pour the mac and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly.
09 - In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and mix until crumbs are moistened. Sprinkle the panko mixture evenly over the pasta, then top with remaining sharp cheddar cheese.
10 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the mixture is bubbling around the edges. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Four cheeses mean you get depth and richness without heaviness, because they're balancing each other out in ways a single cheese never could.
  • It comes together in under an hour, but tastes like you've been in the kitchen all afternoon, which is basically dinner party magic.
  • The crispy breadcrumb topping gives you textural contrast that makes every bite interesting instead of just smooth and samey.
02 -
  • Don't walk away while the milk is heating, because the moment you do it will suddenly go from barely simmering to slightly scorched, and you'll taste it for the rest of the meal.
  • Blue cheese is intense, and a little actually goes a long way, so if you're serving people who've never had it in mac and cheese before, you can start with half and add more next time.
  • The pasta keeps cooking in the oven, so buying it at al dente is genuinely important, not just advice to ignore.
03 -
  • Grate your cheese from the block yourself instead of using pre-shredded because it melts infinitely smoother and creates a better texture.
  • Keep the heat medium or lower once you add the cheese because high heat can cause the sauce to break and separate, which looks dramatic and tastes disappointed.
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