Delicious Five-Cheese Mac and Cheese (Print version)
Creamy baked mac and cheese made with cheddar, Gruyere, fontina, mozzarella, and Parmesan for a rich sauce and golden top.
# Ingredients:
For the pasta
01 -
1 lb (450 g) cavatappi or elbow macaroni
02 -
1 tablespoon kosher salt, for the pasta water
For the five-cheese sauce
03 -
4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter
04 -
1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
05 -
3 cups (720 ml) whole milk, warmed
06 -
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, warmed
07 -
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
08 -
1 teaspoon garlic powder
09 -
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 -
1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
11 -
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 -
8 oz (225 g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
13 -
4 oz (115 g) Gruyere cheese, freshly grated
14 -
4 oz (115 g) fontina cheese, freshly grated
15 -
4 oz (115 g) low-moisture mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
16 -
2 oz (55 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
For the topping
17 -
1 cup (60 g) panko breadcrumbs
18 -
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
19 -
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
20 -
1 tablespoon chopped parsley, optional
# Instructions:
01 -
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set it on a rimmed baking sheet.
02 -
Boil the pasta in salted water for 1 minute less than al dente. Drain well and set aside.
03 -
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until smooth and lightly toasty.
04 -
Slowly whisk in the warm milk and cream. Cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon. Whisk in mustard, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
05 -
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in cheddar, Gruyere, fontina, mozzarella, and Parmesan a handful at a time until the sauce is smooth. Taste and adjust salt.
06 -
Fold the drained pasta into the cheese sauce. Spread it in the baking dish. Mix panko with melted butter and Parmesan, then sprinkle it evenly over the top.
07 -
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges bubble and the top is golden. Rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley if using.
# Good to know:
01 -
For the smoothest sauce, grate cheese from blocks instead of using pre-shredded cheese.
02 -
The mac and cheese should look slightly loose before baking because the pasta absorbs sauce in the oven.
03 -
Resting the dish before serving gives cleaner, creamier scoops.