This is the baked mac and cheese people ask me to bring to every potluck. Real cheddar and gruyere melted into a from-scratch sauce, a little Velveeta for that stretchy, stays-smooth texture, and a crispy baked top. No boxed stuff, no shortcuts.

It fills a 9×13 pan, so it’s built for a crowd. Give it a few minutes to rest after it comes out of the oven — the sauce firms up as it cools, so don’t panic if it looks extra saucy straight from the oven.

It’s the side that gets requested every time I do a BBQ at the house, and anytime we get together at a friend’s place for game day or just hanging out. Everyone who’s had it asks for the recipe.

Boxed mac is fine. This is something else. A from-scratch sauce made with sharp cheddar and nutty gruyere stays silky instead of grainy, and a layer of cheese baked on top turns golden and bubbly.

Tips for the Best Baked Mac and Cheese

Shred your own cheese. Bagged shredded cheese is coated in starch to keep it from clumping. That starch makes the sauce grainy. A block and a box grater fix it.

Undercook the pasta. Pull it 3 minutes early. It finishes in the oven and holds its shape instead of going soft.

Don’t skip the Velveeta. It keeps the sauce smooth and stops the real cheese from breaking or turning greasy.

Add the cheese slowly. A handful at a time over medium-low heat, whisking each one in before the next. Too much heat or too much cheese at once can make it split.

Save that pasta water. If the sauce gets too thick, a splash of starchy pasta water loosens it right back up.

Leftovers

Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat with a splash of milk and stir it as it warms so the sauce comes back creamy.

Extra-Cheesy Baked Mac and Cheese

5 from 2 votes

A rich, creamy baked mac and cheese made with a from-scratch cheddar-gruyere sauce and a crispy baked cheese topping. Fills a 9×13 pan.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 10 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb elbow macaroni or cavatappi
• 1 lb medium cheddar freshly shredded, divided into two 2-cup portions
• 2 cups half and half
• 1 cup whole milk
• 12 oz gruyere cheese freshly shredded (about 2 cups for the sauce, a little extra for the topping)
• 8 oz velveeta cheese cubed
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Equipment

• Large Pot (8 qt)
• Whisk
• 9×13 Baking Dish

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a large pot (8 qt), boil pasta about 3 minutes under package time so it still has bite – it will finish cooking in the oven. Reserve about 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
3. Set the empty pasta pot back on the stove over medium heat and melt the butter.
4. Add the flour and dry seasonings, mix well and stir continuously for a couple minutes to cook out the flour taste. The roux should be a light golden brown.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly stream in the half and half and milk while whisking continuously. Don’t stop whisking.
6. While whisking the milk mixture over medium-low heat, add the velveeta cubes and whisk until melted and combined.
7. While still whisking constantly, add 2 cups of the cheddar and 2 cups of the gruyere in handfuls, whisking each handful in thoroughly before adding the next.
8. Once all 4 cups of shredded cheese have melted and combined into the sauce, remove the pot from the heat.
9. Add in the reserved pasta water, about 1/4 cup at a time, until a velvety, pourable, heavy cream consistency has been reached.
10. Dump the cooked and drained pasta into the pot and mix the sauce and pasta together thoroughly.
11. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish and pour half of the pasta mixture into the bottom, spread evenly.
12. Layer 1 cup of the remaining shredded cheddar.
13. Pour the rest of the pasta mixture and spread it evenly.
14. Add a top layer of the remaining cheddar and shredded gruyere.
15. Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until the top layer of cheese is melted and bubbly.
16. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Notes

This will thicken and tighten up as it cools, so don’t worry if it looks extra saucy right out of the oven — give it those 5 minutes to rest before serving.

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