The BEST Homemade Mac and Cheese of your LIFE. Outrageously cheesy, ultra creamy, and topped with a crunchy Panko-Parmesan topping, this mac and cheese recipe is most definitely a keeper. I used three different cheese and a homemade cheese sauce to take this macaroni and cheese recipe over the top.
Prep time: PT20M
Cook time: PT30M
Total time: PT60M
Rating
4.99 stars (3566 reviews)
Keywords
cheese, dinner, kid friendly, mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese
Ingredients
16 oz elbow macaroni, cooked ((or other tubular pasta))
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
2 cups Gruyere cheese (shredded)
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups panko crumbs
4 tbsp butter (melted)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
1/4 tsp smoked paprika ((or regular paprika))
Categories
Dinner
Cuisine
American
Steps
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a large 3 qt or 4 qt baking dish and set aside.Combine shredded cheeses in a large bowl and set aside.
Cook the pasta one minute shy of al dente according to the package instructions. Remove from heat, drain, and place in a large bowl.
Drizzle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat pasta. Set aside to cool while preparing cheese sauce.
Melt butter in a deep saucepan, dutch oven, or stock pot.
Whisk in flour over medium heat and continue whisking for about 1 minute until bubbly and golden.
Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until nice and smooth. Continue whisking until you see bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking and whisking for another 2 minutes. Whisk in salt and pepper.
Add two cups of shredded cheese and whisk until smooth. Add another two cups of shredded cheese and continue whisking until creamy and smooth. Sauce should be nice and thick.
Stir in the cooled pasta until combined and pasta is fully coated with the cheese sauce.
Pour half of the mac and cheese into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 2 cups of shredded cheese and then the remaining mac and cheese.
In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, melted butter and paprika. Sprinkle over the top and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 642 kcal
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Protein: 26 g
Fat: 41 g
Saturated Fat: 24 g
Cholesterol: 125 mg
Sodium: 550 mg
Sugar: 4 g
Reviews
Manon on 2026-03-21 (5 stars): I’ve made this mac and cheese so often and have always received rave reviews! Brought it to a block party pot luck and it won as best dish! I usually split the top with half crumb and half cheesy toppings to suit all palates!! Definitely recommend everyone to try this recipe!
John P on 2026-03-20 (5 stars): Have made this recipe many times. Always sooo good and cheesy and flavorful.
Mary on 2026-03-03 (5 stars): This recipe is amazing! I thought it would be too much cheese but it's not! The family loves it! And my son is a big fan of all kinds of mac and cheese.
Bie on 2026-03-01 (5 stars): I crushed up cheese it’s instead of using panko. Turned out so so good! Thank you!!
Kyla Hammack on 2026-02-27 (5 stars): I am 13 yrs old, and I was able to follow this recipe very well. The mac and cheese turned out amazing ,and I would totally make it again! 5 stars!
Kristina on 2026-02-27 (5 stars): It truly is the best.
Can I freeze the cooked Mac and Cheese?
Embug on 2026-02-17 (5 stars): The best mac & cheese ever. I think it’s even better, though with my twist: steam half a head of cauliflower and four or five carrots. Purée with half a cup of milk. Reduce the recipe by half a cup of milk, and add one more cup of cheese than the recipe calls for. Mix in the purée with the sauce. My two-year-old grandson, loves it, and finally gets a few veggies into him
Amanda on 2026-01-07 (5 stars): Absolute best Mac and cheese ever!
Michael Falls on 2025-12-13 (5 stars): I have made this twice and everyone loves it. I need to make mac n cheese for mac n cheese hamburgers, if I fully cook the pasta, would this recipe be complete with out the final step of baking it?
Dawn T on 2025-11-21 (5 stars): I cut the recipe in half and added freshly roasted hatch green chilies. Wonderful!!
Liv on 2025-11-21 (5 stars): I’ve made this recipe before, did you end up switching the cheese, from sharp cheddar & Monterey Jack to Gruyère cheese? I don’t recall buying that last year because I thought the recipe called for Monterey Jack instead. Thanks!
JANE on 2025-11-20 (5 stars): Can't wait to try this! Can I use all UNSALTED butter?
Alina Bejenari on 2025-11-20 (5 stars): I have not had mac n cheese better than this. My family is obsessed
