I know everybody says their mac and cheese recipe is the best, but I guarantee you mine really is! This extra cheesy mac and cheese recipe is simple, delicious, and sure to impress!
What Are the Best Cheeses for Mac and Cheese?
Everyone has their own preferences for their cheeses of choice when it comes to mac and cheese; but my personal favorites for an extra cheesy creation are: sharp cheddar, mozzarella, colby jack, and monterey jack. Other honorable mentions are: smoked gouda, gruyère, and parmesan.
What’s the Key To Making Mac and Cheese Extra Cheesy?
They key to making a regular mac and cheese extra creamy is by layering! In this recipe, we will be adding cheese into the silky cheese sauce that covers our noodles, and then layering more cheese in the center and top of our mac and cheese, making it extra cheesy which will create a fabulous cheese pull.
Mac and Cheese Ingredient Breakdown:
If you want to make the best extra creamy mac and cheese, make sure you have the following ingredients:
- elbow pasta
- salted butter
- all purpose flour
- evaporated milk
- whole milk
- heavy cream
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- chili powder
- smoked paprika
- salt and pepper
- sharp cheddar
- mozzarella
- colby jack
- monterey jack
How to Make Extra Cheesy Mac and Cheese
- To make your mac and cheese, start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook and drain your pasta, and toss it with 2 tbsp of salted butter until it’s evenly coated and set aside.
- On low-medium heat, melt 3 tbsp of butter, then, slowly add all purpose flour, while whisking continuously until evenly combined.
- Add your evaporated milk, whole milk, and heavy cream.
- Shred your cheeses – colby jack, mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and monterey jack. Reserve half of the total amount of cheese for later and use the other half to add to the cheese sauce.
- Slowly add the cheese shreds in, a handful at a time, and whisk continuously until evenly combined.
- Mix the cheese sauce and the elbow pasta, and add half of the noodle mixture to a baking dish. Then, grab your remaining cheese blend, and spread half of it evenly over the pasta to make it extra cheesy.
- Add the rest of your pasta. Then add the final layer of cheese shreds on top.
- Heat your mac and cheese in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes until the cheese is evenly melted.
- Change the oven setting to broil, and cook for another 5 minutes until the cheese on top is slightly browned to achieve an extra cheesy finish.
Looking For More Recipes? Check These Out!
Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents which will end up creating a gritty texture in your cheese sauce. Freshly shredding/grating your cheese absolutely makes a difference and gives you the creamiest and most delicious result!
Short answer is no, but this blend of milks is my personal favorite. If I had to choose just one, I would pick either just evaporated or whole milk.
Extra Cheesy Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Noodles
- 2.5 cups elbow pasta
- 2 tbsp salted butter
Cheese Sauce
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 12 ounces mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
- 12 ounces colby jack cheese freshly shredded
- 6 ouces monterey jack cheese freshly shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- To make the pasta, boil your elbow pasta in salted water and cook al dente according to package instructions.
- Drain the pasta, and toss it with 2 tbsp of salted butter until it's evenly coated and set aside.
- To make the cheese sauce, start by making a roux. On low-medium heat, melt 3 tbsp of butter. Slowly add all purpose flour, while whisking continuously until evenly combined. I recommend adding about 1 tbsp of flour at a time. If you add it too quickly, your roux will get clumpy!
- Add your evaporated milk, whole milk, and heavy cream. Heat to low-medium, while whisking continuously until the roux and milk are evenly combined.
- Shred your cheeses – colby jack, mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and monterey jack. Reserve half of the total amount of cheese for later and use the other half to add to the cheese sauce.
- Slowly add the cheese shreds in, a handful at a time, and whisk continuously until evenly combined. Keep the heat on low to prevent the milk from curdling. You should be left with a silky smooth cheese sauce.
- Mix the cheese sauce and the elbow pasta. Add half of the noodle mixture to a baking dish. Grab your remaining cheese blend. Spread half of it (1/4 of the total mixture you had at the start) evenly over the pasta.
- Add the rest of your pasta. Then add the final layer of cheese shreds on top.
- Heat your mac and cheese in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes until the cheese is evenly melted.
- Change the oven setting to broil, and cook for another 5 minutes until the cheese on top is slightly browned.
What did you think of this recipe?