Loaded with sharp cheddar, Gruyère and Parmesan cheese, this three cheese mac and cheese recipe is rich and creamy and loved by both children and adults.
Have you ever asked anyone if they like macaroni and cheese and their answer is no? Well it might not be a question that you've thought of, as everyone likes mac and cheese. It has been around for quite some time and some believe Thomas Jefferson made it popular in America.
It's comfort food 101. I've made few different versions myself - from smoked gouda bacon mac and cheese to pesto goat cheese mac and cheese to Tuscan chicken mac and cheese and this three cheese mac and cheese recipe is the latest and greatest.
Well all macaroni and cheese recipes are great, but the sharpness you get from the cheddar and Parmesan and creaminess you get from the Gruyère makes this recipe tough to beat.
This recipe is great on its own or as a side so give it a try. If your mouth isn't already watering, I'm not sure what to tell you!
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Ingredient Notes
- Macaroni - it is a macaroni and cheese recipe for a reason.
- Roux - by melting butter and then adding flour, you make a roux which thickens the milk as it continues to cook.
- Cheese - with any mac and cheese recipe, the cheese is the star and I like to use a combination of cheddar, Gruyère and Parmesan.
Ingredient Swaps
Like any recipe, you can swap out some of the ingredients. Some variations include:
- Macaroni is my go-to most times for this pasta dish, but other types of pasta like orecchiette, penne or ziti are good substitutes.
- I always use whole milk for sauces, but you can use low fat or skim milk.
- As far as cheese, I like the combo of cheddar, Gruyère and Parmesan, but you can use any three you want - from gouda to mozzarella to havarti and fontina.
Step-by-Step Photos
Grate the cheddar and Gruyère cheese and mix in a bowl. Melt butter in large pan and then stir in flour, dry mustard and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until well combined.
Add the milk slowly and cook until the mixture is smooth and thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add cheddar/Gruyère cheese mixture as well as Parmesan cheese. Whisk until smooth before stirring in the cooked pasta.
Pour half of the pasta into a baking dish. Add 1 ½ cups of the remaining cheese mixture. Top with the remaining pasta before adding the rest of the cheese mixture. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
FAQs
A combination of sharp cheddar and Gruyère give you that great taste and creaminess you expect from macaroni and cheese. The Parmesan just adds an additional sharpness to it.
For this mac and cheese, to me the star is the cheese. You want that melted, crusty cheese texture that just adds to how good this recipe is.
Yes. Just prepare all the way to where the macaroni is in the baking dish. Cool before topping with the remaining cheese so it doesn’t melt. Then refrigerate or freeze before baking the day you need it.
You can keep in the fridge for about 3 days before using. You can freeze for 3 months before baking. If you freeze, you need to allow to that before baking per the recipe.
Just let your mac and cheese cool to room temperature before covering in airtight container or with aluminum foil. It will last in the fridge for about 3 days or the freezer for 3 months.
Place the three cheese mac and cheese into an oven-safe dish and only take out what you are using. Add 1 tablespoon of milk per 1 cup of baked mac and cheese and mix to incorporate. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.
You can also microwave. Place in a microwave-proof bowl with a splash of milk and microwave for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for another minute or until heated through.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- No overcooked pasta – cook the macaroni al dente according to the package instructions. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven while it’s in the sauce.
- Freshly grated cheese – don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has addition ingredients that you don’t need.
- Stir constantly – once the milk is added, you must stir constantly as it heats up and becomes thick. Otherwise you’ll have burnt milk on the bottom.
- Lots of sauce – who likes a dry macaroni and cheese? At first when making this, you’ll think it is too much sauce but believe me when that the macaroni soaks it up.
- Create layers – you’ll notice only have of the cheese goes in the sauce. When preparing the macaroni and cheese, you add only half of the pasta to the baking dish then 1 ½ cups of cheese. You then add the remaining half of the pasta before topping with the remaining cheese.
Other Mac and Cheese Recipes
If you’ve tried this three cheese mac and cheese recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Three Cheese Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb macaroni
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups milk
- 4 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
- 2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook macaroni according to package and set aside.
- While water is coming up to a boil, you'll want to grate the sharp cheddar and Gruyère cheese and toss to combine.
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter. Stir in flour, dry mustard and black pepper. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until well combined. Gradually add milk and cook until the mixture is smooth and bubbly, about 10 minutes. You'll want to stir constantly.
- Remove sauce from heat and gradually add 3 cups cheddar/Gruyère cheese mixture as well as Parmesan cheese and whisk until cheese is melted and smooth.
- Add pasta and mix until everything is coated. Pour half of the mac and cheese into a 9x13 greased baking dish or 12 inch cast iron skillet. Add 1 ½ cups of cheddar/Gruyère cheese mixture evenly throughout and then the remaining mac and cheese. Top with remaining 1 ½ cups of cheddar/Gruyère cheese mixture.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- No overcooked pasta – cook the macaroni al dente according to the package instructions. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven while it’s in the sauce.
- Freshly grated cheese – don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has addition ingredients that you don’t need.
- Stir constantly – once the milk is added, you must stir constantly as it heats up and becomes thick. Otherwise you’ll have burnt milk on the bottom.
- Lots of sauce – who likes a dry macaroni and cheese? At first when making this, you’ll think it is too much sauce but believe me when that the macaroni soaks it up.
- Create layers – you’ll notice only have of the cheese goes in the sauce. When preparing the macaroni and cheese, you add only half of the pasta to the baking dish then 1 ½ cups of cheese. You then add the remaining half of the pasta before topping with the remaining cheese.
Chris says
Yum!