21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (2024)

Creamy, cheesy, and piping hot, macaroni and cheese is a nostalgic classic for a reason — and when you need something hearty, the best mac and cheese recipe among these options can become your go-to. Some of our favorites include Raclette-Gruyère Mac and Cheese with Pickled Shallots, Southern-Style Mac 'n' Cheese, and Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese with Baby Kale. If you prefer pasta shells, prepare Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs. No matter which mac 'n' cheese recipe you choose, you're only a few steps away from a cozy, wonderful meal.

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Raclette-Gruyère Mac and Cheese with Pickled Shallots

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (1)

Inspired by älplermagronen, Alpine farmers' macaroni, this Swiss twist on a Thanksgiving classic gets rich flavor from Gruyère and a lush creaminess from Raclette. Traditional versions of this dish are served with applesauce; as a nod to that flavor play, we've added some shallots that are quickly pickled in apple cider vinegar to balance the cheesy richness.

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Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs

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Macaroni and cheese is always a crowd-pleaser. This version features a combination of fontina for optimal gooey texture and cheddar for its tangy flavor, and a crispy mix of toasted panko, parsley, lemon, and garlic that cuts through the richness of the ultra-creamy baked shells.

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Southern-Style Mac 'n' Cheese

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Three different kinds of cheese — extra-sharp cheddar, Colby-Jack, and cream cheese — go into this creamy, savory macaroni and cheese recipe, which also gets layers of flavor from fresh bay leaves and dry mustard. Southern-style mac 'n' cheese is typically made with a milk-and-egg base rather than a roux. Here, the milk component is an infused milk-and-cream mixture reserved from cooking the noodles (which adds even more richness to the dish).

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Lobster Mac and Cheese

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This decadent macaroni and cheese has it all: a generous amount of lobster meat and a rich, three-cheese sauce made with fontina, Gruyère, and mascarpone, mixed with pasta and baked under a crunchy topping of panko and Parmesan.

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Mac and Corn Cheese

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Inspired by Stouffer's and Korean restaurant corn cheese, Eric Kim's mac and cheese is enlivened with snappy kernels of sweet corn, pungent onion, and fruity jalapeño.

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Macaroni and Cheese with Buttery Crumbs

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Small chunks of cheddar and Colby cheeses throughout give this classic dish a perfect hit of flavor and a fabulous gooey texture.

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Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

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This three-cheese version of the American comfort classic gets a nice kick from a generous pinch of cayenne, while buttery breadcrumbs give it a great crunch.

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Okra Mac and Cheese with Andouille Sausage

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This baked mac and cheese is loaded with andouille sausage, okra, Creole seasoning, and white cheddar and Gruyère cheeses.

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Kentucky Hot Brown Macaroni and Cheese

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We took the essential components of a Hot Brown — roast turkey, tomato, bacon, and Mornay sauce — and combined them for an untraditional macaroni and cheese with the soul of the original.

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Pernil Mac and Cheese

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At their Durham, North Carolina, restaurant Boricua Soul, Serena and Toriano Fredericks serve this garlicky pernil — a Puerto Rican–style roast pork shoulder — on top of a rich and creamy mac and cheese.

Macaroni and Cheese with Buttery Crumbs

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Small chunks of cheddar and Colby cheeses throughout give this macaroni and cheese a perfect hit of flavor and a fabulous gooey texture.

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Macaroni and Three Cheeses

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White cheddar, gorgonzola, and Parmesan make this deluxe breadcrumb-topped mac and cheese sing.

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Classic Macaroni and Cheese with Potato Chip Crumble

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Potato chips add a decadent crunch to Kate Winslow's classic macaroni and cheese.

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Auntie Monica's Seafood Mac and Cheese

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (14)

Loaded with fresh shrimp, crab, and lobster and layered with a rich mixture of cheeses, this macaroni and cheese gets an extra boost of spice from liquid shrimp-and-crab boil. The boil seasoning lends its long-cooked flavor to the casserole without overcooking the delicate seafood.

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Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese with Baby Kale

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A quick sauté renders baby kale leaves perfectly tender, allowing them to almost melt into the buttermilk-enriched béchamel in chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls' version of mac and cheese. For a smooth sauce, make sure all of the dairy is at room temperature.

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Grant's Mac and Cheese

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Chef Grant Achatz of Chicago's Alinea uses a white sauce, elbow macaroni, and cheddar cheese, just like the rest of us. His personal touch: a tablespoon of paprika (to enhance the color of the sauce) and lots of smoky, crisp bacon bits.

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Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and Blue Cheese

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A few snipped chives make a lovely garnish for this mac and cheese with wedge salad vibes.

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Andouille Mac & Cheese

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Chef Paul Nanni grinds and smokes his own andouille sausage for super-generous portions of this Cajun-inspired macaroni and cheese, but you can swap in pre-made sausage when making it at home.

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Three-Cheese Mac and Cheese

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Goat cheese, sharp white cheddar, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus sour cream and egg yolks, make this recipe from chef Ben Vaughn of Restaurant Grace in Memphis especially rich.

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Pickled Pepper Macaroni and Cheese

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Crispy panko breadcrumbs add crunch to this rich and cheesy pasta casserole, studded with sweet and spicy pickled peppers.

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Leek Mac and Cheese

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Cooks usually reserve dark, tough leek greens for stock. Here, F&W's Grace Parisi sautés them until they're soft and supple, then folds them into a luscious macaroni and cheese made with nutty Manchego.

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (2024)

FAQs

What to add to mac and cheese to make it better? ›

8 Ways to Elevate Your Macaroni and Cheese Dinners
  1. Add extra cheese to your dish.
  2. Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
  3. Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
  4. Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
  5. Add spices and fresh herbs to your dish.
May 21, 2022

How does Gordon Ramsay make the best mac and cheese? ›

Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese is a simplified recipe. Just boil pasta in milk and then, add butter, cheese, salt, and pepper to it. Merge all the elements and Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese will be ready in no time.

How to give homemade mac and cheese more flavor? ›

Black Pepper: Always a must! Nutmeg: This is also optional but trust me, a dash of it goes a long way to balance the tangy cheese flavor and all the fats. Cayenne Powder: A little sprinkle makes all the difference. It does not make this spicy – it just balances the flavors.

How do you keep mac and cheese creamy? ›

Cut back on cream

A lot of heavy cream can create too thick of a sauce that doesn't contain enough water content to keep everything saucy. Make sure to use primarily whole milk for your cheese sauce, and if you do use cream, use it sparingly.

Why does my homemade mac and cheese taste bland? ›

Try adding a little more salt first, because that might fix it. If the problem was the cheese you use doesn't have much flavor, then try adding some other flavors, such has mustard or hot sauce. The next time you make it, try to find some more strongly flavor cheese, or adding more cheese.

Can you put too much cheese in mac and cheese? ›

Can you put too much cheese in mac and cheese? Yes, adding more cheese than a recipe calls for will not improve the dish. Too much cheese will result in a dish that is heavy and greasy.

What is the best cheese combination for homemade mac and cheese? ›

For a mac and cheese recipe, consider the combination of sharper cheddar cheeses and a flavorful Parmesan. This cheese adds a boost of fruity, nutty notes to your favorite macaroni recipes. Parmesan is also ideal for grating on top of mac and cheese before you bake it to add golden color.

Why is my homemade mac and cheese not creamy? ›

Cook your noodles in milk instead of water

Cooking your noodles in milk instead of water makes your resulting mac and cheese creamier. According to The Kitchn, cooking your noodles in milk instead of water makes the sauce creamy before you even add the cheese sauce.

What are the 3 best cheeses for mac and cheese? ›

What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.

What's in Bob Evans mac and cheese? ›

Cooked Enriched Pasta (Water, Elbow Macaroni [Semolina (Wheat), Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid]), Milk, Water, Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread (American Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Sodium Phosphate, Contains Less than 2% of ...

What cheeses taste good in mac and cheese? ›

Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.

What goes well with homemade mac and cheese? ›

  • 1 / 25. Roasted Broccoli. Perfectly seasoned broccoli florets roasted until crisp and caramelized. ...
  • 2 / 25. Garlic Green Beans. ...
  • 3 / 25. Glazed Carrots. ...
  • 4 / 25. Easy Sautéed Spinach. ...
  • 5 / 25. Easy 10-Minute Garlic Broccolini. ...
  • 6 / 25. 5-Ingredient Kale Caesar Salad. ...
  • 7 / 25. Shaved Brussels Sprouts. ...
  • 8 / 25. Spanakopita Kale Salad.

Why add sour cream to mac and cheese? ›

The trick to making the perfect French onion boxed mac and cheese is to swap out the milk and butter for sour cream. It has the same velvety richness as butter but with a pleasant tang. Plus, while it gets the same job done as the milk, it's a hundred times creamier, making the end result impossibly luscious.

How do you perk up leftover mac and cheese? ›

How to Reheat Mac and Cheese
  1. Reheat it the way you initially cooked it. If you cooked it on the stovetop, use it for reheating. For oven-baked mac and cheese, put it back in the oven.
  2. Add some milk. Add some moisture into the mac and cheese to get some of the sauciness back.
Nov 22, 2023

Is milk or water better for mac and cheese? ›

You most definitely can use water in place of milk in any pasta recipe including mac and cheese. It is how I make mine, in fact, and it is just as healthy and delicious. The thing is that it will make it not as creamy and perhaps less thick.

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