My Mom made the best mac and cheese. It was outrageously cheesy, ultra creamy, and topped with buttery and crunchy croutons that sent it over the top! This melts in your mouth and you just can't get enough. So over the years, there were times I would add and take away but I always come back to the original. Three different cheeses and those melt in your mouth buttery croutons are the secret.
Three Cheese Mac and Cheese with Buttered Croutons
1 16 ounce box elbow macaroni
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups half and half
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
2 cups Gruyere cheese shredded
2 cup mild cheddar
salt and pepper to taste
Topping
5-6 slices white bread
½ cup (1 stick) butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 deep baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Combine all the 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. Set aside to cool while preparing cheese sauce.
Melt butter in a deep
saucepan or skillet.
Once butter has melted, whisk in the flour and continue whisking over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes to get rid of the flour taste. It will be golden and bubbly.
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 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.
Top with the remaining pasta and
cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Cut the sliced bread into small cubes. Melt a stick of butter in a medium skillet and toss in bread cubes. Continue to toss and stir until bread cubes are completely covered in butter.
Remove bread cubes from skillet and arrange on top of baked mac and cheese.
Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until bread cubes are crispy and golden brown.
Serve immediately
Tips for the Best Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese
- Use block cheese and shred your own. Do not buy the pre-shredded cheese.
- Cook your pasta to slightly less than al dente, about one minute shy is perfect. The reason is that this is baked mac and cheese so the pasta will continue to cook in the homemade cheese sauce in the oven. You don’t want soggy macaroni.
- I used elbow pasta but really, any tubular pasta will work.
- This mac and cheese recipe starts with a roux. The roux is super important to getting the creamiest cheese sauce of your life. Here is what you need to look for:
- The roux (equal parts butter and flour) is whisked together until bubbly and golden.
- Whisk in cold milk – not warm – to prevent the flour from clumping.
- Cook the roux until you see bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes before adding the cheese.
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