FAMILY STYLE MACARONI & CHEESE
MAC & CHEESE … and three more cheeses. Say “Cheese”!
This Family Style Macaroni & Cheese is what comfort food dreams are made of. It’s gooey, golden, and unapologetically indulgent. I’m talking layers of pasta shells bathed in a velvety, four-cheese sauce, topped with a buttery panko crust that shatters just right under your fork. Whether you're hosting the holidays, potlucking like a pro, or simply feeding a crowd that thinks “seconds” is a starting point, this cheesy masterpiece has you covered. It’s creamy. It’s crunchy. It’s crave-worthy. And it just might steal the spotlight from the main dish.
FAMILY STYLE MACARONI & CHEESE
Yield: 16 Main Dish | 22 Side Dish
Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 30 M
Ingredients
KITCHEN TOOLS
Instructions
TO GET YOURSELF SET UP
- Bring a covered stock pot filled with liberally salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Add pasta shells, boil uncovered till al dente according to its package's instructions.
- Drain the pasta shells and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, stir to coat, and set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Lightly grease a large 8-qt baking dish with butter. Set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together 1 cup of shredded Gruyere, 1 cup of shredded yellow cheddar, 1 cup of shredded white cheddar, and 1 cup of shredded Parmesan. Set aside.
TO MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE
- In a large stock pot, melt 12 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.
- Add diced shallots and cook until softened—about 3 minutes.
- Mix in flour with a rubber spatula until fully integrated. Cook until lightly bubbling—roughly 2-3 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in whole milk and heavy cream until smooth. Bring to a bubble (about 7 minutes), then cook and whisk for 2 additional minutes. The sauce will be thick.
- Add salt and pepper.
- In batches whisk in the shredded cheeses you set aside earlier. Whisk until the sauce is thick and smooth. Smooth aside from any pieces of visible shallot.
- Add your pasta shells into your cheese sauce and fold together until all of your pasta is fully coated.
TO ASSEMBLE + BAKING
- Scoop half of the saucy pasta mixture into an even layer in your prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle a 1/2 cup of each of these shredded cheeses evenly over your saucy pasta layer: Gruyere, yellow cheddar, white cheddar, and Parmesan.
- Scoop the rest of the saucy pasta mixture into another even layer over your shredded cheese layer.
- Mix your remaining cheese together, sprinkle it evenly over your pasta mixture.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine panko crumbs and 12 tablespoons of melted butter.
- Sprinkle evenly over the top of the mac and cheese. Gently pat it down to make it a more solid even crust.
- Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes. Remove when bubbly and golden brown on top.
- Broil on high until the panko crust is lightly golden—2-3 minutes (but check every 30 seconds to keep from burning)
- Eat and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
60Fat
4 gSat. Fat
2 gCarbs
4 gFiber
0 gNet carbs
4 gSugar
1 gProtein
3 gSodium
87 mgCholesterol
11 mg
