Elbow pasta folded into a creamy cheddar-Gruyère sauce, layered with extra cheese and baked until bubbling and golden.
Adapted from The Chunky Chef's Family Favorite Baked Mac and Cheese. Pre-shredded bagged cheese has anti-caking starch that can make the sauce grainy; shredding from a block melts smoother.
Make ahead: assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to 1 day; add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake. Traditional Gruyère is made with animal rennet; strict vegetarians should look for a Gruyère-style cheese labeled vegetarian.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter (plus a little for the dish)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup whole milk
- 2 ½ cup half-and-half
- 4 cup medium cheddar (divided; shred from a block for the smoothest sauce)
- 2 cup Gruyère (divided)
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt (plus more for the pasta water)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter (plus a little for the dish)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup whole milk
- 2 ½ cup half-and-half
- 4 cup medium cheddar (divided; shred from a block for the smoothest sauce)
- 2 cup Gruyère (divided)
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt (plus more for the pasta water)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
Get set
Heat the oven to 325°F and butter the baking dish.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish
Cook the pasta
Boil the elbow macaroni in well-salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
Ingredients
- elbow macaroni (1 lb)
Make the roux
Melt the unsalted butter in the large pot over medium heat. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook until it smells nutty.
Equipment
- large heavy pot
- whisk
Ingredients
- unsalted butter (8 tbsp)
- all-purpose flour (½ cup)
Build the sauce
Slowly whisk in the whole milk, then the half-and-half. Whisk until smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon.
Equipment
- whisk
Ingredients
- whole milk (1 ½ cup)
- half-and-half (2 ½ cup)
Melt in the cheese
Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the medium cheddar and Gruyère until melted. Season with the kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
Equipment
- large heavy pot
Ingredients
- medium cheddar (2 cup)
- Gruyère (1 cup)
- kosher salt (1 ½ tsp)
- black pepper (½ tsp)
- smoked paprika (¼ tsp)
Layer and bake
Fold the elbow macaroni into the sauce and spread half in the baking dish. Scatter medium cheddar and Gruyère over it, then add the rest of the pasta. Top with the remaining medium cheddar and Gruyère. Bake until bubbling at the edges and lightly golden. Rest before serving so the sauce settles.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- elbow macaroni
- medium cheddar (2 cup)
- Gruyère (1 cup)
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Adapted from The Chunky Chef\'s Family Favorite Baked Mac and Cheese.
- • Pre-shredded bagged cheese has anti-caking starch that can make the sauce grainy; shredding from a block melts smoother.
- • Make ahead: assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to 1 day; add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake.
- • Leftovers keep 4 days refrigerated.
- • Traditional Gruyère is made with animal rennet; strict vegetarians should look for a Gruyère-style cheese labeled vegetarian.
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